Prepare for an EncounterSample

Willing to submit and obey Jesus Christ

Read Acts 9:1-22

Your will submitted to God’s will is absolutely essential to getting freedom from the past and moving forward with God’s purpose for your life.

God had a plan for Saul, but Saul had to first be convinced of who Jesus is and submit his will and life to Jesus Christ.

Saul was to become the great Apostle Paul. His letters and teaching form a large portion of the New Testament but he was not always the great man of God.

He had “a past” and it was something that after he became a Christian he was deeply sorry of.

He had been a religious man, a leader in fact, but he was also a hater of the early church, the gospel and responsible for the death of many Christians. (Acts 7:58, 8:1-3, & 1 Corinthians 15: 8-9).

Saul was on his way to Damascus to do more damage to the Christians there when the Lord Jesus stopped him in his tracks. In that moment and the days afterward, Saul had a major change of heart and mind. God humbled him and he became willing to obey and follow Jesus.

Later, because of his changed heart, he changed his name from Saul – the name of a former king - to “Paul” which means “little”.

The first change that came to Saul was that he was now willing to obey Jesus– the same Jesus he had hated!

And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ..So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ “ Acts 9:5-6 NKJV

To be truly changed, a person must turn from going their own way and start going God’s way. This is true repentance. Jesus expects us as his followers to not only listen to his words but do as he directs.

Jesus said to his followers then: “You know these things — now do them! That is the path of blessing.” John 13:17 NLT

Prayer

Lord, I find it hard to surrender what I want for what you want - and so I need your help. Help me to love the things you love and do the things you want me to do.

Journalling

Think about the areas of your life where you feel you may be still holding onto control.

Q: What areas do you feel you need to surrender to God?