The apostle Paul is one of the greatest men of God who ever walked on earth, but surprisingly, he wasn’t a Christian at first. In fact, he was a persecutor of the Church. Today, let’s explore more about his background and see how God’s power can suddenly change someone’s destiny.

If you enjoy the article, don’t forget to check out another one that will continue to speak to your heart, “Abraham: How To Live By Faith And Not By Sight.”

1 – The Persecutor

Acts 8:1 (KJV):

“And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

The first time we see Paul in the Bible is during a powerful moment. Stephen, a man of God and member of the early Church, began declaring the history of Israel and pointed out that the people had betrayed and killed the Messiah. In response, they stoned Stephen to death. The Bible says that those who stoned him laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

What’s even more striking is that in Acts chapter 8, we read that Saul approved of Stephen’s death. Saul was a Pharisee, very religious and committed to destroying Christianity. He even received official letters from the authorities to arrest and persecute Christians. This was his mission, but what he didn’t know was that God had a completely different plan for his life

2 – The Persecuted

Acts 9:4 (KJV):

4 “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”

In his mission to destroy the Church, Saul set out for Damascus. He asked the high priest for letters that would give him the authority to arrest any Christians he found along the way. But as he was on the road, a bright light from heaven struck him, and he fell to the ground.

Then a voice said, “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” It was Jesus. He instructed Saul to go into the city, where someone would tell him what to do. Saul was blinded by the light, and his companions had to help him reach Damascus.

Meanwhile, Jesus appeared in a vision to one of His disciples, Ananias, telling him to go and pray for Saul. At first, Ananias hesitated, reminding the Lord of Saul’s reputation, but God responded, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel unto me.”

Ananias obeyed. He found Saul, prayed for him, and Saul’s sight was restored. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and from that moment forward, his mission changed. The persecutor became the persecuted.

3 – The God That See What We Can’t

Acts 9:13–15 (KJV):

13 “Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:”

14 “And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.”

15 “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.

The apostle Paul went on to write more books of the Bible than anyone else. He became one of the most important figures in Christianity, but who would have ever imagined that when they first saw him?

Like Ananias, we often judge people by what we see in the moment. When someone seems too far gone or too broken, we might think they’ll never change. But God sees what we cannot. He knows the potential in every person, and He sees value even in the most unexpected vessels.

God knows your strengths and weaknesses, and yet He still chooses to invest in you. Just like Paul, your past doesn’t disqualify you from being used for God’s glory.

Conclusion

As followers of Christ, we must strive to see others the way God sees them. Think about someone in your life that you’ve given up on, someone you’ve thought would never change. Today, I challenge you to pray for that person and believe that God can transform their life, just like He did with Paul.

Maybe that person you’re thinking about will become one of the most influential Christians of this generation, we don’t know, but God does.

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