15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Our devotional this week looks at the life of Saul of Tarsus to which he was known at that time, at least it was until his encounter with Jesus. Our story is derived from the book of Galatians and extends over into the book of Acts. We are going to discover in this teaching how the encounters with God will change your course of direction, your conduct, insights, and your quality of life. Grab up your Bible and some paper and let's enter into this revelatory teaching on, "Supernatural Encounters."
 
Galatians 1:11-17 (KJV)
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

We have just read an excerpt from the Apostle Paul in his own words as he is sharing with the Galatians church about his proof or authorization from Jesus which validates his ability to preach the gospel of Christ to them. As Paul (Saul) continues to explain why he is qualified to preach the gospel, he uses some examples from his own life to which he had encounters with God that altered his course in life giving further evidence 

that his credentials came not of man, but of God. Therefore, Saul of Tarsus as he was known, had legal papers from the chief priests giving him the authority to round up all the Christians he could find and arrest them that called upon the Lord's name.
 
I have to add right here if I may, that this is much like the religious organizations of today that issue credentials to their ministers that have been steeped in their religious doctrines and traditions of men which they use to persecute God's people by bringing them into the same bondage that those teachings promote. I realize this may not sit well with some that might be reading this article. But consider this if you will: one can't dismiss the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues just because their organization has taught that it is not for today; when in fact, the Bible does not speak of the decease of this gift. They just base this on their own absence of the experience personally, so they teach against it as not being for today or worst yet, its of the devil; therefore, keeping the people that they will influence through their organization away from that experience within their life. This is the same disastrous application that Saul of Tarsus was administering for the chief priests of his day, while thinking he was doing God a service when actually he was persecuting the Church.
 
Therefore, Saul of Tarsus was an enforcer of bondage, of religion, and even had the legal credentials by the hierarchy of the institutional church to perform these hideous crimes against the followers of Christ. This is why it is so important that we preach and teach the whole counsel of God's Word regardless if it is effectively working in our lives at present or not. The Word of God is a performing utterance that never fails to manifest where it is believed on without doubting. God's Word does not lie. Unfortunately though, there are many streams within the church that are at odds with each other over many doctrines because they interpret the Word to fit their limited beliefs. Saul of Tarsus was doing exactly this very same thing when he went about persecuting the church of Jesus Christ.
 
Another example that we could use to support this point is on healing. There are many streams in the body of Christ that interpret God's Word on healing based on their results or lack of them. Some groups indoctrinate their people that God uses sickness to teach them something; or teach things like, "If it be His will to heal you; but not everyone will be healed." So as you can imagine this shows how difficult it would be to hear a message that God wants to heal you, if this in fact, was the kind of teaching that you sat under all your life. But look with me briefly at what the Bible has to say about these two particular examples used on these points which we have referred. There are many more Scriptures that I could use to substantiate my argument, but I don't want to belabor the central point of this devotional to get into these various teachings that are for another time. We will therefore, use these few Scriptures, so as to support my point made and then proceed on to connect with our main theme.
 
Acts 19:2-6 (KJV)
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Psalms 103:2-3 (KJV)
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

Psalms 107:19-20 (KJV)
19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Just remember to always accept the Word of God as reliable and without respect of persons; and never change it to fit what isn't working in your life at this moment. God's Word is an all-inclusive impartation to them that believe, and it will usher in its daily benefits without fail. Jesus told us that we would do the very same things that He did, and even greater works. You can't begin to see supernatural encounters in your life if you don't believe they exist in the now. What I will tell you is that God will always meet you on the road of life, but you will need to recognize that He is there and that will require eyes of "faith." Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Let's continue to look at the details of what the Apostle Paul was telling us as he was writing to the Galatians church about his personal encounter with God that changed his life forever.
 
Acts 9:10-18 (KJV)
10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
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:
16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

In this passage of Scripture we find that there was a man by the name of Ananias (not the one that died along with his wife for lying to the Holy Ghost) who had a vision from the Lord. The word vision in this particular passage holds the connotations of one that was given a visual word of knowledge or a discernment of things that were to take place before they happened. I like this very much as I spiritually considered it, simply because it reveals how God transmitted His purposes for two very different men so that they would connect to follow out the plan of God. You will need to pay close attention to the details of this account of Ananias and Saul for it holds some incredible insights for you and me.
 
Now, Ananias saw in his vision the Lord his God, and was told by Him to go immediately to a street called, "Straight" where he was to inquire in the house of Judas for a man by the name of Saul of Tarsus. The Lord began to tell Ananias that Saul would be praying and that he too would be having a vision also about a man named Ananias who would be coming to lay hands on him that he might receive his sight. This is an interesting text as it reveals how the Lord prepared each man's heart to receive the plan of God. In other words, there was to be a transmission on the part of Ananias and a reception on the part of Saul which would create a divine connection between the two for something that God had planned. We must ask the question, "Why did both men get a vision?" I believe it was because both men needed to receive their sight in order for them to see the work of God manifested. I realize some of you might be thinking that only Saul was blind because of his encounter with Jesus, but truthfully they both were blind to the purpose of God concerning this soon to be connection.
 
If we look at verse 13 above you will notice that Ananias was a bit concerned about meeting this one called Saul of Tarsus. Why? It was because Ananias only knew Saul to be a man that was tormenting the saints of God and was not peaceful towards the Christians or their cause. Ananias therefore, was so under the radar of God's plans that he even went so far to tell Jesus as though Jesus didn't know, within the vision that Saul had legal documents from the chief priests to incarcerate all the believers that he found. What Ananias was essentially doing was arguing with the Lord because he knew of Saul's evil actions that he had committed in the past and that was obscurring his ability to see this as a true vision. However, the Lord assured Ananias in the vision that Saul was a chosen vessel or agent of His own choosing that had been set aside to suffer for him and reveal Christ to the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.
 
One thing that I have generally observed when God speaks to me personally is that it often goes against conventional thinking. In other words, His command requires me to get out of a comfortable boat of self-preservation and step out onto the water of the unknown. Ananias obeyed the vision by which he had received of the Lord and disputed it not. As matter of fact, Ananias approached Saul who was bowed down praying and placed his hands on him and called him, brother. Now here is a man that had been noted to persecute the saints of God even unto the consenting of their death. But because of the vision of the Lord that Ananias had believed to be credible and reliable, he called Saul exactly what Jesus had called him. Brother! In other words, if Jesus' approval is on something Ananias didn't argue with it. We should be so faithful to what God reveals to us. Somebody will be used by God as a declarer in your life, and for you to benefit from it; you will need to be a hearer of that which has been revealed to you, and then become a doer through the exercising of your faith upon it. Let's close with a couple of more Scriptures and comments respectively, and then allow the Holy Spirit to exhaust this teaching further into your spirit.
 
Galatians 2:20 (KJV)
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The changed man who once persecuted the saints of God had now died that his Lord may live through him. No longer was he to be called Saul of Tarsus, but Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ. Why? It was because Paul had nothing in common with the old man to which he was once so despicable and corrupted by. All things to Paul were counted as rubbish in comparison to the One that had seized his heart and life; and Paul could in no way violate that purchase that was made for his own soul by the blood of Jesus to whom he owed everything. This very Jesus had changed how Paul would live his life forever. Has it changed you as well? 
 
Hebrews 4:15 (KJV)
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

I end this devotional with this final Scripture in hopes that it will help someone understand better the purposes of the circumstances that we go through in this life that often seem so difficult to know why they happen to us. I realize that everyone faces oppression, depression or some other negative emotion as they are faced with various trials. However, because we are more introverted when it comes to assessing our feelings we see all of these as negative impressions rather than a connection to something that might very well be a divine and necessary event. What I mean by this is that when I am feeling depressed over something, revelation of the truth might just be that I am experiencing it on someone else's behalf. Jesus was touched with the very discomforts that we go through in life but it was not because of His decline to maintain the character of who He was. No! He was without sin, but nevertheless, He was tempted just as we are. Why? That in all points He can identify with us as well as our struggles so as to help lead us to victory over the circumstances of life.
 
When I studied this out I realized that whenever I feel depressed I am simply becoming acquainted with the very work of the devil which comes to steal, kill, and destroy. It is here that I recognize his schemes and devices which help me to identify these diabolical tricks as he attempts to release them over my life; and it then empowers me to have the wisdom to help others through their struggles as I grow more discerning of how the devil sets his traps. We are all in this together and the Word of God gives us the insight and the power to exercise authority over our adversary the devil. God uses supernatural encounters to transmit His purposes in the lives of the saints in order to make those divine connections that we all need in our lives. However, without a good reception on our end there can be no supernatural encounter.

 

God is declaring will anyone be listening? The Lord is revealing but will anyone be watching? Transmissions need a reception or the signal cannot be dialed in to hear the divine revelation of Jesus Christ. There is only one revelation (and that is all things are in Jesus Christ) even though we get it in pieces we must keep attending to it in order to see the whole picture come into focus. Our loving Savior connects us through divine supernatural encounters of the God kind. These encounters enable us to transmit God's purposes effectively; and for those that need the divine hookup, it requires a reception on your part. Therefore, don't allow anying to distract its signal from locating your whereabouts that you may realize His purposes in your life. Amen!