Don’t think that all your fearful imaginations will happen. God has a plan.
Damascus was frightened.
A killer, a religious zealot who hated the name of Christ and imprisoned all his followers was coming up the road.
He had imprisoned perhaps hundreds of men and women. Now, he had letters to arrest every Christian in Damascus.
Even the Christian leaders were petrified. Suddenly, everything changed. The plan of God started working.
Remember these things when your imaginations run wild:
“God’s power can paralyze a monster.”
Suddenly, the power of God shined like a blinding sun. Saul fell violently to the ground. He felt a heavy weight of some presence pushing him down, subduing him.
“I am Jesus,” a voice thundered.
Paul’s mind raced: “What? Did I hear right? He’s dead. All these Christians are deceived and deceivers.”
Saul met Jesus, the Almighty Lord and Christ and was struck blind. Saul was directed to wait in Damascus for a man named Ananias.
Your greatest enemy is about to become your greatest ally.
God uses the most unlikely people to fulfill His plan.
Saul? The most infamous persecutor of the church of that day? Saul, called to preach the good news?
Ananias found him, laid hands on him, and his blindness immediately was healed. He received the power of the Holy Spirit and was baptized.
Now, the monster became a miracle. He started preaching Jesus with a passion like no other Christian had ever preached.
Start to imagine your enemies as tools in the hands of the Holy Spirit to change the world.
Don’t underestimate the power of a “You-turn.”
That person you work with who has vile language? That relative who has never been to church a day in his life? That neighbor who scowls at you, furious at your consistent smile?
Keep praying for them. Keep loving them. Keep believing that Almighty God has a plan for their lives. That plan will use every one of their talents for good instead of evil!
After all, He turned YOU and ME around. Our hard, cold, blasphemous hearts were turned to pure, tender, compassionate love.
Have hope!
God can!
Never fear the power of hate. God has the power to arrest your enemy and knock them to the ground.
Those fearful imaginations of what your worst enemy may do will be totally shocked when they hear of the grace of God.
Pray for them. Bless them. Ask God to grab hold of their hearts and reveal Himself to them.
Your worst “Saul” may become God’s greatest “Paul.”