Encountering Truth

Truth is a person.

John 14:6 NASB95

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Why did God change Saul’s name to Paul?

He didn’t.

Paul chose to change his name from Saul to Paul to better appeal to the people God sent him to.

Acts 9:1–9 NASB95

1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Saul was commited to a cause.

Because Saul did not know who Jesus was he built this fortress around a false identity of Jesus.

I would say that the culture he came from built a fortress around that lie and he bought in hard.

When we are living in a false identity of Jesus we need an encounter with Jesus.

Depending on how big of fortress we built around that false identity of Jesus, we will need a intervention.

If what we see is not the Truth then, we need to have an encounter with Truth and then become blind to the lie.

We build a fortress around lies:

Example, I have worked hard all my life. I even found ways enjoy working hard.

I also have gotten a lot of attention in my life for being a hard worker more specifically for trying hard.

I was on the phone the other day with someone I used to work with. He told me i was the first person he worked with that made his work ethic feel less than because I worked so hard.

As he was talking I realized what Jesus was doing in my life right now. He was exposing that I get my identity in trying harder then the people around me.

I feel like I have been knocked off my donkey seen what I was perusing was a lie.

I built a fortress around that lie. I hung on to every prophecy about being beyond my age or wisdom beyond years, or the shoes you where are bigger.

I hung on to every complement that confirmed this lie to be my identity.

I especially hung on the complements from people I admire or want to follow. If I can impress them, I can be accepted and belong.

Now What?

Acts 9:10–19 NASB95

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,

Act 1

Acts 10:19 NASB95

19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.

I see a couple of ingredients necessary for the scales of lies to fall of our eyes.

Ingredients for the scales of lies to fall off:

A encounter with Truth

Trust in what you hear or see, and follow where you are bing led.

Others, Others need to trust what Jesus says about you not your past.

Supernatural transfer.

Lay hands on, Regain your sight and be filled with Holy Spirit.

Others need to trust what Jesus says about you not your past.

Supernatural transfer.

Regain your sight and be filled with Holy Spirit.

What does this mean for where I am today?

It means I trust what I see and I follow where I am being led.

It means others need to trust in what Jesus says about me.

It means I need to regain my sight and be filled with Holy Spirit.

What does this mean for you today?

If you feel like you are on a path that is not the right path for you, you need an encounter with Truth.

If you feel God has you in a place of unknown or blindness you need to trust what you heard and saw and be led.

If you feel like you are past this then you are one who will be led to pray for someone to see and be filled with Holy Spirit.

I have two challenges for us today:

Be open to be knocked off your feet and to have an encounter with Truth.

Be open to be led by Jesus to lay hands on someone who needs to regain sight and be filled with Holy Spirit. If you got a name already respond as soon as you can.

If you feel Jesus asking you to go lay hands on someone for them to regain sight and

It may require a element of trust in what Jesus says they are rather then what you perceive they are.

He didn’t.

Paul chose to change his name from Saul to Paul to better appeal to the people God sent him to.

Towards the end of Paul’s journey:

Acts 23:1 NASB95

1 Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.”