God's Will Was Everything to Paul.

A disciple of Christ's named Ananias was instructed by Jesus Himself in a vision to go to where Saul (Paul) was and put his hands on him to heal him of his blindness. The Lord told Ananias that Paul was a CHOSEN VESSEL, told him this--

Act 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 

The Lord was to show Paul how greatly he was to suffer for Him. 

We touched on that yesterday- suffering for Christ. Many, much more than we can truly fathom, suffer today for Christ in horrific ways. Suffering for Christ isn't a foreign concept. We try to imagine no suffering but that is NOT going to happen here on this earth the way it is, it just isn't. If you ARE NOT suffering for Christ in any way you are either truly very blessed, or very deceived.  How many Christ followers start to suffer and quickly give up on Jesus? Why do they give up? Because they don't think that they should be suffering if Jesus in on their side. They believe they deserve a free pass in the suffering department, but there can be NOTHING further from the truth. Most of those chosen by God have known great suffering, so why would anyone believe they shouldn't have to suffer if they have Christ as their Savior? It is a great deception of Satan's that we believe Christ has failed us when we suffer. We begin to think that Christ doesn't hear our prayers when they aren't answered in the way we desire, but quite the opposite at times. Christ does hear our prayers and if we are praying for Christ's will to be done in us then that means we are trusting that every single evil bit of suffering we have to endure is for a reason we can't comprehend but God does and it will work out HIS will for our eternal good. We have to start looking more towards HEAVEN and less at here and now on earth. Heaven is where our TREASURES should be. The hope of no suffering any capacity large or small is to be found only in eternity, through the salvation found only in Christ Jesus  our Lord and Savior!

Paul was going to be shown what he would suffering, that's something to really think about. What would you do if you were shown the things you would suffer in advance of suffering through them? What if those things you were shown were horrible things, awful, terrible things? It's something to think about, hmn?

Act 9:17  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. 

Act 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Ananias went to Saul(Paul) and put his hands on him as instructed and told him that 'the LORD even JESUS that appeared to him in the way he came, sent him so he would receive his sight again AND be FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT!

The supernaturally placed scales fell from Paul's eyes and he could see! Paul stood up and then was baptized.  Now we know he wasn't baptized in the house, they had to go to the river at least. There was time between receiving his sight and being baptized. How do you imagine Paul was reacting to the miracle performed on him? Do you believe that Jesus showed Paul the great suffering he'd under go? Why wouldn't He, He said He was going to. Paul was shown the suffering in store for Him and still he went to be baptized. It wasn't a matter of suffering to Paul, what mattered to Paul was following God and God wanted Him to be a follower of Christ, an apostle of Christ's.  This is ALL that mattered to Paul- God's will! Yet, Paul was far from perfect- far, far from perfection.

Remember this? I'm not going to let you forget it….

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 

Paul's words!

Does that sound like the words of a perfect man with a perfect life?  NO.

Paul KNEW who his deliverer was and NEVER forgot it! 

Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

Paul wanted only ever to be God's and God's led Him to that end, but it was NOT EASY.

May God lead us to HIM- and may any suffering we have to endure be done knowing it is temporary to eternity with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!