Acts 22:14-16 (Ananias is speaking to Paul)
“Then he said: “The God of our fathers has chosen you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name.
You see The Apostle Paul was an ordinary Jew set out to destroy Christianity through persecuting Christians until the Lord appeared to Him one night on the street. His life was totally transformed, Paul answered the call that was on His life and was very obedient and sensitive to Gods leading. He was set out to capture Christians but was captured by Christ. Empowered by the Holy Spirit He became a preacher of Jesus Christ.
Acts 19:11-12
God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
Acts 19:13-16
Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
The sons of sceva which were overpowered by the evil spirits did not have their own relationship with the Lord and they were trying to drive out demons in the name of someone they did not even know. They had no authority over the evil spirits and so they were overpowered. Paul on the other hand was very obedient to God and had an intimate relationship with Him, He allowed the Holy Spirit to be fully active in His life and this gave him full authority over demonic forces.
It has been said that God is calling out a new generation of people who are willing to accept the call that He has on their lives, live their lives totally sold out to Christ and allow themselves to be fully led by the Holy Spirit.
I believe that this is the generation. I get very excited just thinking that the Lord would even think about choosing me for such a time as this. The word says that even handkerchiefs and aprons that Paul touched could drive out evil spirits. I mean seriously, can you imagine? I believe that we will begin to see even greater works than this in the times to come if this generation would just answer the call! For the 53 of us on my squad that is what this year is all about, answering the call on our lives. It is not always easy, and it may seem crazy at times (The World Race is crazy)… Paul was arrested for answering His call… Although I know many people that have surrendered themselves fully to God and said “yes” to The Call… This is still not the entire generation… So I encourage you to let go of any fear or any expectations that you ever had on God, get ready to be ripped out of your comfort zone, allow yourself to be beautifully broken and just say “yes!” So now you ask yourself the question… Are you going to be apart of the generation that chooses in and gets their inheritance?
I dont know about you, but I dont want to look like the world. I want to look like Christ. Lets be the generation that makes a difference….
