God can remove the scales from your eyes.

Do you know anyone who has blinders over their eyes?  It doesn’t have to be actual blinders, but they see in life what they want to see and believe what they want to believe.  They can be living in a complete lie or void of reality but nothing you can say to them makes them change their minds.

I know someone like this, and he lives in the lies that are fed into his mind by satan and satan working through people around him.  There was no way for me to show him that his thoughts were untrue, because his perception became his reality.   His perception or his reality was not what the truth was, but he believed the lies, and in return, gave up.

In reading Acts 9 tonight, the story of Saul, made me think of my relationship with this person, and how deceived he was, just as Saul was before the scales were removed from his eyes. 

We all know the story of Paul, who was once, Saul.  We know how his transition happened and how Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus.  Saul, was actually on his way to bring Christians in to Jerusalem, so they could be put into jail, or worse, killed.  Saul was known as the Christian killer.  He killed many Christians for their belief in Jesus and claimed that they were speaking blasphemy against God.  Saul was dead set in his beliefs and thought what he was doing by killing innocent people was justified and right.  He thought that he was avenging God with his behavior.

BUT GOD… or in this case BUT JESUS.

Jesus came on the scene and put a stop to Saul’s wicked ways and hardened heart.  With just the brightness of His being caused Saul to fall off of his horse, as Jesus approached Saul he cried out, who are you, Lord?  Jesus called out to him with a simple answer, I am Jesus.  The one you are persecuting.  

Could you imagine!!! 

Saul has been killing people because they believed and were speaking about Jesus, and here He is in front of your eyes.   Could you imagine the immediate shame, guilt and sorrow you would feel for all the lives you have taken, all the blood of Christians that is on your hands.

There is no question or wonder, why Saul immediately asks Jesus, what is it that you desire me to do?  Who wouldn’t be asking Jesus, what can I do?  How can I make what I have done right, now that I know the truth? 

Jesus says to him in Acts 9:6 but arise and go into the city and you will then be told what to do.   Now this is some day!  Saul started out planning on arresting and putting Christians into chains and taking them back to Jerusalem and now, here he is on the side of the road, blind, off his horse and talking to Jesus.  That is some day.

The Bible tells us in Acts 9 that Saul did not eat or drink for three days and remained in prayer.  At the same time, Jesus appeared to a disciple named Ananias, and told him of Saul.  Jesus, instructed Ananias to go to Saul and heal him from his blindness. 

Ananias, rightfully so worried, responds to Jesus with, but Lord, do you understand who this man Saul is.   I think this is hilarious, because Ananias is speaking to Jesus, who knows all things, and asking Him if He really knows who Saul is.   Of course Jesus knows who Saul is, He created Saul.  He knows this man’s heart, but He also knows what is inside of this man’s heart in the future.  He sees who Saul will become, and of course Ananias does not. 

At this time Ananias is like my friend.  He is trapped in the lies of fear and confusion.  Ananias is being used by satan to try and stop the working of Jesus.  Satan knows that Saul has a great possibility in him and if he is working now for Jesus, instead of for him, like Saul had been, he is going to lose a great worker.  Satan, will do anything to deceive us and stop the works of God, but what satan needs to understand, he has already been defeated.   Jesus has already won, and since we are in Jesus, so have we.  The plans of God will not be stopped. 

Ananias does as Jesus has instructed him and goes over to Saul, who again, hasn’t had anything to eat or drink for three days, and is blind, and I am sure scared out of his mind.   Ananias lays his hands over Saul’s eyes and the scales fell off of Saul’s eyes.   Ananias then tells him that Jesus came to him and told him that Saul is a chosen instrument of His and that he will bear His name before the Gentiles, kings and the descendants of Israel.   Ananias then baptizes Saul and this begins the great work of Saul/Paul in this world.

This story just breathes life into my soul.  This story tells me that the scales and blinders can be removed from a person’s eyes.  This story tells of redemption, restoration, transformation, forgiveness and purpose.

We all have the ability to have all of these things through Jesus.  Maybe Jesus isn’t going to knock you off of your horse and appear to you on the side of a road, or maybe He will, but Jesus can remove the scales from your eyes too.

Jesus can take your life like He took Saul’s and completely transform it into something wonderful.  Remember that Saul was full of hate, anger, and contempt and bitter.  His heart was hardened to the world and he took it out on the Christians.  I would think that Saul was jealous of the relationship Christians had with Jesus and his own lack of relationship with God, and that’s why he was attacking them with such force.

Saul was one of the worst men in the Bible and he became one of, if not the greatest warrior for Jesus.  Saul’s eyes were opened to the truth and his perception changed, as his heart was changed.  He was no longer clouded by the negative feelings and distractions of satan and was able to accept, receive and feel the love of God in his life.

Saul’s heart was made tender in moments to not only Jesus but to His ways.  We can have all of these things that Saul had.  We can become transformed soldiers for God, here on this earth.  Jesus can take your hard heart and make it tender and open to Him, you just have to let Him do it.

It took Saul to be thrown off his horse and seeing the image of Jesus to change his mind and perspective, what will it take for you to experience the same change in your life?