3 seCreTs tO a 180° liFe tRaNsFoRmaTioN...

3 seCreTs tO a 180° liFe tRaNsFoRmaTioN...

Many a times people look for life-changing experiences, including us, so as to be a better person on the face of this earth. = ) So let me share briefly what I've learnt from this lesson.

Acts 9:1-19

1.    Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest
2.    and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
3.    As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4.    He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5.    "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.
6.    "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7.    The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
8.    Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
9.    For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10.    In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered.
11.    The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
12.    In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
13.    "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
14.    And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
15.    But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.
16.    I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
17.    Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18.    Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
19.    and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

As you have seen from the passage above, Saul started out in the chapter as a persecutor, and through a series of things that happened, he was transformed and he became a man of God. Let us learn the practicalities from the above passage.

1. Transform by meeting God <v3 to v6>

As you have seen, Saul met God, and asked him "Who are you, Lord?" The very fact that he has called the 'unknown power' Lord, shows that in his weakness, he acknowledged a Lord that he needed.

In the same way, we have to acknowledge God as our Lord, not only as a head knowledge but also in our heart, and be willing to submit and obey His Word.

How to meet God?! We would have to spend regular private time (a.k.a. Quiet Time) with God, reading the bible, praying and worshipping Him, and so know Him in a deeper manner. When was the last time did you spend a quality time talking to God? How often do we do it? Do we learn anything from the Word?

Judges 6:12 -- When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, " The Lord is with you, mighty warrior."
Jeremiah 1:4-5 --The word of the Lord came to me (Jeremiah), saying, "Before i formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

When both Gideon and Jeremiah met God, God spoke to them and transformed them into powerful man of God. When God speak to us, it may not be literally an audible voice. God may speak through other people, or through His Word, that's why spending solitary time with Him, and reading the bible is essential.

2. Transform by real-life situations <v8 to v9>

God has blinded Saul, and brought him to Damascus in the above verse. Sometimes, God like to use real-life situations that are tangible to teach us something. For example, when we have pride in us, God may remove us from a certain position of leadership, and put us under a firm leader to make us learn not to be so proud.

Thinkspot: why sometimes we keep going through the same problem and situation again and again? perhaps this is because we had not learnt the lesson God want to teach us. Yeah, one more thing. Only when our self-confidence decrease, we are able to depend on God more for what we cannot do, and hope that He'd do for us.

James 1:2-4 -- Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 5:9 -- Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

When we under testings, we should should go through it with a joyful spirit, and not a grumpy spirit. God only disciplines who he loves, so thank God He's disciplining us!

3.Transformed by godly leaders <v10 to v17>

God used Ananias to go and heal Saul. Why didn't God heal Saul personally? Was He the Almighty? Yes, God wanted to let us know that God prefers to use people to do His work. God sent many prophets to proclaim His words to many nations. Similarly, God use people to share the love of Christ to many other unbelievers. If God didn't want to us people, he could have easily bring us to Himself the moment we accept Christ.

God placed a shepherd above us, to watch over us and to correct us whenever it's deemed necessary. As a sheep, are we receptive to our leaders' words? When they correct us, are we willing to accept it humbly and be willing to change for the better?

Hebrews 12:7-9 -- Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!

As mentioned earlier, God only discipline us because we are His children. Therefore, submitting to leaders is equals to submitting to God.

In conclusion, the above 3 points are the key factors to having a daily revival in Christ and renewal in our spirit, in order to be more Christ-like. Let me leave you with a verse:

2nd Corinthians 5:17 -- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Acknowledgements:

Lesson: 3 Secrets to a 180° life transformation.
Speaker of lesson: Jasmine
Venue and date: Y-Hope Polytechnic District Service, YMS, 3rd October.

Scriptures are taken from the NIV version of the Holy Bible.

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