SNT 0217 Acts 9
Acts 9 October 23, 1966
Expository teaching on Saul, Ananias and God’s Word and will. Reference is made to titles of Jesus Christ, devil spirits, Satan’s deception, manifestations of the spirit (especially speaking in tongues), and salvation.
SNT – 217
Format: audio
Publication Date: 10-23-1966
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
Act 9:1-4
Act 9:4; Phi 2:6-8; Joh 13:13; Luk 6:46; Mat 8:29; 1Jo 4:1-3
1Jo 4:2-6; 2Jo 7; Rev 12:9; Mat 24:24; Act 9:5-7; 22:6-9
Act 22:9-11; 26:12-18; 9:8-10
Act 9:10-15
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DRAFT
snt-0217_acts-9(vpw)
Thu, 1/27 8:21PM • 1:06:28
SUMMARY KEYWORDS: lord, God, Damascus, word, verse, man, spirit, people, Saul, heard, called, Jesus, Acts, manifestation, world, record, persecuting, vessel, Bible, voice
Well, thank you, Rhoda. Thank you, Dorothy. Let's get to the word Acts chapter nine tonight. Perhaps Reverend PJ Wade from Australia, was right when he said about the book of Acts that this is the playground for the lay ministry. But you could work this book of Acts over and over and over again. And it's always enlightening. It's always invigorating. It's always dynamically inspiring. The reason is, because it's so timely. It is just like as if it was written yesterday afternoon or this afternoon. And it is always current because it deals with the church. The book of Acts, is that the history of the rise and the expansion of the church. And as I have shown you from God's word, it is the book of Acts, that's a transition between the Old Testament and the New. And this book of Acts, sets like a diamond. It sets like a CO, he said, Something between the old and the new to make it possible for us to understand the church. No person can understand the Church and its operation. without going to the book of Acts, and endeavoring to master this, and understanding the principles and the keys that are set forth. This Ninth Chapter deals with a man who was the most unlikely person to ever believe God's word. He was a person if he would have walked into the average, so called organization or institution of Christian learning, they would have endeavored to lock the door to keep him out. Or they would have hired a bailiff to throw him out. Because he just wouldn't listen to our thing. He was absolutely opposed to everything the Christian gospel stood for. And he was an out and outright murderer. This man is the one we're going to be reading about tonight. In the ninth chapter, his name was Saul. This was his Hebrew name. His Greek name was Paul. And in the first verse of this ninth chapter, we read and saw you had breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord went on to the high priests. You see, he was constantly breathing out threatenings. And he stood against Steven, who had been stoned. And it says he cast his vote against him. And the only way he could have cast his vote against him would have been if he would have been a member of the Senate read that Senator and was the ruling body of Judaism. They were 70 people belong to it, it made up the ruling body 70 of them. These 70 were mostly Pharisees and scribes. Most of them were highly educated and trained men. These men who ran the Senate run or who were in charge of it, were the ones who set the program, they were the ones who set the tenor of the religious attitude among the people. And here with the rise of Christianity, the preaching of the Word of God, this had infiltrated deeply into the city of Jerusalem. And Paul was violently opposed to eat, even to the end that he said he cast his vote. And this he could have only done if he'd have been a member of the Senate grid, and to be a member of the Sanhedrin you had to be married and be a father. I don't know the reason for this, except might make you a little more understanding of other people or something. But you had to be married, or had to have been married in your life died in you had you had to have been a father is a criteria, and you had to be over 30 years old. That's another one. I almost forgot that. Because no one could be a member or teach until they were 30. This is why Jesus started his ministry when He was holed 30 That's the reason for it isn't that he didn't know the Word of God before this. But this was the custom. This was the law and Jesus Christ fulfilled walk. That's why he waited till he was 30. wouldn't have had to. He could have taught him at 23 but he will fulfill the law. He had to obey Now this Saul was cast, he was threatening, like Stephen was stoned. And he carried out the slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. And then he went to the high priest, the top man, the top echelon of the religious world, and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, the followers of the disciples of the Lord the way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. So his whole purpose, his whole conviction was to go to the synagogues in Damascus. And Damascus is one of the great was one of the great cities of the world. Do you know that it is still one of the few oldest cities of the world still in existence? Nineveh perhaps was an older city, but Nineveh is no more. But Damascus is still an extent today. And so he went to the high priests asking that he might get a letter permitting him that if he found any believers in Damascus, he might find them hands and feet and bring them back as slaves to Jerusalem to be punished. Now get the picture of this mission. This man is is a sincere you're back to life. Is he religious? He was fanatically religious. And he was absolutely convinced that what he was going to do what and what he was doing was a credit to God. Verse three. And as he journeyed. He came near Damascus. And suddenly, they're shined round about him, light from heaven. The text gives it that he was surrounded with a bright light. Verse four, and he fell to the lawn. Did anybody striking? Was he slain in the Spirit? No, no, no, no. He fell, he did it himself by the brightness of this light with which he had been overcome. Whatever else may be about, he fell to the earth he was not possessed. He did not lose his consciousness. He was not taken over. He did not become a medium. This was this apostle Paul, later came to be Apostle Paul. But this was the man who had been out there persecuting the Christians, headed for Damascus. And all at once as he's going along. There is that big, bright light. This is in the category of odd phenomenon. It is not guaranteed in the Word of God, that if you've been a murderer, or if you have been real devilish against the truth of God's word, that there's going to be a bright light from heaven to engulf you, or surround you. Therefore, it's in the category of phenomenon. It is God's prerogative. And it said he fell to the earth and heard a voice. He heard a voice saying on de sol Sol Saul, why persecutest thou me? This is what he heard. This again is phenomena phenomenon where God speaks to this man.
09:13
And he heard a voice. You might like to put this in your margin, because the accuracy of this is unique. Because hear the word heard a voice is in the accusative case. Now this won't mean anything to some of you, it'll mean something to somebody else. Because the accuracy of the worried is at stake here in this thing because there are three records in the book of Acts. As to this experience, and I'm going to read all three with you tonight. And open all three so that you'll understand I believe, every facet that's involved in it.
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He heard a voice the word for voice is most interesting. How do you spell phone? That's the word that you use for voice. This is where we got the word telephone. The word phone pH Oh, any phone name is the Greek word. But it's spelled just exactly p h o n e just like you spell fo only it's a long Oh, and along he.
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This was, this is what he heard. He heard a voice. We get the word phone from this English word phone is literally transliterated from the Greek word, phony, eh o ne, Longo long. That's something. So when you hear a peep person's voice, that's what he's talking about. He heard a voice. But the remarkable thing about this word heard a voice is that he heard it. But none of the others round about, heard it. That's the point. We'll see this coming up again. And this voice, which you heard said, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Not something. He didn't think he was persecuting him that he, he thought he was doing God a favor. He thought he was working his way up the top echelon of his religious service. He was absolutely convinced he was right. And yet, the first thing after he called him by name, he said, why are you persecuting me? Well, how in the world could he be persecuting Jesus, Jesus sitting up there in heaven? The only reason it could be is because of what he was doing to God's people here upon Earth. Right? Sure.
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Verse five. And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecuted Mylanta revelation in that word.
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He didn't say to him in verse five, Who art thou Jesus? He didn't say to him who are thought Jesus of Nazareth?
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No, no. When he heard this, he recognized that it had to be somebody with great authority. And so he uses the word, Lord. You know why this is so remarkable. And I wish some of your good students would, would would follow up what I'm saying tonight, and pattern this out in the Word. And when you get them all pattern, I'd like to hear from you. Because it's remarkably interesting to me here. Because the Lord said, I am the Lord Jesus, whom thou art. It doesn't say that. No, it does. That's remarkable. This is remarkable. You know why? Because he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am the Lord Jesus, no. Could he have said that? Could he have said, Was Jesus the Lord, God raised Him from the dead, he sat down to write, he is the Lord Jesus Christ, right. And if you are born again of God's Spirit, you have to confess with your mouth, what? The Lord Jesus never Jesus. And that is why it astounded me when I worked this particular verse. It astounds me from those angles, first of all, that Saul should immediately say, Who are our Lord? And that the Lord would say, I am Jesus home, thou what? That's remarkable. You know, the word Jesus is always associated with his humility, with his degradation. It's always associated with the shame that Jesus had to endure. worries that he was of no reputation, but made himself of no reputation and took upon himself. Where is that? The farm of man?
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Remember that? Or is it in Philippians? someplace? I gotta find it. I think it's Philippians Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians
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To what? Yes, or to seven Philippians 275. We'll start with very six, who being in the farm of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man and being found in fashion. As a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of on the cross. Throughout the Bible basically, only devil spirits, people who weren't loaded with devil spirits, who were possessed, who were medium, only they called him, Jesus. And the enemies of our Lord and Savior, the enemy, they referred to him as Jesus, or Jesus of Nazareth. Every believer referred to him either as lord or master. I'd like for you to check it out, see if I'm not right in my working Oh, the word in this feed. Wherever they use Jesus, it's always associated with his shame and with his humility. And the devil spirits never spoke of him as the Lord or as Christ. They spoke of him as Jesus or his enemies. And here when Saul says Who art thou, Lord, the Lord said, I am on what had what had Saul thought of Jesus. He had been his worst enemy. He thought Jesus was all wrong. And Jesus uses the very words that Saul had exemplified in his life and call it day as attention. I am this shameful one. I am this despised one. I am this one who has been humiliated not only on the cross, but by you. What are tremendous revelation in that word? I am Geez. Oh, wow. persecutors. Look at the Gospel of John. That tremendous, Mr. Banks. You said it. It's wonderful. It's a greatness of His words. The Gospel of John. I, I'll just show you a few. And you can go in your concordances. We'll give you something to do before breakfast. John, chapter 13.
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Verse 13, he called me what? Master and Lord and Jesus say, well, for so I am, this is a testimony of JESUS HIMSELF. Verse 40, if I then your Lord and watts, Master, how he referred to himself in the Gospel of Luke, chapter six. Verse 46. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I was say. Then by comparison, look at Matthew chapter eight. Verse 29, talking about people in verse 28, that were possessed with devils, verse 29. And behold, they cried out, saying, what have we to do with the Lord Jesus, thou Son about that something. They didn't say whatever we to do with the Lord. They said, Whatever we got to do with you, Jesus, You humiliated one
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Back to chapter nine while I'm thinking about it better go to First John tremendous how this spirit of God works in Amman chapter, First John chapter four. Beloved, believe not everyone, spirits but try the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into us, and they all talk religion.
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They all talk all the wonderful things of the world. But verse two, here by no ye the Spirit of God, even that spirit that confesses that JESUS Christ is come in the flesh is of us. But they will never say this. They will always say Jesus, yes, but this is Jesus, the Christ, the one who was humiliated, but the Christ part is added, because God raised him he was the anointed one, whom God made Lord. Verse three, and every spirit that confess it's not that Jesus Christ is come, I You see, it says, Every spirit I suppose I have to have a little better understanding of this than most people have. I am not a spirit, I am Victor Paul, where well, I am a person, I'm an individual. But it says every spirit, inside of the P we're well is spirit. Two kinds. One is soul life. And the other is the new birth life. Now by my new birth, life, and by my soul, life, by that spirit. And if you're operating with people who are possessed, or people are mediums, even though they are religious, you speak to them and the response of that spirit within them understand, the spirit has to confess, and they never will. Because those spirits possessing them are what kind of spirits, Devil spirits shar, and when you talk to them, they all never say that Jesus Christ has come into place, don't ever say, is not a god. And this is that of antichrist. Where have you have heard that it should come and even now already as in the world, Ye are of God, you're born again a God Spirit, you're of God.
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Little children, and you have overcome them. Because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the lot. They are not here we are those spirits. In people who contradict the great accuracy of God's word, they are of the world. Therefore, they have the world. And they have a tremendous following because of what the world here is saying. understand a little bit now. We are have God. He that knoweth God hears us. It reminds me the prayer Rachel prayed tonight in this verse, somebody He that knoweth God hears us. He that is not a God, here is not us. Whites doing fret about it. I don't do that to you. If they all hear God's word, you know, they're God's people. And if they don't want to hear God's word, kick the dust off your feet, and go to work on somebody else. Here by no means a spirit of truth, and the spirit of us and the spirit of Aries, that deceiving type of spirit. And really, technically in that verse, the spirit of truth is Jesus Christ, who represented God. The Spirit of air is Satan. Who represents the other side you have both spirit. And this is how you can tell whether it's the spirit of truth whether it's the real McCoy, or whether it's the counterfeit which looks like the real McCoy but never is Because the spirit of the deceiver, the spirit of air is the spirit of the deceiver. And that spirit of the deceiver is a spirit who is called top brass is called Satan. Then little devil spirits down the line. You know, while you're right here, go to keep your finger. I don't care where you keep it. But go to second Johnny pistol a second, John. Just don't get anybody else's I. Second John, you know right there, it's pager. So, very seven. For many deceivers. That's the spirit of the deceivers of air we're talking about are entered into us who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver is a deceiver. These things I was telling you about, that I had read just this week, in this category, religious, sincere, but sincerity is no guarantee for truth and being religious is no guarantee for truth. If they're of the wrong sorts, they are deceivers. Go to Revelation, you're close to chapter 12 verse nine, and the great dragon was cast out that old serpent called what? And he's the spirit. And his other name is what?
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Which DC but who DC but the whole word? That's the point I want you to see. Yeah, the spirit of truth and you have a spirit of deceiver. The Spirit of Truth is in Christ Jesus, the spirit of the deceiver, his instinct, and wherever we're off of the Word of God, we got to be working for the wrong song. Anyway, shoot. There is another one perhaps in Matthew that we should just look up tonight. Matthew 24. Verse 24, for there shall arise false Christs false messiahs are going to save the world false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders in so much that it were possible they shall deceive what the very like. Again, these false prophets, these false messiahs, these false deceivers, are Satan sent to deceive, if possible, the very elect of God, to keep you and to keep me from walking in that abundance that Christ Jesus made available? Go back to Acts chapter nine. And he said, who are thought, Lord, verse five? And the Lord said, I am was Jesus combed out, persecutors. Now, people, you may make this record in your Bible, if you're like, if you don't like it's alright with me too. But from the words, now, it is hard. Let me read it to you. And I'll tell you what's omitted in the critical Greek text. The following words are omitted in the text. It is hard for the to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said Lord, what will have me to do and the Lord said unto him, comma that's omitted. That whole sex most of the Bible scholars believe the the critical text men believe that this section got here in Acts chapter nine, from the record in Acts 22 and 26, which we will be considering later, that in the as the manuscripts went through the years, that finally they brought from x 22, or from 26, this which I have just given you is omitted in this particular section. And so it would read accurately from the text, verse five. And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutors and the middle of our six, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journey with him stood speechless hearing a boy The word hearing here is in the genitive case, a voice, a PHONER. Same word. But they saw no man. They didn't see anything. They saw no man. They're heard something. But the word heard is, they simply heard it, but they could not understand what they were hearing. You know, it's like when you're together with a dozen people, and everybody's talking at the same time, you hear 12 people, but you don't really hear anybody. If they asked you what was said, you couldn't tell him but you've heard anything, yet you have heard the voice. That's the usage here.
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The record of this particular experience, as I said to you is given three times in the book of Acts, it's here in Acts chapter nine.
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It's also recorded in Acts 22. And we want to look at Acts 22. Verse six, and it came to pass that as I made my journey, and was come nigh, or near on to Damascus, about lots about new suddenly there shone from heaven, a great life round about me. And I fell under the ground, and I, and heard a voice. Same thing here, as in Acts nine, saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest Tommy? And I answered, who ArtStyle Lord, and he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth. Now here these words of Nazareth are added this in think of this a while ago, I showed is off now, but remember, in the foundational class, how I show you that they were ashamed, in Nazareth of him. Because Nazareth, was humiliated, because of his humiliation, and they were sorry that he'd ever been born in Nazareth. So when they wanted to humiliate him, they said, well, that said, Jesus fellow from Nazareth, you know, like they say, that's that were well fellow from new Knoxville. Sure. Or that's the shredders from new bream, and you know all about them, see this attitude. That's why they said, Jesus of Nazareth, same type of humidity. Now, wound up persecuted, verse nine, and they that were with me saw, indeed the light. The words and we're afraid, is omitted. These words are omitted, in all the critical Greek texts were afraid. He saw, indeed the life. But they heard not the voice of him that speak to me. Back in a little while ago, it said that they did hear right, verse seven, of chapter nine, you see that? It said, they heard a hearing a voice. But in chapter 22, it says they heard not the voice of him. And you know what the critics have done with this. They've said, see the contradiction Bibles, not the word of God. Why the bless had critics never criticize themselves, I don't understand. Why always take a crack at the word. The word heard, not the voice of him that speak to me, is in the essence, entirely different. They did not understand. They did not understand what they heard. They heard all right. But it's like I described it to you when I was teaching you in Acts nine A while ago, they heard but they didn't understand. That's the word that used here in verse nine. But they heard not the voice of him that speak to me. Understand, wonderful. Nowhere in God's words, just an errand a human mind. That's all. No problem in the world is just working. And I said, What shall I do, Lord, and this is this. This is only in this account, where he says this. What shall I do, Lord, this is added to it's like the far crucified with Jesus. You've got to put the whole word together. What shall I do, Lord? And the LORD said unto me, Arise and go into Damascus. And there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for the to do. When I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me. I came into DMR that's the record in Acts 22. Now in Acts 26
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Verse 12, one upon as I went to Damascus, with authority and commission. Now there you have a remarkable addition.
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He that he went to the priests in Acts nine desiring of him letters to Damascus. But acts 26 tells us exactly what he got. He got authority and commission, the word authority. I haven't looked this up lately, but you people may have some Greek next to your handy.
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I believe the word authority here is the word Zuzia. And if you have it in the text, all my Greek scholars but I'm sure it is. I went to Damascus with the authority to exercise my commission. He was commissioned from the highest Echelon to go to Damascus, to exercise this commission.
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Wonderful. Verse 30, at midday, the other God in the other record who said it new thing different.
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Oh King, I saw in the way, a light from heaven above the brightness of the light. Some people have said he just got blinded because of the rays of the sun. This one says it was brighter than the sun shining round about me, and then which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, in the record in Acts it told he did but now hear the record if they all went down. Because the light was so bright, they knew something of a tremendous thing was occurring. I heard a voice speaking the word speaking in the text is the word saying I heard a voice saying to me. The words I am saying are omitted in every critical greetings. I heard your voice saying unto me, in the Hebrew in the Aramaic language, the word tongue is dialect. All Saul why persecutest AMI it is hard for deja kick against the pricks the goats. It's like the prick. The bishop explained this very thoroughly and you can get this other places you know oriental a custom a man Pauling with an oxen Bible time would carry a stick with a point on it. And this was called a goat. Because when not all then want to move you give him a little poke. Give him the works. And you know why it says it is hard for the to kick against the goat. Because here this farmer drive and that all locks along, hold that right behind his leg. With tie you know then when he didn't move like he should have give him a little poke. Hurry him up a little bit. But now the ox kicks back against it. And the more the ox kicks back against that goat, the more the ox injured itself, the harder it got prick, boy water record. The Lord said to him, why? You've been just kicking against the goat. And every time we kick against the word of God, he's just like that because the word of God keeps prodding. And the Word of God is our goad. This is the thing that keeps us moving in alignment and harmony keeps us walking. And when we kick against the word of God, do we hurt the word? We only hurt what? ourselves the harder we kick the harder we get hurt. Look at that Apostle Paul, who was later the apostle but Saul look at how we tick even to the end that he had people killed murdered. When you think maybe there's hope for other people in this world. Is there anybody in your community Who would be any worse? Cannot Jesus save to the uttermost? Amen? Oh, I tell you, it's a tremendous thing, what our God is able to do in Christ, He's wonderful. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom now watch God rise, stand upon your feet, or I have appeared under the for this purpose, to make the a minister and a witness, both of these things, which thou has seen, and are those things in which I will appear under the not wonderful, he's going to make him a minister and a walk, witness, not a defense attorney, not an arguing theologian. Not someone in apologetics. But simply A one. A with a witness is one who just testifies to that which he has seen to that which has occurred to that which you know, he just witnesses because people, you and I never, never need to defend the accuracy of God's word. It's its own defense. All we need to do is to witness to the accuracy of it. We need not defend. The Word of God needs no defense. It needs witnesses. It's when you try to defend it, then you're convinced it's no longer accurate.
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Truth needs no defense it needs with. And he said he'd be a witness at a wonderful delivering the verse 17, delivering the from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes. I was going to do as I said, No, he's going to do with the Word of God.
42:04
And to turn them from darkness to watt. They thought they had life. But as far as the word was concerned, those who thought they had light were still aware. And he was going to send them to bring light to those in darkness. They were religious, but they were still in darkness. When he his eyes were opened, he saw no man, but they let him by the hand and brought him into the mask. And he was three days without sight. And neither did eat nor drink.
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But there was a certain disciple at Damascus. Not a bishop, not an archbishop, not a pope. Not the president of any denomination. Just a certain disciple a of believers that saw he had no ministry as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, our pastor, he was just a wonderful son of God, a believer born again or God's Spirit. And that's what made him wonder.
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I know that all of you have taken the foundation of plasma, while always hit this so hard. Because the teaching has always been that only Peter and John could lay hands on people to receive the Holy Spirit. And Peter, of course, was the first pope. And so the first pope had little Pope's or little people coming along, following him down the line. And this is why even to this day 19 166 In many denominations, if they have the right of confirmation, who has to come to do the confirming the bishop? Da da da, you know, I'm right. And it's a carry over from that false teachings. Only the bishop can lay hands on him. This Anna NYAS was intubation. Oh, no. He wasn't a bishop. He was just a wonderful believer. He was just a disciple. That's right. His name was Anna NYAS. And to Him, the Lord said in a rot vision was he possessed? Was he taken over? Did he become a medium? No, no. The word vision is the Lord said to him in a vision by Revelation. Revelation in pictures Color television, some? Sure he showed him a lot a picture. That's the vase. When Peter was up on the housetop. He had a wad vision of the sheep left down. He had a picture. Just like you sit in front of your TV and your pick up a picture. There it is. Now and an Iris was sitting in his house brewing up a pot of tea. Something three o'clock maybe in the afternoon, I don't know. Maybe he was having some of these cookies you may you know? Well, anyways, I don't know what he was doing. But all at once the Lord said to him in a lot vision there it was a picture. And you know what he said? He said, I don't know if you know what Anand is did. He ran for the closest undercover police he could find? No. He said, Behold, I am here Jesus. Oh. And I've often thought about this when I read it. If the average person the average Christian believer ever heard from heaven directly, we'd have another funeral. They get scared to death. And yet the spiritualist expect to hear from their outfit. You Bet Your Life they expect to go to a car and have a little table topping. They expect some automatic writing. They expect to hear from Grandma's Sulaco they expect that you can belong to a believers meeting so called in the church lifetime and never hear from him. People What's the matter with us? Is our God dead he must be theirs isn't. Ours isn't either. If we believe God's word, and all Anand is, he may not have been a bishop. He may not have been a Pope or an elder or anything else. But that boy was at least in the fold. And when he heard when he saw this picture, this vision he said, Okay, Lord very slim. And the LORD said unto him, all right, arise. The reason I know he must have been brewing tea because he's sitting down he had to be doing something. It's told him get up.
47:36
That idea? I hope some of you visitors in here tonight just understand me. The Lord said unto him, Arise and go where? into the street, which is called straight and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. Not just some annuals Saul, what a certain fella by the name of Saul, whose home town city was tarses. Bala Tarsus. For behold, he pressed and have seen in a vision, Revelation again. Picture to solve a man named Ananias he sold and alias via the picture coming in and putting his hands on him that he saw my receive his sight again. He saw this picture and saw couldn't see a thing. Do you see? Revelation? Revelation, you can close your eyes. There's the picture. perfect texture color, everything else, Kodachrome habits. Wonderful. There it is. He saw Anand is coming in and putting his hands on him that he might receive.
49:06
Now comes a remarkable reaction. Then Anna NYAS. Went to all the neighbors. No, it doesn't say it doesn't say that Anna NYAS went to the church meeting or anyplace else.
49:32
Then Ananias answered the Lord. I have heard by many of this man, how much evil is done to thy saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority Zeus you from the chief priests to bind all that call on dialogue. You see he didn't run around into I don't like the word of God. I disagree with the Word of God, I think the word of God is wrong. I think the word of God is a bunch of lies. He didn't run all over the community saying that, when he when he heard from God, and he heard the truth from God, he didn't like what he heard. So who do you go to? He went back to already complained the manager. Right? If you and I do not like the word of God, Why run around to the neighbors and say, Well, the Bible is wrong. The Bible is a bunch of baloney, it doesn't work. It doesn't mean anything. Why not go to management? And say, Look, Lord, this is what your Bible says, I don't believe it. You might get a surprise. Remember, a fella by the name of Thomas once remember, old Thomas, they said to me, the Lord's been here. And old Tom says, No, Unless I see the princes and I will not believe a little bit later on, somebody walks in. He says, Hey, how do you like? And Thomas says, My Lord and my gut. Remarkable? Isn't it just human nature that if we do not, we do not want to believe something, then we always run around and tell everybody else instead of going back to God and saying, Look, Lord, you wrote this, this is a bunch of lines. I have ministered to people have said in my classes, that was the first time they ever had a prayer answer. Why? Because it was the first time they ever came to God and said, Lord, you enter prayer, and I'll prove it to me. I believe that's what your word says. If that's what it says, that must be what it means. Now, Lord, I want to understand, proven. You see, then we get results. Otherwise, we just continue to live with the consequences of our unbelief. And an IRA said, Lord, I've heard so many about this fella. He's persecuted, he's murdered. He's done all of this. And now he's over here in Damascus. And he's got the authorities got the commission, he to exercise this authority, and to take all of us and bind us and bring us back to Jerusalem.
52:18
Verse 50, And the LORD said unto him, Go green light. No. He didn't say well think about it for another month, whether you want to believe God's Word or not.
Once we have had God's word, we're obligated to do what with it, believe it, believe it pronto. Immediately, right away bumps them. The Lord said unto him, go, go go. For he is a lot. Boy, who would have believed that I am sure we wouldn't have chosen would now use the most unlikely candidate you'd ever want inside of an outfit. But the Lord said to an N is Go thy way, or he is a chosen vessel. And I tell you, this Truman, a different kinds of vessels, the Bible, you know, they're in one one place they translated vessel of honor vessel of dishonor. Remember that it isn't really of dishonor, it's a vessel of less honor. All different kinds of vessels. This is still true. In the Indian homes. If you come in, they'll bring you a vessel that has water to wash your hands. They have another vessel that they use water in to wash your feet. Because they consider the feet will be dirtier than by hand, then they have a vessel that has oil in it for a blessing that they pour on your head. Never put that in the same vessel. All different kinds of vessels, some far left and some for greater. This word chosen here is the top. The best there is. Boy that I don't know if this thrills your heart like it does mind. But it surely must that the Lord said he is a chosen vessel under me. He had been the poorest kind of vessel the world had ever seen. A murderer and everything else. And yet God said that he was a lot. Not when he was down there. But when he got born again a God Spirit and filled with the Holy Spirit. That's when he got to be a chosen vessel, not when he was persecuting the Christians, not when he was bringing them back in and voting against them to be killed. But now when He's going to be safe, filled with the Holy Spirit, then he was to be a chosen vessel. God knew from before the foundation of the world, that when the Apostle Paul would come to this crossroads, or these crossroads, he would be a wonderful thing people would versus it seems that the Lord send him go that way. He's chosen to bear my name before the Gentiles watch the order, before the Gentiles, and what? And the children of Israel son, verse 16, where I will show him how great things he must suffer for my names. What? Wonderful. And Ananias verse 17. went his way, did Ananias have the information? Sure. And he got it directly from God, the neighbors didn't run over and say, hey on, and I have all souls down here at the house of Judas. And I think you ought to go over and lay hands on him. So if he used the Lord told him first, that's always the key. The Lord totally. And when he gave him those instructions, he told him something that is through my heart through the years, he told him that he'd be in the house at home, do this. And now Betty wasn't at the house of Maggie muggins. He was in the house of odd Judas. And I will venture to say he was on Ryan as he was praying. Or it said he would be watching, Craig. Now I'll say something else. If there were 50 people in that house at that time, how many do you think were praying? What? Because he might have gotten the wrong one? Has there been 49 prayer? Or you talk about God giving information, Revelation right down the line? How do you like that. And the same God who gave revelation then is the same God who lives within us who works in us to mightily do His Word and His Will the same God? Remember, who work within you to rely him to do his watt. Amen. And n is when he's late, entered in the house and putting his hands on him, said, Brother What? Sure God must told him he is a brother. And you're not a brother unless you're born again. When you're born again and God's Spirit, then you are my brother. You are my sister. I am your brother. Outside of that. Physically, I'm only brother to my brother Ruben and my brother Harry. And to my sisters Civilan Liddy. I'm only their brother physically from my dad, mom. But I'm your brother. You're my brother. If you're born again, I'm your brother. You're my sister. We're born again. He put his hands on him said Brother Watts. So, brother saw the Lord, the Lord. The Lord Whoa, geez, the Lord Jesus. Word even Bumble, out. That appeared onto the in the way, as thou Caymus as you were coming along, has sent me that thou mightest receive dialog. Ha ha ha. How did he How did he get healed? By doing one thing what receiving? God had told him this man have come in there lay his hands on him that he might receive his sights. And when this man came home saw had seen by seen by revelation, he believed that God meant what he said and said what he meant when he ministered to him when he received his site. He took it the other way, wherever get healed. By the power of God, the only way you've got to believe God's word, then you receive it. You could come up if you say Well, I'll try it out. Save your shoe leather. That still right? You only receive from God when we know God's word and we believe to receive right the principles are involved. received by sight and be what? Be filled with no myhockey Oh, no article D. No articles e no capital A no capital G. The text is and be filled with Holy Spirit. New ma Hi, Gil. Well, they just told us up above this, that he called him brother watt. So he must have been filled spiritually. Or when Christ came in who we receive all that Christ is so he was born again. He had been he had received spiritually, but he had never made him up, Lord, he had never made him Lord. That's what he's driving us. And he be filled in manifestation produced in manifestation, the fullness of that which he had received spiritually and be filled with NUMA huggy on with the gift in manifestation. Because this is the only proof in the census world that you've made him Lord. Only proof is the only proof in the census world that you've made him Lord, by manifesting the operations of the Spirit, one of which is speaking in tongues. Interpretation tongues, prophecy, where the knowledge wisdom is very nice, but those are nine manifestation. But in the Bible in Acts chapter two, when they were born again, what did they do? They spoke in tongues. In Acts chapter eight, there only five records in the Bible, in Acts chapter eight.
1:01:03
Simon saw something. What did he see? He attacks the spirit. He had to see what manifestation in Acts nine here we have the Apostle Paul and he must have manifested something because in First Corinthians chapter 14 Someplace isn't it? 1480 I thank my God. I was speak with tongues more than he all did he speak in tongues. Definitely. Acts chapter 10 is the fourth record. The householder Cornelius, the Gentiles. When Peter ministered to them while Peter yet speak, the Holy Spirit's new Maha Guillen fell upon them, and they speak with tongues. The other record is an X 19 where a palace hadn't ministered in Ephesus, and Paul comes down and he says, Have you long bottled Have you manifested anything? And they said, we've not so marches heard whether there be any Holy Spirit, any manifestation. And Paul ladies hands on and they spoke in tongues, five records in the Bible, all five either specifically stated or implied beyond a shadow without that when they became Christian. Now one thing they did to prove that he was Lord, they speak in tongues. Rather saw aren't again, but not boomboom. No Lord in manifestation. Ladies hands on. I think my god I speak in tongues more than once. That's what that verse says. That's what it's talking about. The manifestation, tremendous, very tasty. And immediately there fell from his eyes as if he had been scaled, he received sight forthwith arose and was baptized. And when he had received meat or food, he was strengthened, then was saw certain days with the disciples, which were at Damascus, and straightway and straight away straightway greatly. He preached Christ in the synagogues that he is that Jesus of Nazareth, that he is the son of not wondering what to change in the life of a man. Some people think you grow into this good old get better day by day a little bit old Paul had to get boring. And on the road to Damascus, he was born again. And in Damascus, a simple little disciple laid hands on him, and got him healed and manifesting the power of God. And when he was manifesting the power of God, then He had the proof in the census world, that he had the genuine spirit with it. They manifestation in the census world was the proof that he had the Christ, the fullness of God on the inside. April, there is only one way men and women can be saved. That is, they got to be born again of Godspeed. Except demands BORN AGAIN of God's Spirit, He just can't see anything. Things of the spiritual realm can only be known via the spirit. And if we ever wants to know the greatness of God, we first of all have to be born again of God's Spirit so we become a brother or a sister. Secondly, we've got to manifest We've got to get the proof in the senses. Well, no, you can go through life and say, Well, I'm a wonderful Christian. I go to church all the time. I go to prayer meeting, I go to Sunday school, I read my Bible. So what? That's good. Mahatma Gandhi read it too. So did Plato and Aristotle and Socrates, a few of the rest. That doesn't remember what the Scripture says, except they have Christ there, none of us is.
1:05:32
And the ministry of this man, and Annihilus was to go down and to bring into Manifestation what this man had received spiritually on the road to Damascus. And so, God set him free by healing his blindness. And by manifesting for the greatness of God's power. This is the message to the church. This is the way that churches stoppering You and I give the word as God gives it to us. Just because somebody may have been a murderer or a liar or a cheater, the worst person in your community does not mean that God will not save he does not mean that he might not have a tremendous ministry of the Body of Christ. You and I are obligated to be chosen vessels and witnesses. Witnesses have the power of God, right. That's the word of God. And that's a tremendous and wonderful word.
Act 9:15-20; 1Co 14:18; (Act 10:46, 19:2-6)