Paul’s Conversion
- It was like Abraham’s conversion when God changed his name Gen 17:5
- On his road to Damascus, Paul met Jesus Acts 9:5
- Paul is telling the believer’s that God delivered him from his old life and that God can do the same for them Col 3:9
- When you become born again, there is some new recognition about you in heaven Luke 15:7
Paul’s Training For The Gospel
- Paul studied under Gamaliel Acts 5:34
- Gamaliel was a doctor of the Law Ref L
- Gamaliel was well-studied being a teacher of the Law Acts 22:3
God Gave Paul A New Name
- Paul’s old name was previously Saul Acts 9:4
- Paul’s old name and past were infamous, he was a persecutor Acts 8:1-3
- Paul’s old reputation was associated with his old name Acts 22:3-5
- His old name & reputation had a negative connotation
- Paul is the new name that God gave Paul Acts 13:13
- God does not want to refer to Paul by his old name any longer Acts 13:13
- God seemed to not like Paul’s old name, when Paul was in darkness he was irrelevant to God
- The name Saul brought a lot of fear to the church Acts 8:3
- That is what it means to be born again, to have a new name 2 Cor 5:17
- The new name is associated with the new life
Paul’s Holy Calling
- When God calls someone, He knows who He is calling and why He is calling them
- Paul was called to be an Apostle by the will of God Eph 1:1
- Called to an Apostle by God the Father Gal 1:1
- God called Paul because He knew that Paul was going to meet the requirements
- Paul could speak multiple languages
- Paul was a prolific writer and wrote 14 epistles of the bible
- Paul was born out of due time I Cor 15:9-10
God Has Also Called Us Into The Ministry
- Fill in the blanks, I am a (___state your calling, position, or title____) called by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead Gal 1:1
- The best confession pertaining to your calling is to say that you have been called by Jesus Christ and God the Father
- You will start walking in your calling more effectively
- Walk in the understanding of what you believe in the Lord 2 Cor 5:17
- Walk, believe, and flow in that
Paul’s Persecution For Preaching The Gospel
- The Apostles gave him the right hand of fellowship to preach the gospel to the Gentiles Gal 2:9
- The unbelieving Jews were going around trying to discredit Paul and stir up cities against him Acts 14:2
- When Paul was with the unbelieving Jews, he persecuted the church in his old life Acts 8:1-3
- Now the same unbelieving Jews that he used to associate with, turned against him
Jesus, the Author & Finisher of Our Faith
- Jesus was God’s only Son who partook of flesh and blood on the earth, the Gnostics were trying to overthrow this fact Heb 2:14
- Jesus told the people that God was His Father & he came down from heaven John 6:38
- Jesus did everything according to His Father’s will John 8:29
- Rarely did God speak in an audible voice to Jesus
- Jesus was led by the Spirit
- God gave Jesus the Spirit without measure John 3:34
- Jesus is our example of how bishops, elders, preachers, and teachers are supposed to allow the Holy Spirit to lead them and guide them
- If we live in the Spirit, we should walk in the Spirit Gal 5:25
- We need to pray for the Spirit of wisdom & revelation Eph 1:17
- This will help us to be led by the Spirit in our MINISTRY
The Top 6 Gifts of the Spirit Are The Mind Gifts & The Power Gifts
- God gave Jesus to be the head over all things to the church Eph 1:20-23
- We do not fight against other people in the realm of flesh and blood Eph 6:12
- Spiritual wickedness in high places vs heavenly are all in the spiritual realm Eph 6:13
- Principalities and powers have control over all the unregenerated Eph 6:13
- It was those principalities and powers that causes the unregenerated to sin
- The Holy Ghost is the doer of the work, in the heavenly places Eph 1:3
- The Holy Ghost is the power of the highest Luke 1:35
- God’s power sets us free from principalities, powers, & spiritual wickedness in high places. God does this through the power of the highest
- You are no longer in the flesh but, in the Spirit Rom 8:9
- You can cast out evil spirits because they no longer have control and power over you I John 4:4
- In God we live, move, and have our being Acts 17:28
