Series: Roads
Message: The Road to Damascus
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira
Daily Walk: Japhet De Oliveira 

Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 85:9-13.

Read: Acts 9:1-22 (NIV). As you read the New International Version, note 1-3 insights.

Reflect: Word must have been out in Damascus that Paul was on his way. The followers of Jesus had a choice to make—stay or flee. It is late in the story (vs. 10) when we are introduced to one of those who stayed—Ananias. No real details are given about him, we only know that he was connected to Jesus. He heard the voice of Jesus and knew what he was to do. Both Paul’s vision on the road and Ananias' vision at home are connected. Can you imagine the moment when they came face to face? It is easier for us to accept that Jesus has saved us than it is to accept that the hunter, the murderer who was after you has accepted Jesus. Ananias, however, trusts the voice of Jesus and in the moment when he lays hands on Paul he calls him “brother.” He embraces him as part of the family.  The voice of Jesus creates beautiful things in your life. Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola, in their book Jesus Speakers, share this insight from the letter of James.

In James 3:13–18, James gives us the criteria by which to judge whether God is speaking or not. If it’s God who is speaking (“the wisdom from above”), it has these marks upon it: It is gentle. It is open to reason. It is considerate. It is willing to yield. It is pure. It is full of mercy. It bears good fruit. It is unwavering. It is void of hypocrisy.
When a source other than God is speaking (“the wisdom that doesn’t come from above”), it contains these marks: It is sensual (unspiritual). It is fleshly (earthly).It is demonic. It produces discord. It produces confusion. It produces disorder and other evil things (pp. 205-206).

Hearing the voice of God has to be grounded in the Bible. In his former behavior, Paul was ignoring the Bible and claiming that his actions were the will of God. Hearing the voice of God needs to be affirmed in your faith community, just as Ananias confirmed to Paul what his mission was. Hearing the voice of God has to result in beautiful things. We do not get to read Paul’s first sermons after he was converted, but we get the NDT (narrow dominant thought) from (vs. 20 and 22)—he preached that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ, the Messiah. 

Recalibrate: ​ 

1. ​​What has Jesus spoken into your life lately?
2. What have you tried to dismiss as not the voice of Jesus in your life?

Respond: Pray for the Spirit to help you to respond.

Research: Read James 3 and 4.