Ananias was a Jewish believer in the Lord Jesus who lived in Damascus.  He had a vision in which the living God spoke to him about going to a house where blind Saul was staying.
Ananias believed what God said to him.

Ananias’ obedience
(NASB) Acts 9:17 “So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’”

  Ananias believed God even when it involved a man who was a known persecutor of followers of Christ.  (Acts 9:10-16)

  Ananias obeyed God by acting on His instructions.

  Ananias accepted Saul as a brother believer.  Prejudices have to go!

  Ananias communicated what the Lord had shown him in the vision concerning Saul.

  Ananias was an instrument used by God for Saul to regain his sight and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  [Obedience may be humbling and costly to your ego and feelings.]

Saul’s healing & immediate actions

(NASB) Acts 9:18-19 “And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;
19 and he took food and was strengthened.”

Ananias witnessed Saul’s conversion
  When there would be questions concerning Saul’s radically changed heart, attitude and actions… Ananias could testify to the realness of the change. 

  God chose these two men as His instruments for His purposes – to proclaim the resurrected Lord Jesus to be the Christ (the long awaited Messiah).

  Perhaps you have been an instrument to bring another into a powerful ministry as Ananias was chosen by God.

  Perhaps you have been chosen to proclaim the Lord Jesus to many through the power of the Holy Spirit, like Paul.

  No matter what the Lord has called you to do, you have been chosen to be faithful to Him.  Faithfulness demands obedience to God’s words… all of them. 

Faithfulness is another word for sacrificial obedience.

~ Take it to heart ~

  All followers of Christ are God’s Chosen Instruments… the question that could follow:

Are you being faithfully obedient to God’s words of truth?

Categories: The Acts of the Holy Spirit