Acts 9

                               Saul’s Conversion

v1 – Saul – this is Paul before he was saved

-Saul means to ask – Hebrew name

-Paul – means little or small – Gentile name

breathing – means to breathe in

-Saul took into his heart and mind the evil purposes of persecution

v2 – letters – these letters were from the religious leaders

THE WAY – the name of Christianity during the times of Paul

v3 – Prayer works – Acts 1:14/Acts 2:4/Acts 3:1/Acts 4:31

-when we pray people are saved – vs3-5

-a light from heaven – brighter than the sun – hits Saul and he is saved

-pray with a spirit of expectancy

v4 – a voice calls out from heaven and it is Jesus

-when you attack the body of Christ, you are attacking the Lord Himself

vs5-6 – I am Jesus

-Jesus keeps us on track with a big stick

v6 – Saul is terrified and gets saved and becomes Paul

vs7-9 – Saul becomes Paul and is blind

v10 – Ananias – he was just an available believer

vs11-12 – when we get saved, our address changes

STRAIGHT STREET

1. Straight Street is a street of redemption, holiness and righteousness

-righteousness is our position in Christ

-righteousness is our walk

-we possess righteousness – 1 John 1:6 & Matthew 7:21-23

-we seek righteousness – Matt 6:33

2. Straight Street is a street where prayer happens – v11

-Paul made up his mind to pray

3. Straight Street is a street of purpose – vs15-16

-we discover our purpose when we get saved

-Prov 19:21 – our purpose is permanent

4. Straight Street is a street where we are filled with the Holy Spirit – v17

1 Cor 14:18 – Paul spoke in tongues more than anyone else at Corinth

v21 – when you are saved and born again, your life is turned upside down

vs18-22 –

v20 Paul shared the gospel

v21 – people were astonished and shocked

v23 – Paul spent 3 years in the desert to learn from Jesus Christ

vs24-30

-v28 – people tried to kill Paul

v30 – Paul then stayed in Tarsus around 11 years

v31 – the Lord turned things around

vs32-35 – God works miracles through Peter

-Peter travels to other parts of Israel – 35 miles from Jerusalem to Lydda

v34 – Jesus is the Healer

v35 – Healing occurs to turn people to the Lord

vs36-43 – Dorcas or Tabitha is healed