Tuesday, June 30, 2009 "Potential"

Triumphant Victorious Reminders
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
By: Teresa Criswell

"Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath. He was eager to destroy the Lord's followers, so he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them - both men and women - back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was nearing Damascus on this mission, a brilliant light from heaven suddenly beamed down upon him! He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" "Who are you, Sir?" Saul asked. And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you willl be told what you are to do." The men with Saul stood speechless with surprise, for they heard the sound of someone's voice but they saw no one! As Saul picked himself up off the ground, he found that he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days. And all that time he went without food and water. Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord! He replied..."
~ Acts 9 ~ New Living Translation

Potential. This is the word that kept springing up in my spirit and my mind last night and this morning. Potential. It had me really wondering what it truly meant, so I was driven to look up the definition. According to the Webster's Dictionary it is: existing in possibility: capable of being actual.

I was not thrilled with this definition, but then I looked up the antonym (opposite of) and it is actuality.

So then I pondered potential from God, inside of me. OK, I'm a deep thinker and it gets me in trouble sometimes, it literally sends me into an abyss as it overwhelms to think on the potential that God has inside of me that He wants to draw out of me. As I think about it, it is like thinking of eternity...there is a 'vanishing point' where my mind can not go there, the cliff of understanding throws me off. Does that make sense?

So I think of potential that was inside of Saul who became Paul. Wow! He was on his religious binge that he truly thought and believed what he was doing was honoring to God. Many of us know that he was truly a terrorist in that time. He terrorized, tormented, tortured and killed many Christians in the name of 'god'.

I believe as I was trying to place myself in that time frame and in that culture there had to be some Christians who truly prayed for his soul. I would have to believe that the very one's that were killed at Saul's command prayed for God's potential to rise up and out of him.

Many of us also know that as Saul was on the road to Damascus he was literally thrown off his 'vehicle' or his horse to see the demise of more Christians. He was not only thrown off by the glorious light of God, but he also became blind for three days. In this moment was the transformation of the counterfeit into the authentic of God's mighty plan for many as God impacted Saul's life to great change.

As God's authenticity rose up inside of Saul, he was forever changed. His name was changed to Paul, when he regained his sight he saw differently - now seeing through the eyes of God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This potential became reality. As the potential became reality it effected so many lives forever even 'til this very day.

When God's potential rises up in us, it affects a change that is eternal and it makes an impact greater than an asteroid can make on any planet.

Let's just think on today what the potential God wants us to live in actuality. Let us realize that this potential is not for us to glory in and say, "Look what I have done." Instead we can say, "Look what He has been able to do through me." As we do this we will be reminded that through potential becoming a reality we are "vessels of honor, set apart and useful for the Master prepared for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21).

The miracle of Saul's life becoming Paul is so amazing. Let us see the potential in others. Especially the one's that we say there is no hope...we can pray as many of those persecuted believers did. Prayerfully see the God given potential to rise up and out and touch many lives giving glory to God from where their help comes from.

God didn't give up on us; let's not give up on others or ourselves. With the potential He has placed within us; let us look to the One who is the Author of our lives. He knows our ending, may we not forecast our ending the opposite of what He has pre-ordained and declared over us. He declared those things over our lives before the foundations of the world were ever set.

May we be driven by God's potential with knowing the result is to touch many lives; more importantly blessing our God. Just as He gives us those 'God Kiss' moments, may we give him a kiss with our lives.

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