The Damascus Experience

I was thinking about this Damascus road and the life of Paul. Everyone needs a Damascus road. What is a Damascus road? It's where Paul encountered God in a supernatural way that totally changed his life.


We live our lives set in our own boundaries, limitations, and whatever problems we have going on and we never experience what God has for us. In the book of Acts we read about the story of Saul. He persecuted the church for their faith in Jesus Christ, many of them thrown in prison. He was a Jew and rebelling against God's sovereignty. Everyone that rebels against God's sovereignty or authority will have a Damascus experience one day, whether in this world or out of this world. Meaning God's revelation, God's power, God's personhood will be revealed to them in a specific level.


Growing up as a child I really didn't encounter God in such a way that really changed me. I was raised in church but it really didn't change me because I didn't see a change in the people within the church. They were sweet enough but in many ways they were cruel by being critical, gossiping, there was favoritism. They wanted me to change so much and I refused to except that change. They meant well, but you can't change teenagers. They have to experience God for themselves. If we as the church don't have the experience how can we give them the experience. If they can't see the difference in us how are they going to believe it's real. Our children don't understand the need for change. They want to participate in the world, because they are under pressure to conform into the world. God doesn't except the world's standard because the world's standard is falling in sin. The political system, entertainment, everything else is in an ungodly fashion. Everything falls into the god of this world who is the arch angel that fell. He influences everything in this world in a negative way. Jesus said do not love this world, neither things in the world because if any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. We understand that we are in the world but we are not of the world. As a young boy I didn't understand that because I didn't have a Damascus experience with God. Unless that happens to you, you will never change.


Job knew about God but one day God spoke to Job and said who are these people that are dark in your counsel? Where were you when I made the stars and put the heavens into place? Where were you when I created the foundation of the earth? He goes on to all the moons and constellations, the seasons, time and dates, animals, and man that he placed on earth. If you are so great and powerful Job then tell me where all these things came from? Then Job says to Him, Lord I heard you with my own ears, but now I see you, I repent and put my hand over my mouth, for I spoke things that were to wonderful for me. That is a Damascus experience.


Acts 9:1-22


These people had religion but they did not know God. You can have religion with out relationship. God's not interested in religious people, He's interested in those He has a relationship with. Paul believed he was right for persecuting these people that believed Jesus was the Messiah, yet there are 350 scriptures in the Old Testaments that speak of Jesus being the Messiah. That He would come from a virgin, that He would come from the lineage of David, He would die on a cross, he would be raised from the dead, and it goes on and on. All these prophecies came to past just like God said it would. Part of the plan from the enemy is to put to sleep the reality of how real God is. The devil intoxicates them with the things of this world, when we should be looking to the One who should be worshipped.


That Damascus road revealed to Saul that Jesus is Lord. He heard about Jesus but he never had an experience with Jesus.


When I had my Damascus experience I was having a party and my friend was over at my house and we were drinking. It came time for him to leave and he got into his car with his six month old baby and took off. He hit a pillar and killed them both instantly. When that happened I grieved and blamed myself. A couple years later my son got hit by a car at three years old broke his arm, broke his back, and had a concussion. My mother-in-law had a heart attack. All these horrible things began to happen all around me. I didn't understand it was a Damascus road experience. Everyone will have a Damascus road experience were they have to acknowledge God.


Someone that I worked with had their entire church praying for me. One night when I was home I heard the voice of God speak to me. He said I'm here, I have followed you and you have ran from me all your life. This is the last time you run. Either you except me now and repent and turn your life to me or I will leave you alone and never come back to you. I said wait a minute, I said never? He said never. You see we have a limited time on this earth to get right with God. It's time to stop playing church and start being the church.


Somewhere down the road its going to catch up with you and your going to need God. Your not immune to pain or suffering, your not immune to the enemy. The enemy is out there to rob, kill, and destroy your life, and if God wasn't on my life I would have been dead four or five times. I was so stupid.


Once I heard what God had said to me and this was my last opportunity I ran into my room got down on my knees and repented and gave my life to Jesus. Now did I change, not then. I cried for days, my wife though I was nuts, but I began to pray. What did I miss all those years growing up in church that I never changed? I realized even though I believed in God and had faith in God I never had a Damascus experience with God. I didn't experience the power of God in my life. I didn't experience God's presence in my spirit.


After seeking God for six months I still was struggling but I continued to seek Him. One day when I sought Him I felt something evil lift off me and God filled me with the Holy Spirit it changed my life.


Saul which means great became Paul which means little. He experienced something that he had never experienced through religion. He had a personal experience with God. He could clearly hear God's voice.


They wanted to kill Paul. The devil is always going to make problems for you. He is a problem maker, God is the problem solver. When you begin to obey God and start testifying of Jesus and your Damascus experience God will remove you from captivity and start using you in a supernatural way. He will start blessing your life.


The Damascus experience changes you from the inside out. The Holy Spirit comes into your life and transforms you. It's like Isaiah when he was praying and saw a vision of the Lord and the Lord said "Whom shall I send, who will go for me," and Isaiah said "send me." The power of the Holy Spirit has to touch our lips and come into our lives and cleanse us. That's a Damascus experience.


They have a Damascus metal that is the strongest and sharpest metal. It will not dull with hours of use. It overcame all other metals. Once you have become a child of God through a Damascus experience the Holy Ghost sharpens you for service, He forms you by the Holy Spirit, and He gives you the power of God to work in your life.


Paul went about killing people but after his Damascus experience with God he became a vessel of God that changed people. Paul increased in strength and proved that Jesus Christ is Lord. Miracles began to happen in Paul's life that never happened before.


Acts 13:6-12


You don't mess with people that have had a Damascus experience with God. You don't mess with people that are walking in a supernatural power of God. Maybe if you had more God and less of you, you would be walking in the victory provided for you. You would be changed and transformed.


Acts 14:3


God wants to do supernatural things in your life so you can receive His love and mercy so that you will change your life into the image of Jesus and mold you into being an instrument that He can use for His glory.


Acts 14:19


They thought they had killed Paul but you can't kill the Damascus experience. You can't kill what God ordains because greater is He that is in you then He that is in the world. Once you have the power of God you will be transformed. Instead of you giving up and dying, the resurrection power will come in and lift you up. When you get the Damascus experience you get the life of God living in you.


Acts 16:16-40


I'm tired of the devil. I don't want to listen to anything that he says. It's time to shut him up.


Acts 19:11


Miracles were happening that have never happened before. When you have a Damascus experience things will happen that have never happened before. It will change your life forever.


Acts 20:9-12


The resurrection power that was working through Paul came out of him and brought the man back to life. When you get a Damascus experience even the dead come alive when you walk around them.


A Damascus road experience is seeking God until there is a change in your life. No matter what the devil tries to trick you with God neutralizes the poison of sin through the Holy Ghost.

Who I Am In Christ

I Am Accepted

• John 1:12 I am God's child.
• John 15:15 I am Christ's friend.
• Romans 5:1 I have been justified
• 1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord, and I am one spirit with Him
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I have been bought with a price. I belong to God.
• 1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ's Body.
• Ephesians 1:1 I am a saint.
• Ephesians 1:5 I have been adopted as God's child.
• Ephesians 2:18 I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit.
• Colossians 2:10 I am complete in Christ. 

I Am Secure

• Romans 8:1-2 I am free forever from condemnation.
• Romans 8:28 I am assured that all things work together for good.
• Romans 8:31-34 I am free from any condemning charges against me.
• Romans 8:35-39 I cannot be separated from the love of God.
• 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God.
• Colossians 3:3 I am hidden with Christ in God.
• Philippians 1:6 I am confident that the good work that God has begun in me will be perfected.
• Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven.
• 2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.
• Hebrews 4:16 I can find grace and mercy to help in time of need.
• 1 John 5:18 I am born of God and the evil one can not touch me. 

I Am Significant

• Matthew 5:13-14 I am the salt and light of the earth.
• John 15:1,5 I am a branch of the True Vine, a channel of His life.
• John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
• Acts 1:8 I am a personal witness of Christ.
• 1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God's temple.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
• 2 Corinthians 6:1 I am God's co-worker (1 Corinthians 3:9)
• Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm.
• Ephesians 2:10 I am God's workmanship.
• Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
• Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

By: Neil T. Anderson