Acts 9:1-9
1 Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul said.
“I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.
17 Ananias went and entered the house. He placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 And after taking some food, he regained his strength.
What is a holy disruption?
A HOLY INTERRUPTION is when God interrupts and disrupts our status quo to wake us up to His Purposes and Abundant Life
We NEED some Holy Disruptions in our lives
- As uncomfortable as they can be
<Paul Context>
Saul -> Paul
Used interchangeably
Persecuting the early Christian church
- Present at the death of Stephen (the first Christian Martyr)
Heading to Damascus to stop church there
God DISRUPTS Paul’s plan and agenda
- Knocks him off His horse
- Blinds him for 3 days
Holy Interruptions occur when God is looking to get our attention
<<IMPORTANT NOTE>>
Not every hard thing is necessarily “God trying to get our attention.”
- Sometimes life is just hard
But we should pray for discernment to recognize those moments
Leads us to an important principle about Holy Interruptions
Holy Interruptions are UNCOMFORTABLE
We want God to work in us, but in a way that makes us COMFORTABLE
- “God, use me, but don’t MOVE me”
- “God, here’s my life, but don’t take too much from me.”
- “God, change me, except for the parts I like.”
Comfort is the enemy of PROGRESS
For Paul, He thought he was doing God’s will
- Doing the right thing
- Going the right way
- But God sent him a HOLY INTERRUPTION
Knocks him off a horse - Blind for 3 days
- Completely changes the direction of his life
Holy interruptions are OFTEN (but not always) a form of God’s LOVING DISCIPLINE
Hebrews 12:4-6
4 In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:
My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly or lose heart when you are reproved by him, 6 for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives.
Types of Discipline
1: Correction – Correcting poor behavior
2: Strengthening – Building and Reinforcing good character
- Both can be painful
- Both are EXTREMELY Necessary
We have some hangups over discipline…
Proverbs 13:24
The one who will not use the rod hates his son, but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently.
To say it again…
Holy Interruptions can often be uncomfortable, but they are for OUR GOOD because they come from a Loving God.
Types of Holy interruptions
Salvation: The First Holy Interruption
Our sin has us PARALYZED
- We’re stuck
- Dead people walking
Ephesians 2
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.
God’s grace is the “Defibrillator” for our lost hearts
Repentance is important = TURN AROUND
- Choose to go a different way
Another kind of holy interruption is
Difficult seasons
James 1
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8 being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.
Holy Disruptions Come when we NEED them, not when we want them
- Don’t waste your season