Saul Guards Coats as Stephen is Killed

In the book of Acts, Stephen hadn’t done anything wrong when he was stoned by his persecutors. All he did was preach a message about Israeli history. Stephen said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). This statement infuriated the Jewish religious leaders. 

They took their coats off and laid them at Saul’s feet before they picked up rocks to stone Stephen. (Before the apostle Paul was converted, his name was Saul). Saul was absolutely convinced that he was correct in his beliefs and despised every follower of Jesus.

Saul wholeheartedly approved of their stoning of Stephen and was “watching out for the coats of those who were killing him” (Acts 22:20). Saul must have felt honored to be put in charge of the important task of guarding the coats, making sure no one would steal them.

He probably thought, “Out of all the people here, they chose me to protect their robes!” He thought guarding their cloaks was more important than guarding an innocent man from being killed. He believed commandment #8: “You shall not steal,” was more important than commandment #6: “You shall not murder.”

As Stephen was dying, he prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:54-60). Not long after this, the Lord struck Saul down on the road to Damascus and opened his spiritual eyes. After Saul “saw the light,” he realized he had been wrong about what he believed. Saul became the apostle Paul and wrote most of the New Testament.

Could there be a link between Stephen’s prayer for his persecutors and Saul’s conversion? I believe God revealed Himself to Saul in answer to Stephen’s prayer. Jesus said, “Pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28). He didn’t tell us what to pray, but something supernatural happens when we pray for our enemies. The Holy Spirit softens their hearts, which makes it easier for them to yield to God than to keep resisting Him. They might not be struck down like Saul, but He will cause them to see the light—if you’ll keep praying.

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Signs From God

Every day we see signs telling us what to do. A Stop sign tells us to hit the brakes. The Yield sign says to let others have their way. No U-Turn means no turning back. A Slow sign instructs us to proceed with caution. A green light means go, a yellow light means slow, and a red light means no. The signs are placed at those locations for our own protection, and we can suffer harmful consequences if we ignore them.

In the spiritual realm, God also uses signs to point us in the right direction. Since He is in control of all things, He manages the circumstances in our lives to show us whether or not we are on the right track. Rejection is a Detour sign to redirect us to a new place. God gives a No U-Turn sign when we’re tempted to return to a forbidden place. He shows a Yield sign when we need to let others have their way.

Another kind of sign is when God does something in a highly unusual way to confirm His will. Moses (Ex. 3:12, 4:1-8), Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:8-11), Gideon (Judges 6:17-40), Abraham’s servant (Gen. 24:12-21), Jonathan (1 Sam. 14:8-10) and others in the Bible all received miraculous signs of affirmation. Sometimes God initiated the signs, while at other times people asked God for them.

A sign could be a door of opportunity opening, or a set of circumstances miraculously coming together. Keep in mind that a sign should not be your primary way of discovering God’s will. The Lord reveals His will through Scripture, godly counsel, and prompting in your heart.

Although it may be assuring to have solid proof through confirmations, signs are often followed by a severe testing of faith. Paul said a wide door was open for him and “there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:9). Moses had to lead over a million people through the wilderness. Gideon had to fight the Midianites with his army reduced to just three hundred men. There’s also a danger of wrongly assuming that God sent you a sign when He hasn’t. Use discernment.

RECEIVE THESE DEVOTIONALS FREE by EMAIL: You can subscribe in the box on the right at www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  NOTE: The subscription box will NOT usually appear on your smart phone, but it can be seen on your computer (or by opening the “desktop site” feature on your phone.)

Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net