Let's think about change for a moment...
How easily do we change our actions or the way we do things when we have had an "a-ha" moment?
For Paul, that change was immediate. In Acts 9: 20-23, we witness a complete one-hundred and eighty degree turn by Paul. "Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on his name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah."
I see five moving parts in this passage that make me take pause when thinking about change. Each one is important, and the exact steps that they follow is not coincidental. Paul followed a process that would make his discipleship, and ultimately the development and deployment of his mission effective.
First we see that Saul sought counsel. He spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. From idea, to development and then practice and perfecting, an new skill must be refined. It makes perfect sense when adopting a new belief to seek wise counsel. It helps tremendously if this counsel comes from those who have "put their feet to the fire," immersed themselves in the belief of the idea, developed a system for effectiveness, and then putting that perfect recipe into practice. While verse twenty only mentions that Saul (Paul) "spent several days," I feel certain that Paul was diligent in learning, and then fully adopting his new belief.
Secondly, he did not delay. Verse 21 shows us that Saul "at once," immediately, began to preach. He wasted no time between adoption and deployment. It is first important to believe in a manner of conviction with respect to your new belief. For some, it may take research, and as in Paul's case, counsel to make that belief a reality, a conviction and move that from adoption to deployment. At the end of the day, we see Paul taking immediate action.
The time required to make a new and positive change a habit differs among experts. Some say twenty-one days and some thirty; or at least from what I have read, these 2 numbers seem to be the most common. We do not know what several days means in Paul's case, as a number is not written, but I would have to guess that it was less than 10. Paul had changed his mind about what he once believed, and he was completely prepared to put his new thoughts into immediate action.
The third step in the process is action. Paul did not go to one or two people to "test" the effectiveness of his new, adopted belief. He was convicted in its validity, and he desired to reach the masses. It says, "he began to preach in the synagogues." No small feat by any man. It is said that most people in our culture fear and would prefer only death before that of speaking in front of a large group of people. I see Paul's strength to immediately deliver his message to the masses as a direct result of the conviction in his belief.
Do not waiver would be the fourth step. Those in the synagogues in Damascus were astonished. How could Paul adopt a belief that only days ago was the polar opposite, and then be completely and utterly grounded in it that he began to spread the gospel to everyone that he possibly could get in front of?
There is a great example of this in the movie, "Jerry Maguire." Played by Tom Cruise, in his role as a sports agent, he has that "a-ha" moment. We see him write at his computer all night, run to FedEx early in the morning to print his memo and have it bound and placed in everyone's mailbox at the office before his colleagues arrive. Like Paul, he was so convicted in his newly adopted belief that he took immediate action to share it with the masses. At first, we see applause from the whole office as they have all gathered an read his memo. Then we see everyone gather at the watercooler and in their offices making statements to themselves and others privately, that he won't last another week with the firm if he deploys his new system for success.
Jerry, and Paul, ultimately succeed and win.
Finally it says in verse 22, "Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah." He was correct in his thinking. So much that it says in verse 23 that, "there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him."
I sincerely hope that you will not be killed for your views and beliefs, but that of the belief in Christianity bears that responsibility. A quick Google search reveals that more than 100,000 Christians are killed each year over their faith in Jesus Christ per the Vatican. I bet that based on this number, you will decide to become a missionary immediately; today. Probably not.
What I have laid out in the words above is that there is a proven system for success when adopting a new belief:
1) Seek counsel. It is prudent to have multiple advisor in any decision that you believe can provide positive change and a better and new direction for your life.
2) Begin immediately. If we ponder and "flail" instead of deploying our new idea, procrastination will thwart our chance of success.
3) Taking action provides you with a baseline. Yes, you will probably in essence "test" the validity of your adopted belief, but it will not take long to recognize the benefits thereof.
4) Believe. Others will challenge you. They will be astonished at your new course of action, but do not waiver. If it is positive for you, and those around you, your adoption will in time be recognized by others.
5) You will receive power. Especially when guided by Biblical principle, you will win! God wants to give us success. We were not made to fail. God wants to offer us grace. He wants to foster and grow us in our development as Christians.
All of these steps are important. The direct alignment in following them from step 1 to step 5 makes perfect sense. But at the end of the day, God wants us to be disciples.
What will you do today to spread the Gospel?
You will gain power in practice, become effective and win others for Christ.
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