Identity Shift (Conquerors) - #017

In the final episode of our Identity series, we follow Paul's incredible journey from persecutor to apostle and discover what it means to live as more than conquerors through Christ. Through shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonment, and persecution, Paul never allowed his circumstances to define him. His identity was rooted in Christ alone. Join us as we explore how the same victory, purpose, and unshakable identity are available to every believer today. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back into Pockets of Paradise podcast. I'm Larson Griffith with Megan Tedder. And we've got some fun stuff we're jumping into today. Let's do it.

SPEAKER_01 0:16

Hey guys, welcome back to the podcast. Me and Larson are a little delirious because it's the end of the day instead of the morning when we oh we actually Yeah, hang on.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

It's kind of like afternoon and close to the end of the day.

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Usually we're recording earlier in the day when we have more brain shell brain shells, brain cells operating. And so this should be an interesting so good. It's gonna be awesome. We're wrapping up our identity series. We could go forever the entire year on our identity. Um, but we're gonna wrap it up with our boy Saint Paul. Paul because I think he is one of the most, if not the most, radical uh transformation stories in the Bible. And so me and Larson have been kind of laughing because I'm like, there are so many layers and angles we can go with this.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

And uh, if you want, just get your Bible open to the book of Acts.

SPEAKER_01 1:12

Yeah, we're gonna be like skimming through the whole book of Acts, but it's gonna be so good because his story is insane. Yes, and it affects you if you are a Christian every single day. So um, yeah. So we're gonna just kind of start with his testimony and then we'll wrap it into what we're talking about with identity. But I want to kind of set the scene of what his identity was before Christ BC. Um, so do you want to start? Do you want me to start?

SPEAKER_00 1:42

Do you want me to read some of it? Um to start or just talk about his story? Like we first see him open a day. Yeah, in the summer.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

So let me like, I'll lay out a few things and then you can start reading the part we were just talking about. Okay. So um, just so you know, Paul was an incredibly brilliant human being. He was, was he technically a Pharisee? Yeah. Yes, he was a Pharisee. He was high up in the Jewish leadership, he had um incredible influence, he had power, he was an elite, he was very comfortable financially, he was invited to all the banquets. He was the guy. He was cocky, he was arrogant, and he hated Christians. He saw Jesus and his posse as a threat to Judaism and ultimately to his power and his ego. And so he became one of the uh largest persecutors of Christians, if not the largest at the time. Um, there were a few, but he he murdered um hundreds, if not thousands, of Christians. I don't know the actual number, but it was a lot, and he had a reputation um for that. Yes, it preceded him everywhere. It preceded him everywhere he went, and Christians um hid from this man. Right. He you knew who Paul was. So um, well, his name wasn't Paul. The his name was Saul at the time at first. Yeah, BC, he was Saul, and Jesus God later changed his name to Paul. Um, so yes. So that's just setting the scene of like who this guy is. And the first time we see him in the Bible is when Larson.

SPEAKER_00 3:30

Yes, so when Stephen, um, I'll just jump in on chapter seven. Um, and it says in verse 57, or actually starting 54, says, when they heard these things, they were enraged. And this is when Stephen was before the um Sanhedrin, and he was basically telling them the truth of what Jesus taught, and he was laying it all out for the officials, you know, because they they're like, You're no good. What we believe is better.

SPEAKER_01 3:58

And he did it in such a way that they couldn't disprove him, and it made them angry. Yes. It was very much not to make this political, but a Charlie Kirk situation, I feel like, where it was like he was just blatantly saying the truth respectfully, and they just the demons manifested around him. It was just interesting.

SPEAKER_00 4:15

It says when they heard these things, they were enraged and gnashed their teeth at him. So they're like getting all gnarly over there. Um, Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He said, Look, I see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God, which we could like go on forever about. Um, they yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And while they were stoning him, he called out, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold the sin against them. Aft and after saying this, he died. So that's where we first see Saul in scripture accepting the offering of Stephen.

SPEAKER_01 5:05

Yeah, he was overseeing his martyrdom, his he was in some kind of leadership there, and he thought he was doing God's work.

SPEAKER_00 5:15

Right. Um, just like probably the you know Pharisees when they crucified Jesus. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

Wild. So deception. But what's amazing is Stephen was witnessing to Paul like then. And Paul's heart was hardened, but he saw something that didn't make sense.

SPEAKER_00 5:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:36

And that's one of the reasons why Christianity is undeniable when you really do the research and see what these first disciples and apostles went through. They all died in cr excruciating deaths. And they all had an out. All they had to do was say, It's not true.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:54

Or I don't believe that. And they didn't. They all were willing to die for what they saw and knew.

SPEAKER_00 5:59

And Ethan says, like, the next verse Saul agreed with putting him to death. So again, confirmed that like he was on board with all of this. Well, he gave the thumbs up. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:07

Yeah. He was the one in authority. He gave the thumbs up. And then yeah, we kind of went on a little segue talking about it beforehand. But one of my favorite parts about this testimony of Stephen and Paul Saul witnessing it is that words. Stephen saw Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 6:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:28

And Jesus is sit seated on the throne. Like when a king is done with his job and the battle is won, he sits on the throne. And so that is where he is at. Now he is seated on a throne and he doesn't stand up for much. But what I love is that Jesus stood up for Stephen. He is the first martyr. And I just imagine him just like welcoming him home. Like, let's go, Stephen, cheering him on. Because it like Stephen in the midst of being murdered was excited to see him.

SPEAKER_00 6:58

Yeah. He's like, take me now. Take me, let's go. I'm ready.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

And in the midst of that, he forgave Saul.

SPEAKER_00 7:04

Yeah, he's like, Don't hold the sin against them. Like as they're throwing rocks at him.

SPEAKER_01 7:09

As they're beating him to death.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 7:11

With rocks. Yes. So that's uh Saul's introduction into scripture. Scripture. And then he went on a rampage going after Saul the persecutor. Christians. Yes. He that was his identity. Saul the persecutor. And he was a man who believed in justice and doing the right thing and da da da da. But he was doing it for the wrong.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Yeah. It says devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. Saul, however, was ravaging the church. Yeah. Like house after house, dragging off men and women and putting them in prison.

SPEAKER_01 7:47

Dragging them off, imprisoning them or killing them. Yeah. Um terrible. Terrible dude. Until God said, actually, I'm going to use this guy. So um there's so much I want to say. So I guess we could go to Emmaus. Okay. Um Do you want to read it?

unknown 8:16

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

Now he this is chapter nine, um, Acts 9. It says, now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the way, hence Jesus, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him, falling to the ground. He heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Who are you, Lord? Saul said. He knew it was God. I know, I'm like, that part gets me every time because I'm like, Oh, you know. Yeah. But he immediately was like, Oh no. And he's like, I am Jesus, the one who you're persecuting, he replied, But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do. So the men were traveling with them, stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and like, how freaky is that?

SPEAKER_01 9:20

Yep, he's losing it.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

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. He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.

SPEAKER_01 9:33

Yeah, he was distraught.

SPEAKER_00 9:35

Dunned.

SPEAKER_01 9:36

Yes, absolutely distraught. I mean, God just slapped him right on his back and said, lit him up literally. Yeah. Um, in the South, that's what we say when you get a spike and he got lit up. Um, and he literally did. So, so yeah. So, what's also amazing is that I guess you can keep reading. Just keep reading. The Bible says it better than me, because I'm gonna keep talking. So just tell me.

SPEAKER_00 10:01

Well, we got our Bibles out, so you hear the pages turning. That's all that extra noise is thunder fingers over here.

SPEAKER_01 10:06

Yeah, we're like, where do I go?

SPEAKER_00 10:08

So there was you to the um where they come to him?

SPEAKER_01 10:13

Yeah, like how the transformation happened.

SPEAKER_00 10:16

Okay. There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias, here I am, Lord, he replied, get up and go to the street called straight. Another thing that's just kind of funny to me.

SPEAKER_01 10:29

Yeah, the ironic.

SPEAKER_00 10:31

Yeah, the iron. The Lord said to him, To the house of Judas and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. In a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight. Lord, Ananias answered, I have heard from many people about this man.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

I know who this guy is.

SPEAKER_00 10:52

Yeah, you sure? How much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, and he has authority here from the chief priest to arrest all who carry on call all who call on your name. But the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name. That's a foretelling.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:20

Um, 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. At once, something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Yep. He was radically transformed as well, which is amazing. But God loved him and he said, I can use him because of the power of his testimony under Jesus' blood.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

Yeah, it's interesting, like how the whole like he had a vision, but he couldn't see.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Like I just feel like God had to blind him from the world he was in to see the spiritual world. So you got something to tell you. Yeah, yeah. Which is amazing. It's wild, wild. But I'm so also thankful for the disciple who was like, let's know about this guy. Because he could have said no, you know, and God's like, nope, you need to go, and I have a plan for him, and it's gonna be good.

SPEAKER_00 12:32

Yeah, and I can imagine, like, on the travel there, and Ananias is like, the heck has he got a plan for him?

SPEAKER_01 12:38

Ananias is like, am I about to die? Yeah, what is what am I saying?

SPEAKER_00 12:42

Like, I'm gonna make sure he can see, and then I'm gonna lose my life. Thanks. Like, gosh, I don't know. I just thought that would go through my head.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

Yeah, it took a lot of faith on all accounts there. Yeah. So, but it's interesting that God's like, I'm gonna use him as an instrument. He is my chosen and he must suffer for me. And it is that is what Paul's life became. He had more joy and more persecution than I would like to say any of the other apostles.

SPEAKER_00 13:16

Yeah. Um, well, next it says Saul was with the disciples. So I just imagine him having to like explain himself a little bit too. Yeah. Like, hey, uh, tell me I'm one of you now. Yeah. But that's the power of the gospel. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:31

Right? For anyone.

SPEAKER_00 13:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:33

Because I know a lot of people who are like have had some, including myself, who have a past. Right. And you have to walk into the church and you're like, hey.

SPEAKER_00 13:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:43

So I hadn't set fire yet. Here I am, you know. I'm not, yeah. And but it's but that's the power of the gospel. Is that it is the ultimate equalizer. Like you are forgiven, you are clean, you are chosen, your identity is new. You were in Paul says that in the Bible. He says, You are a new creation in Christ Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 14:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

Um, and he is living proof of that. But it also took, I'm sure, the disciples' willingness to forgive and and allow God to transform all of them through that. And I'm sure there's probably egos, and I mean, people are people. Yeah. And you know, like, he killed my best friend, he killed my aunt, he's killed, he persecuted my business.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

Like, yeah. And but I can also see like the humility in like, okay, at this point, they're being persecuted as well, right? The disciples are, and then at some point they're scattered and they're back together, all the places, and then they're like, Oh, wow, like God is definitely up to something if he he got that guy. Yeah, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 14:44

Yes, and like and who is gonna like how can you deny a testimony that powerful? Right, right. Because again, Saul had everything he ever wanted. And then the second he gave his life to Jesus, he suffered until the day he died. But he also had the most joy. Yeah, he had the most purpose, and he ended up writing most of the Bible, most of the New Testament. Yeah, so um, it's crazy. But so I did like a stat sheet on um suffering and persecution, just a few things that he experienced. Um physical persecution, he had uh Jewish floggings, which are 39 lashes, right? Because 40 was considered like you could kill somebody. So they 39 lashes each time, and he he had five of those, five Jewish floggings at different times. He was beaten with rods three times, he was stoned one time and lived, he was left for dead one time, he was shipwrecked three times, he was adrift at sea one night and one day. Um he was imprisoned three times. Um imprisoned in wait, yeah, four times maybe. No, he was imprisoned three times, one in Philippi, one in Caesarea for two years. Um and then in Rome, one recorded, but most likely two times, which is I can't keep track about that. They they have a a few that they know, but they think there was more than that was actually recorded that he was in prison.

SPEAKER_00 16:24

Um, it even says like the the disciples in Damascus that he was with were like, okay, I see the difference, but then when he came to the ones in Jerusalem, they were like scared of him.

SPEAKER_01 16:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:37

Because they didn't really believe him.

SPEAKER_01 16:38

Yeah. And then he had traveling hardships, so he had to deal with rivers and bandits and fellow Jews and Gentiles and um cities and wilderness and sea travel and false believers and and people saying trying to remind him of his past and trying to put his old identity back on him and saying, You can't do all this. Like, don't you remember who you are or who you were? Um and it's so funny because we as Christians feel that way. I feel that way about this podcast. Like I really struggled saying yes to this because I'm like, people I grew up with might listen to this. Isn't that crazy? Yeah, no, I get it. Because I'm like, they people know who I used to be around here. Yeah. And I'm like, that's a little daunting. But I also hope that they see that God has transformed my heart and he still is, and like that's the power of the testimony, and there's no shame and condemnation in Jesus. But it I guarantee you, Paul probably walked into some rooms and to some situations where he was like, I feel like an imposter. Yeah. Even though he's not, he's a new creation, but all these people are throwing up his past in his face and persecuting him.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

Right. It's like, wait, the the Saul of Taurus you're talking about? Yeah, is that the same guy? Megan, Megan Tenner. Larson, Larson McGregor? Yeah, are you? Are you sure? Are you sure? Yes. You might hear your own name in that. You know, too.

SPEAKER_01 18:04

Like it's it's real life. It's real life, but that's the power of the testimony of God. And that's why it matters so much to know who God is and who he says you are, and to believe what he says about you.

SPEAKER_02 18:15

Right.

SPEAKER_01 18:16

And to live it. Because if Paul would have shied away and cared about what people thought about him, uh, this world would look very different. Um, but he had to deal with hunger, thirst, fasting, cold, exposure, sleepless nights. Um, I'm sure he dealt with anxiety. He was hunted just like he used to be hunted. Um, he was imprisoned. He the Bible he talks about having a thorn on his side that God doesn't remove, and we don't know what that is, but that's either a physical ailment or a sin that he's dealing with for his whole life. Um, I have an idea. I always have an idea of what it is, but I don't really know. And um, but I mean the man suffered and he didn't have to. Yeah. Right? Which is proof enough to me that what happened really happened. Like what the happened on the road to Emmaus was real. Um and it's also written down in more than just the Bible. The Bible is an accurate historical text, but there are other historical texts outside of the Bible that can also that also speak to Paul and about Paul, which is super interesting. Yeah. But then he became one of the greatest missionaries and church planters ever. And he let me see, I wrote down one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. He reached at least twelve different um places and planted churches there. And all of them were incredibly uh dangerous. Like to go into Rome and plant a church at that time when you could walk down the streets and they have Christians literally dipped in tar and put on post and set on fire at like going down the street. Yeah. Um here and just start a little church. Yeah, it wasn't popular. Yeah. Um wild. Okay. So also fun fact. So again, I told you there's like a million little bunny trails in my head with Paul. But when after college I went to on a trip to Europe, all around Europe, and one of the places we visited was Athens. Um and in Acts, let me see where it is. Athens is one of the places that Paul went to speak um and to preach and to spread the gospel. And he went he was so qualified to go because he was an intellectual. So you have to understand, like, this is the time of Socrates and Plato and Aristotle and all these big minds.

SPEAKER_00 21:05

Yeah, he was educated in Jerusalem under Gamelil.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 21:09

Yeah, so who was in the Sanhedrin?

SPEAKER_01 21:11

Yes. So he's highly educated and he can speak, intellectual speak, right?

SPEAKER_00 21:18

So he can argue in the best of them.

SPEAKER_01 21:21

Yes, and he can actually like speak to philosophers and know where they're coming from because he's studied it. And so he back then there was not Facebook, but they had these little markets, is what they call it, like marketplaces where men would go and debate ideas, right? And just talk all day. So they're your coffee shops. Yes. Yes. But they would debate the next they prided themselves on being the leader in the world of philosophy and government and all these things.

SPEAKER_02 21:54

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 21:54

So they would go and debate new ideas. Well, Paul Bebops over there and Um starts debating these fellows and delivers one of the most impactful um sermons of all time, right? That we still read today, and it's in Acts 17. Um starting in verse 16. And we don't have to read it right now, but I want you to go and read it. Um but when I was on this trip in Athens, we went up to see the ruins. Um, and my tour guide was so nice. He was not a Christian, but he knew I was. And so anytime he knew there was Christian history, he would tell me. That's kind of cool, too. Which is really sweet. And so he was like, Hey Megan, I want to take you somewhere. And I was like, Okay. And so we're literally in the rubble of like the Parthenon and like all of these old temples that were altars to all of these gods that that that Acts 17 is set in, right? This is the scene that he is in. And there's hundreds of gods that they all worshiped, and they they even had an altar for an unknown god just in case they missed one by accident. Like it was just crazy. Which is there's a lot to keep up with. Yeah, yeah. And so um, Sonder's like, I want to take you somewhere. And and so we're standing, he's like, You're standing where Paul delivered that sermon right now. And I was like, Really? And he was like, Yeah, and he's like, Too bad that didn't work out for him so well. And I looked at him and I was like, What do you mean? And he was like, Well, I mean, he ended up getting killed. And I was like, Yeah, but you're still talking about it. I was like, and we're still reading that sermon and it's still changing lives all the all the time. And I said, and the men that he was speaking to, some of them sneered and mocked him, some of them delayed and said, We want to hear more about this. And some of them believed. Um, but I said, What's amazing is that all of these immaculate, insane, huge idols and temples, I mean, they are even the ruins are breathtaking of how big and majestic they were. Um, and they were in their heyday when Paul was saying all these things. And I but I looked at my tour guide and I said, you know, I would like to say the opposite because everything else is in ruins, but my God's word still stands strong. And he was like, you know, I never thought about it like that. And I was like, Yeah, I was like, that sermon was everything God wanted it to be. That's cool. Isn't that cool? Yeah, I love that. It's so cool. Um, and then later on, we were in Rome and Sonders like his name is Sonder, and he was like, I want to take you um to Paul's basilica, St. Paul's Basilica. And I was like, Oh, okay. I was so naive, I did not know that that's where Paul was buried. So I'm like, first of all, it's this immaculate, huge, beautiful temple. And I walk in and I'm like emotional, just like overtaken by its beauty and just the presence that is in this place. And he was like, You want to see where he's buried? And I was like, What? Like I knew Paul was real, but he's real, real. Like, we're at his gravesite. This is crazy. Um, but it was just crazy, crazy, crazy. So, anyways, that's just a side note.

SPEAKER_00 25:16

Um, where should we go from there? Dude, I don't know. I keep flipping while you're talking and listening to you and trying to figure it out. I like um when they're talking in this is just part of his travels and sharing. Um, but in chapter 13, and it's verse 51, it says, But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them and went to the like next place. Yep. And I think about that all the time. That like, you know, you have family members or you have friends who um don't know Jesus or it has a heart and heart towards Jesus right now, and it's like, you know what? You continue to be truth, you know, and show that through your life. Like, I'm not saying you have to have a conversation every five seconds unless they want to, but like your life is a witness. That's one of the rules that uh my mother-in-law said that she used to tell all of her kids as they walked out of the door, like, remember your life is a witness. Like so, but it is so true, and like sometimes it's gonna feel hard, it's gonna feel difficult. I mean, we're not getting killed right now. There like necessarily, but where we're at sitting in Florida right now, like we're not getting that right now. And so that sometimes you do like have to shake the dust off your feet and and keep going and planting the seeds and being faithful because the Lord is faithful.

SPEAKER_01 26:49

And also know that the Lord can do things with seeds you planted 10 years ago and have your job is just to plant into water and the Lord harvests, yeah. So you just to live live it out. Live it out. It's funny because my mom always would say, remember who you are and whose you are, which is your identity, right? Like, and as I grow older, that means more and more to me. Right. It's like, okay, walk out the door. Your life is a witness. Yeah, like remember who you are and whose you are, because it makes you act different. Yeah. Um, okay, so that kind of sets the scene for Paul, I think. Um, but I wanted to zoom in on Acts 28 because so the first episode of this identity series, we talked about the intro of what identity is and false identities and how to put on the true identity of God, right? The second one, I did a little one on calling and purpose, and how we all have the same calling, and that's to follow Jesus, and then we ultimately find our purpose as we walk and step with him. Um, and there's nothing more fulfilling than that. But we are all called, we are all chosen. It's just do we answer? And then the third one was Peter, which is one again, I say this every episode, but it's one of my favorite stories, is Peter, because I just really connect to Peter. But his story was all about how God redeems things and how he doesn't waste anything and how he's so intentional about restoring our hearts, even now. And so, and ultimately in heaven, he's gonna restore everything, all things will be made new, which is great news. And then this one is Paul, which is a radical identity change from Saul to Paul that we kind of shared, just skimmed over. I mean, there's so much more. Yes, go read. If you think the Bible is boring, you're not reading it right. I'm telling you, there's so much in there. I'm beating on the table from talking donkeys to all the things to getting bitten by things. Yes. So speaking of which, but with Paul, we wanted to talk about um like our identity in Christ is we are conquerors and we are victorious, and we should live life from a place of victory and not defeat. Um, and so I'm just gonna read it really quick. Or do you want to read it? It's up to you. Okay. Okay. I don't have my glasses on, so that's very um. So it says, This is when he was shipwrecked onto the little island of Malta. So it says, Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and he put it on the fire. A viper, or a venomous snake, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand, bit his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, This man must be a murderer. For though he escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live. Because at the time he was a prisoner and being shipped to Rome. Right. So they're trying to figure out, okay, what is this omen? What does this mean? Yeah, what he do to get that. Right. It says, but Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects, which we'll get there. We'll get there. The people affected him expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and then they said he was a god.

SPEAKER_00 30:39

I could see them sitting there just eating dinner, just staring at him. Waiting for him to drop dead. Yeah. When is he gonna like fall over?

SPEAKER_01 30:46

Like there wasn't there was an estate nearby that belonged to Pubulus? Is that how you say that? Publius? We're gonna call him Pub. Belonged to Pub, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Dysentery. What is that?

SPEAKER_00 31:17

Uh some kind of it's like is it infection or something? I'll look it up.

SPEAKER_01 31:21

Is it like a I don't know. I read it wrong earlier and I just read it and I was like, that's not what I thought it was.

SPEAKER_00 31:27

Let me grok this right. Hold on. Okay, we'll get back to that. It's an infection of the intestines. Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:32

Oh, that's awful.

SPEAKER_00 31:33

You don't want me to read anywhere else. Any anymore else. You don't want me to read any of the other stuff. So he's probably septic. Like he's like a bad infection. Coming out of both sides. Okay.

unknown 31:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:45

Bad infections. There you go. All right. Reeks of death. Okay. Paul went to see him and after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. Which is crazy. Yeah. When this happened had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. Which is also crazy. They honored us in many ways. And when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with all the supplies we needed. So what's other side note when I was studying this, um, Malta is still an island. It's still very much a country. And they celebrate Paul's shipwreck every February 10th. Look it up. It's amazing. It's one of one of, if not the most um celebrated holidays of that country. And they celebrate the day of their nation becoming Christian nation. Like that's when their nation or their island was converted to Christ, which is amazing. And I and I think you think about it. Paul was a prisoner. I don't know about you, but I have recurring nightmares of being on an old wooden ship and a in a ocean storm and getting shipwrecked. That is terrifying. I don't know about you, but I like I thought it was gonna be something totally different. You're like, I'm on a ship a lot of times than the nice shipwreck. What? But shipwrecks are terrifying. Like I think about what they had to go through, and that was not, he's thinking, my God, how much worse can this get? Probably, right? And then God's like, actually, I wanted you to be here to save an entire island, and they're gonna proclaim my name for the rest of forever. Like it was all part of God's plan. But and God used it all, you know, it's just amazing. So, but yeah, but I like I just think about I would have been so shell-shocked. I don't think I would have even known what to do with myself. Um, but what I love about this too is I'm also going through the book of Revelation at the speed of a snail because there's so much in it. But but as I was reading this, I was like, oh my gosh, this is this is crazy. I love how the Bible, Jesus is in all of the Bible. Every passage of the Bible, you can find the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God if you study it and like really look into it, which is insane. But I've been saying insane a lot. Well, it is vegan, but I'm like trying to get it all out and I'm shaking. So you know in the Genesis 3, it was a serpent that caused the curse in the fall, and we fell onto the curse, and then Jesus broke the curse, right? Well, I'm reading Revelation, and then the end of Revelation the it says that God is going to throw the serpent, which is representative of the devil of Satan. I'm gonna throw him into the lake of fire for eternity for good, right? Like he's gone. Bye-bye. And then this is a picture of where we are now as Christians in the in-between. Like we live in the victory, but we also um are in the middle, like we haven't gotten there yet, but it's already ours, if that makes sense. So Paul is a prisoner, he's shipwrecked, he's gone through heck and back on earth, and then he gets bit by this viper, and everyone's like, Oh, he must be a bad dude because that's a that's a bad sign.

SPEAKER_00 35:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:21

And then the viper doesn't affect him, right? Like what used to kill us doesn't affect us. Um, and we have the power and the authority to trample over serpents and scorpions, the Bible says. And that's spiritual, that's physical. Um, because we have the authority of the Holy Spirit living in us and the blood of Christ over us, which is just amazing. And so, what does that look like in real life? I mean, that was real life, but I don't think we're getting chipwrecked and flame of snakes or unless you're in Megan's dream. Yeah, unless you're me. Um but yeah, I should probably get a counseling for that. Um, but I like oh man. So I think a lot of times what this looks like is uh so many people are afraid of failure. But if you're a child of God, there is no such thing. What I mean by that is failure is only an opportunity to learn protection or redirection if you are a child of God. Right?

SPEAKER_00 36:38

Yeah, and I love how I've been having this conversation a lot lately, and I think we talked about it a long time ago. But like in God's plan, if you are like searching after him and you are diving into his word and you are learning more about him and and following him, then you you can't mess it up. You can't mess it up. Yeah, you don't have that much power. Yeah. As much as we like to do that.

SPEAKER_01 37:02

As much as we like to think so. God is so sovereign that we can't outmess, we can't outmass his grace. Like we can't mess up enough to lose his grace. Like his grace is always gonna outdo us. And he's always gonna bring us back and make it work for our good as long as we love him.

SPEAKER_00 37:18

Yeah, and his glory.

SPEAKER_01 37:19

His glory. And that's and that I mean, Paul's life was brutal.

SPEAKER_00 37:23

Yeah. He died. The snake bite was just a little bit of peace. That was fine.

SPEAKER_01 37:27

It didn't even hurt. But he's like, shake that junk. Yeah, shake it, throw it in the fire. But it's just such a picture of like, yes, you're gonna the vipers are still gonna strike. Yep, but you have the authority to shake it in the fire now because of what Jesus has done. And that can be spiritual attacks, financial attacks, physical attacks, mental attacks. I mean, we're gonna get into spiritual warfare later on in some episodes, I'm sure, because it's so prevalent right now.

SPEAKER_00 37:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:54

Always prevalent, but I feel like so often people don't realize how prevalent it is in their life. Um, but I just if you are a child of God, you are a conqueror and you are victorious already.

SPEAKER_00 38:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:07

And that's how you have hope where you are. Because the circumstances can look absolutely terrible.

SPEAKER_00 38:12

Right.

SPEAKER_01 38:13

And they sometimes do, and they sometimes are, and sometimes it does hurt, and sometimes things do happen that are really terrible. But God will restore and he will redeem all things. Sometimes it's on the side of heaven and sometimes it's not.

SPEAKER_00 38:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:28

But ultimately, our eternity is restored.

SPEAKER_00 38:32

Yeah, or rescued.

SPEAKER_01 38:34

Yes. Yeah. And so when you believe that about yourself, you're bold. Like you're excited to wake up in the morning. Like I my dad always says, I hope when I wake up the in the morning, the devil's like, oh crap, he's up again. Here he comes. You know what I mean? Like, I want to wreak havoc on the kingdom of darkness while I'm on this earth. Because I can, because I have the authority in me given to me by Christ. And so, um, so yeah. And another another thing is you don't care, you're not afraid of failure when you know you're victorious. You don't care what people think of you. I mean, I think everyone to a certain extent cares what people think of you, but you don't allow it to control your life.

SPEAKER_00 39:19

Yeah, you don't allow it to dictate what the truth is. Correct. Yeah, you stay with the truth no matter what their opinion is. Like it's okay to stand up for the truth just because someone gets a little upset. Like it's all right. Yeah. But that doesn't mean you don't like care about their heart or praise. Yes, and you listen.

SPEAKER_01 39:43

But if it's people who are just attacking your character for no reason, or just whatever. Stand on the truth. Stand on the truth and know who you are. It always wins. Right. Um, and then I had a third one. There's also like how people handle physical illnesses, right? And there are all kinds of opinions on this, but that is where hope comes from in those moments of like you can find hope. If you have a terminal illness, you could be healed today. You could be healed in heaven. I don't know. Like, I have several people who come to me and they're like, I I feel like I should pray for healing for this person, but I it ultimately boils down to them being afraid it's not gonna work and someone's not gonna believe God because of it, or they're gonna look stupid. And I'm like, God doesn't care if like I mean, if God is telling you to pray for somebody, you pray for them.

SPEAKER_00 40:31

Yeah, you obey, you obey. It's like what we talked about just in the last episode, like you'd be more scared not to obey.

SPEAKER_01 40:37

Right, right. Because you don't know what that one prayer is moving in the spiritual realm, and it might not be immediate, but there are things shifting. Like prayer is powerful, and if God is asking you to do that, there's a reason.

SPEAKER_00 40:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:49

And so, and and you don't have to explain that to people. You can make it very simple and say, the Lord is sovereign and he is good, and I know he has a plan, and we're gonna I know he can heal you, and I'm gonna pray for that. Um, and he might heal you today, and he might not, but but he will heal you, like his will is to heal you, his timing is hit on him, and so yeah, but like we just become more bold and we know who has our back, you know.

SPEAKER_00 41:18

For sure. Yeah, I think there's a lot of times where people like shy away from speaking up on things or speaking out about things, maybe that they've experienced a family member or whatever, or like the sickness type thing, like fear. Like fear definitely dictates a lot more than we sometimes admit. And so I think it is so important, like you were saying, to remember like that there is that battle going on, and it's okay to to take that step and to share and to not worry about like everyone's opinion because everybody's got one. But it there's so much good in like spreading good news, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:04

And there's so much adventure in that. Yeah. I I remember I was in Haiti and I got angry at myself because I I mean I've been on several mission trips, I've been all over the world, I've been very blessed in being able to travel and stuff. Um, some mission trips, some not, but all of anytime I go somewhere new, I'm so much more bold. And I would get like I remember in Haiti, I was like, I'm literally in the bush walking up to strangers' houses and asking if I can pray for them right now. Would I do that in America? Probably not.

SPEAKER_00 42:42

You gotta get past the entrance to the subdivision first. I just gotta get past the ring camera.

SPEAKER_01 42:48

But I'm getting cold. Like, but yes, but really, I remember being like, Lord, why am I not this bold at home? And it like convicted me hard. And and since then I've become much more bold. Like, there was a day I would have never done this podcast because I'm like, like I said earlier, someone is gonna know who I was when I was 17, and they're not gonna be like, oh no, that's a girl. I'm gonna take that with a grain of salt because that's Meg and Tetter, right? But it's not Meg and Tetter, it's Jesus Christ and what he's done in me. And I'm still a hot mess, as you know, and I still have so much growing and learning to do. And I think that's why God uses me, is because I'm the first one to tell you I don't know everything. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:33

Um I can tell you what I know, but I'm gonna have to look up the rest or pray about that.

SPEAKER_01 43:39

I know just I know that I I know enough to know that I know nothing. Yeah, I always say I know enough to get me in trouble. Um, but But what I do know is I know Jesus. Yeah. And that's enough. And I I love to share him with people, and so do you. And I think when you realize you're victorious, you realize the worst thing that someone can do to you is kill. You but they can only kill your body, they can't touch your soul. Like even that, they can't touch you. Yeah, right. And so when you realize there's no fear, the day I die is gonna be the best day of my life. There's no fear in that, right? And so when you live without fear, you're unstoppable, you're dangerous, you're a force.

SPEAKER_00 44:23

Just a different perspective, you know, than everyday life leads you to believe. And so you have to re-assess and shift your focus to that. Yes. Yeah. It's hard, but you can do it. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 44:39

You can. When you live from the point of like, I am victorious. I am free. You are free.

SPEAKER_00 44:45

Yeah. Like God liberates you.

SPEAKER_01 44:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 44:49

You are a conqueror. You don't have to have every little perfect piece in place. No.

SPEAKER_01 44:53

What is that? Romans 8. We read it a few, a few um episodes ago, but Romans 8 was also written by Paul. Um and we'll end on that. We'll read it one more time because now that people have more of a background of who wrote it, I think it might land a little different.

SPEAKER_00 45:13

Yeah. Yeah, knowing all the stuff that he went through. Why can't I go through? Mike struggled right now. Matthew, Martin, look, John, how experience. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 45:29

Got it.

SPEAKER_00 45:34

Yes. That was my elbows popping if you heard that. The one we read earlier.

SPEAKER_01 45:44

Yeah. Yeah, you could read the whole chapter eight, but I won't do that to them. But chapter eight, verse one, though, I will read this. It says, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Because through Christ Jesus, the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Um, which is basically what we were just talking about.

SPEAKER_00 46:09

So then in verse 37, it says, No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. From persecu for I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I put I have a little note coming out from that. It's like highlighted 15 different ways. Yeah. And like, Jesus wins. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:41

That's true. And then the paragraph before that says I don't want to skip over the suffering part and then we'll end up. Yes. But I probably should have ended on the other one a little higher, no. But um, but we as Christians are called to be uncomfortable. We're called to be bold, and and with that, we will suffer some. Yeah, all of us. And if you're suffering, that's a good thing because that's how God sanctifies you, that's how he strengthens you, and that's also when you feel the closest to him, which is so mind-boggling.

SPEAKER_00 47:11

Yeah. Um something I had to learn that was new. Even though I heard the Bible my whole life, I was like, until I experience it.

SPEAKER_01 47:21

Yeah, that is a different level.

SPEAKER_00 47:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:23

Um, but this is Paul's mindset going through life. Like we've talked about all the persecution and suffering he went through, right? And this is his mindset. And I'm pretty sure he wrote this in a jail cell in Rome, right? That's I think so. Um, so he said, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

SPEAKER_00 47:51

That's like a Yeah, just stop right there.

SPEAKER_01 47:54

Just in itself. I have that. The glory that the glory that is revealed in us, the glory that we give God in our suffering is far more valuable than the suffering. The creation waits an eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. But you feel that like the world is groaning for God to come back. Yeah, searching, searching, searching. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, and hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God, which means the earth is dying, but it was never meant to die. Just like we were never meant to die. So our s our bodies are aching and groaning and wrinkling and and doing things they were meant, never meant to do, and that's why it feels so wrong for them. But it's why it also breaks their heart to see the earth falling apart in a lot of ways, too, right? But it's groaning, it's waiting in eager anticipation on its tiptoes for Jesus to come back because he's gonna make it new. And that's what you have to set your mind and heart on in the in the midst of suffering. Says we know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves who had the first fruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Which is exactly what I just said. Yeah. So for in this hope we are we're saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. So it's so important to know what you're hoping for because you know what you're waiting for.

SPEAKER_00 49:48

Yeah. Right. I'm not gonna that patience part. I know. I'm not praying for patience though.

SPEAKER_01 49:52

It's a good thing that patience is a fruit of the spirit, not a fruit of you. Yeah. Like patience is evidence. Yes. Yes. The spirit gives you patience, not you. Yeah. Because I don't have any. Um, in the same way, the spirit helps us in our weakness. Like each one of these sentences you could just sit on. I know. I'm not gonna we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. So when you are in the midst of suffering, and if you know true suffering, you know what that groan is. You know what those sighs are, you know what that pain is. And the Holy Spirit is interceding because He knows what you're he knows what you're saying. He knows what they mean. That tension you feel. Yes, he's praying for you and with you. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. So, all that going back to the first verse of that is consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. And we are conquerors now, even in the midst of our circumstances that might not look like that. So, I think we got through what we need to get through, but we could have said so much more.

SPEAKER_00 51:10

The book of Acts to Romans chapter 8. Just go for it. Just take a whole evening by yourself. Study the life of Paul and follow through the Bible.

SPEAKER_01 51:18

It's incredible. Um, there's so much. Yeah, so you are loved, you're chosen, you are a child of God, you're redeemed, you are going to be restored, and you're in the process of restoration now.

SPEAKER_00 51:32

Don't be scared to stand up.

SPEAKER_01 51:34

No, and you are a conqueror in Christ with Him. So know who you are, know who you are and who you are. Yes, ma'am. All right, you want to pray us out? Sure. Okay, let's go.

SPEAKER_00 51:46

Lord, thank you so much for this just opportunity to dive into your word and to share and just have a coffee table conversation, basically, God, and just discussing the faithfulness of you and how even though there is suffering in this world, Lord, that you bring rescue, redemption, um, and restoration in that. And God, I pray for anyone listening and for everyone listening, for us sitting here, God, that we will remember that and we will be bold and speak out and stand up for the truth for you. And God, thank you so much for just walking with us. Thank you for giving us that strength in advance. Thank you for um just guiding and directing us, and thank you for um just even the excitement and passion about scripture and about who you are. And I pray for every person that's listening that they will have that excitement about it and that they will be able to know you and have that weight lifted off their shoulders and that freedom. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.