24/05/2026
*MEDITATIONS ON DAILY*
*ⓂANNA*
MONDAY, 25TH MAY, 2026.
*THE DIVINE-HUMAN FOLLOW-UP*
*TEXT:* ACTS 9:10-16.
10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
*Timeless Truth:*_"And some days after, Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us get back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they fare"_ (Acts 15:36).
*INTRODUCTION*
All believers in Christ are commanded to be directly, actively and personally involved in the Great Commission of preaching the gospel to every creature. It is an assignment with a definite purpose of winning and disciplining converts for Christ. No responsible parent is expected to just dumb their newly born babe somewhere expecting him to mature on his own without definite, diligent and demanding care, nurturing and mentorship. The new converts are also called babes in Christ regardless of their biological age or social standing. Paul the Apostle was converted through direct encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. How was he follow-up? It is an example of a model divine follow-up to be followed by every believer in Christ.
*1. Divine Follow-up Partnership*
a. Saul, before his conversion, was on a cruel mission of arresting, maiming and killing Jews who professed faith in Christ when he was supernaturally arrested by the Lord Jesus Christ while on the way to Damascus. Immediately he professed faith in Christ, by calling Jesus Lord. Jesus, without wasting time, made an arrangement for his follow-up through the human vessel called Ananias. There should not be a waste of time in arranging for follow-up of a convert. Ananias got to Paul within three days of his conversion. *"And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias"*. This was a disciple of Christ that was never mentioned before and after this incident in the Bible. However, he was spiritually sound that he could receive visions and directly hear from God. A true disciple of Christ who will be a successful soulwinner and mentor must be spiritually sound that he can receive revelations and visions directly from the Lord. Vision here is a broader term for spiritual sight revelations from God that includes dreams (when natural eyes are closed in sleep) and trance (when natural eyes may be opened). A lukewarm and spiritually insensitive person cannot be effective in the service to the Lord. It may be instructive to note that Jesus Christ used Ananias to follow-up and also do water baptism for Paul. He needed a man to do it. He needed the partnership of a faithful disciple for effective follow-up. Follow-up requires more human and constant interaction with the converts. The faithfulness and prompt obedience of believers are necessary in the follow-up new converts .
b. *"And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord"*. A true disciple of Christ who would be successful in disciplining others must be available, accessible, anointed and active for the service of the Lord. He was able to receive distinct and clear divine messages as to where to go, who to meet and what to do. Such are the people who will succeed and be effective in soulwinning and follow-up.
*"Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth"*. God also informed him of the vision Paul had received in the vision God gave him (Ananias). *"And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in"*.
*Question*
Do you have the credentials of a faithful disciple like that of Ananias?
*2. The Disciples Faithless Pessimism*
a. Ananias was not positive about the conversion of Paul. Obviously, he felt that though God can save all souls, Paul has crossed the line of conversion. An aggressive murderer of saints, unrepentant pharisee, fanatical follower and violent defender of the Law could not have been converted. God can save anybody and we must be optimistic and full of faith in discharging our responsibility of preaching the gospel to every creature. Furthermore, every person has his pasts. We must not use the past of someone to judge his present once the person has truly repented. There are cultures where they are interested in maliciously digging into the past of a person that is seeking a higher position though the person has repented and changed. This is not the will of God. *"Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem"*. Ananias himself, being a growing disciple began to give the Lord information as if the Lord did not know. *"And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name"*. Jesus, the Omniscience Saviour, had the knowledge of what was going on more than Ananias himself.
b. Prompt obedience to the Lord without excuses is what befits a true disciple of the Lord that is following the Omniscience Lord. It should be observed that the excuses of the disciple did not make any change in the demand of Christ. It was just a waste of time and demonstration of faithlessness and unbelief. "Just obey. When His message comes to you, there is but one thing to do, just obey".
*Question*
Are you consecrated to always obey the Lord without allowing any excuse?
*3. Defining Favour For Paul*
a. Paul received favour from God. His past was totally forgiven without being reckoned with and he was given a clean record and a new beginning. Such is the status of every person that repents from his sins and embraces Jesus Christ as His Lord and Saviour. *"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more"* (Hebrews 8:12). The Lord did not change His command based on the excuse of Ananias, but He expected him to repent of his excuses and obey the Lord. It is the disciple giving excuse that will have to change and not the Lord giving the command. *"The Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me"*. See how salvation changed someone from a rejected and damned vessel in the hands of Satan to a chosen and blessed vessel in the hands of God. Every believer is a vessel in the hands of the Lord though vessels are of different sizes and qualities. It is either you are a vessel in the hands of the Lord or a vessel in the hands of Satan.
b. There are always peculiar blessings and revelations to those who are all out for the Master's business. At this time, the Apostles had ruled out the salvation of the Gentiles from God's plan and the gospel. They were only reaching out to the Jews including those in the diaspora. However, here was an unknown disciple that God gave the revelation that the Gospel will extend to the Gentile nations and Paul will be a great instrument in achieving that. Christ said that Paul was chosen *"to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel"*. At times, obedient disciples are given more insight into some spiritual things than the great preachers. *"For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake"*. Paul did not pass through severe sufferings because of his sins since those sins were forgiven, but for the sake of the name of Christ just as Jesus suffered not for His sins but for the sins of mankind.
*Question*
Are you a vessel in the hands of God or in the hands of Satan the enemy of God and of your soul?
*Prayer Points*
1.Lord, I want to be more fervent spiritually. Empowered me with fervency, anointing and gifts of the Holy Spirit 🙏.
2.I hereby consecrate to You to be a willing, available, active and accessible servant of Yours. Send me to do whatever You will 🙏.
3.I plead that the blessings and revelations of obedience will always be mine 🙏.
4.Deliver all Your children from giving excuses and bring everyone to submit to Your service 🙏.
*HYMN:* Just Obey.
*BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:*
JOEL 1-3i.