From Romans 1:1, we've already talked about Paul being a bond servant of Jesus Christ and that he was called by God to be an apostle. Today we want to finish that verse. "separated unto the gospel of God."
The Greek word for separated means "to mark off from others by boundaries, to limit, to separate."
As the old-time Pentecostals used to say, Paul had a made up mind. Before Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, he already knew more about the Word of God (the Old Testament) than the ordinary man. He had been schooled by the best teachers of his day. But that was just it. He knew the Word of God inside and out. Obviously, he was a good debater because after his conversion, he gave the Jewish leaders fits as he proved from the Old Testament that Jesus was the Son of God. He confounded their knowledge so much that they beat him, stoned him and tried their best to kill him. But, they could not out-reason him concerning the Word of God.
The big difference in Paul's life came when he had a one-on-one meeting with the Son of God on the road to Damascus. As we mentioned in the last blog, Paul spent the next few years down in Arabia where Jesus taught him the depth of the Old Testament by revelation (Gal. 1:11-12). As Paul spent time in God's presence, the very power of God hammered into Paul's spirit and soul the Heart of God that spoke the Old Testament into existence. Re-learning the Word of God in such a manner was what 'separated' Paul unto the gospel of God.
Seminaries are good up to a point. In my early teens as I answered God's call to the ministry I was given some advice by Rev. Clyde Wingo. He said, "Son, it's good to get your theology just as long as you don't leave out the knee-ology." Sad to say, the majority of pulpits today are filled with men and women who are more full of themselves than they are the Holy Ghost. How can I say that? It's simple. If you are full of the Holy Ghost, you begin to pour out the anointed Word of God and God's Word comes alive inside of people. People get saved and healed and delivered. If you are just full of yourself (yes, you can quote a lot of scripture and expound), nothing happens. People hear a sermon, get dismissed and go home.
When Paul said that he was separated unto the gospel of God, he meant that he believed everything that came out of the mouth of God just like Jesus did. If God said that there was power in the name of Jesus, Paul said that's right and he began to preach power in His name. If God said that by the stripes of Jesus people would be healed, Paul believed it and prayed for the sick until they were healed. Paul believed that he had power over the devil just like Jesus said in Luke 10:19 and he cast out devils whether they wanted to come out or not.
When we are separated unto the gospel of God, we do not pay any attention to whatever is going on around us. Whoever was the Roman ruler at the time and whatever laws they made didn't stop him. He kept preaching the Word in power. He went into Athens all by himself. They had never heard of Jesus before. They didn't have a church or a single believer to pray with him. BUT, he preached Jesus Christ, crucified and raised from the dead with such power that people got saved. He was separated unto the gospel of God.
Let's get down to business with Jesus and change our city and our country like Paul did. Separate yourself unto the gospel of God. Believe every Word of it. Meditate on it day and night until it's power becomes a part of your every day life.
God didn't just throw Paul out to preaching after he was converted. Again, Paul spent three years seeking Jesus Christ for the correct understanding of the Word of God. Then he spent several years just teaching in the church at Antioch. After Paul proved himself to God that he was able to minister the Word of God, God separated him and Barnabas for a work He had for them to do (Acts 13:2).
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