Topic: Reaching Closed Minds [Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 7 December 2019]

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Acts 26:1-20

Do you know someone whose mind is closed to the gospel? That describes a lot of people, and we often find it discouraging that despite our prayers for them, they can’t see their need for the Savior.

Responses to the gospel vary. Some people are quick to respond in faith while others resist. Those who reject Christ may respond with polite indifference, or they could be aggressively antagonistic toward those who speak of Him. At times we might wonder if God’s message of salvation can penetrate those whose minds are shut.

The answer is yes, and the proof is in Acts 9:1-18—the story about the conversion of Saul of Tarsus (later known as the apostle Paul). Saul was a devout Pharisee who professed faith in God the Father but rejected Jesus as God the Son. Hating all those who followed the Messiah, Saul went to great lengths to persecute believers and coerce them to recant their faith in Christ.

But Saul was no match for the omnipotent God. The Holy Spirit convicted this violent man of his sin, gave him an awareness of his own need for salvation, and revealed that Jesus was the only Savior. Then Saul’s spiritually blind eyes were opened.

Today the Holy Spirit is still working to bring men and women under conviction. He uses believers’ lives and testimonies to reveal the truth about Jesus to those with closed minds and hard hearts. If you are currently trying to reach someone like this, be encouraged and continue to pray for that person’s salvation. Then rest in God’s ability to save.

Bible in One Year: Galatians 4-6