Paul was a Roman who persecuted the church and went into houses committing them to prison. Jesus appeared into him and said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutes: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” A prick was used in order to obtain obedience of cattle by farmers. The cattle would kick at the farmer’ pick in disobedience. Paul at that time went against what God had set up. He was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but he obtained mercy, because he did it ignorantly in unbelief (1 Timothy 1:13). Paul thought he was doing a great service by persecuting the church but he learned that he was not doing God’s will.
When Peter was told that he shouldn’t teach in the name of Jesus, he replied, “We ought to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29). Many disciples went against authority to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and many were persecuted for doing so. Today the same applies. Many are persecuted and killed for believing on the name of Jesus Christ. Pastors are thrown in prison for preaching the truth. One day, they will have their reward. If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
God is not someone to go against. God is the creator and maker of all things, who should be served with reverence and godly fear. We should not worry about those that threaten to harm us on this earth, but serve and honor a God that is able to deliver a soul to hell (Matthew 10:28). Hebrews 12:28 says, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”
Related Scriptures:
Matthew 10:28-And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
2 Corinthians 2:14,15- Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
Matthew 28:18-And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Romans 9:20-26- Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
