Week 2 of our "Set Free" Galatians series. Today we won't even mention Galatians—we're setting up framework by looking at PAUL'S STORY.
Satan uses our past as a weapon against us in two ways:

Believers plagued by their past - Every time they sin, they remember who they've been. It holds them from recovering, from coming to God for forgiveness and guidance.

Keeps people from coming to Christ - Their past convinces them they're too far gone.

PAUL'S PAST:
Acts 8:1-2 - "Saul APPROVED the stoning of Stephen." Stephen was the first martyr of the church—a good, honorable, godly man. Paul was there and APPROVED his killing.

Acts 8:3 - "Saul started making trouble for the church. He went from house to house, arresting men and women and putting them in jail."

Acts 22:4-5 - Paul recounts: "I persecuted followers of the Lord's Way. I had them arrested and put in jail. I even voted for them to be killed."

Paul was going to Damascus with authority to arrest believers. But on that road, Jesus met him.

THE DAMASCUS ROAD:
"Saul, Saul, why do you PERSECUTE ME?"
Paul: "Who are you, Lord?"
"I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting."

When Paul persecutes the church, he's persecuting JESUS. When you harm God's people, you harm Christ.

And Paul CHANGES. Completely. Post-conversion Paul writes most of our New Testament.

1 TIMOTHY 1:15-16:
"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I am the WORST of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience."

PAUL'S SIN ISN'T UNIQUE:
Paul says he's the WORST sinner. But is he? Is Paul's sin worse than Jeffrey Dahmer's? Than Hitler's? Than yours? Than mine?

Paul is looking at his sin and recognizing: ALL sin is equally heinous in God's eyes. Murder, lying, gossip, it's ALL the same.

And if God can forgive PAUL, the chief of sinners, He can forgive ANYONE.

THE POINT:
You've been set free from your past. But Jesus never promises a free RIDE.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - God comforts us so we can comfort others with the same comfort we received.

Your past, all the garbage, all the pain, all the sin, GOD USES IT. He uses it to set someone ELSE free.

Paul's past made him uniquely qualified to preach grace. Your past makes you uniquely qualified to reach people NO ONE ELSE can reach.

BOTTOM LINE:
Can you be set free from your past? YES. Paul is proof.
But God doesn't waste your past. He USES it. Use your freedom to set someone else free.

🔔 Subscribe | 👍 Like | 💬 What past is God using in YOUR life?
becomehope.com

0:00 - Introduction: Set Free Series Framework
1:00 - Not Mentioning Galatians Today
2:00 - Satan Uses Our Past Against Us
3:00 - Who Was Paul/Saul?
4:00 - Acts 8:1-2 - Saul Approved Stephen's Stoning
5:00 - Acts 8:3 - House to House Arrests
6:00 - Acts 22:4-5 - Paul Recounts His Past
7:00 - The Damascus Road Conversion
8:00 - "Saul, Saul, Why Do You Persecute ME?"
9:00 - Persecuting the Church = Persecuting Jesus
10:00 - Paul Changes Completely
11:00 - 1 Timothy 1:15-16 - Worst of Sinners
12:00 - Is Paul's Sin Worse Than Others?
13:00 - All Sin Equally Heinous to God
14:00 - If God Can Forgive Paul, He Can Forgive Anyone
15:00 - Jesus Never Promises a Free Ride
16:00 - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - Comfort Others
17:00 - God Uses Your Past
18:00 - Use Your Freedom to Set Others Free
19:00 - Closing Challenge