CHAPTER 1: HOW GOD MAKES HIS MEN
Scripture Focus:
“But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.”
(Galatians 1:15-17, NIV)
To say that Paul was highly educated would be an understatement. And yet, when he talks about the way God brought him into his calling, the method was unconventional, even countercultural. Paul’s Kingdom training wasn’t about formal education but personal transformation. God took a man who was proud, self-reliant, and zealous for the wrong things and reshaped him into a vessel for His purposes. The process wasn’t quick or glamorous, but it was exactly what Paul needed. In God’s hands, every step was intentional, refining him to become the apostle who would carry the Gospel to the Gentiles.
1. God Knocked Paul Off His High Horse
Paul’s journey began with a confrontation on the road to Damascus. Jesus literally knocked him off his path, blinding him physically while opening his spiritual eyes. At that moment, Paul realized that everything he had achieved—his education, status, and zeal—was worthless apart from Christ.
His extensive training under Gamaliel and his credentials as a Pharisee of Pharisees were not what God needed. In fact, they had to be surrendered, laid on the altar. As Paul later wrote in Philippians 3:7, “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” This humbling experience was the first step in making Paul into a true servant of God.
2. God Trained Him in the Desert
After meeting Jesus, Paul didn’t rush to Jerusalem to meet the apostles or seek their approval. Instead, God sent him to Arabia, a desert place where distractions were stripped away, and intimacy with God could deepen. This wasn’t unique to Paul; Moses, Joseph, and even Jesus had their desert seasons. The wilderness is where God shapes His people, speaking tenderly to their hearts and teaching them to rely fully on Him. As Hosea 2:14 says, “I will allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.” In the desert, Paul learned to depend on Christ alone and was prepared for the mission ahead.
3. God Sent Him Home
After the desert, Paul might have expected God to send him to preach to crowds or establish a ministry. Instead, God’s next instruction was simple: “Go home.” This was no small test. Going home required humility and obedience. It tested whether Paul’s transformation was genuine. Would he be just as faithful in obscurity as he would in a public ministry? Going home refined Paul’s character, ensuring his identity was rooted in Christ rather than in recognition or success.
As you read about this three step process, you might recognize some of these experiences in your own life. Our journey with God often begins with being knocked off our “high horse,” where pride and self-reliance are stripped away.
Then God may lead you into a desert season where distractions are removed, and He speaks directly to your heart. It could be a season of waiting, uncertainty, or feeling hidden, but don’t despise it. The desert is where intimacy with God deepens and where He prepares you for what’s ahead. Like Paul, Moses, or even Jesus, this time isn’t wasted—it’s essential for shaping your character and faith.
Finally, God might send you “home.” He may call you to humble, ordinary tasks that test your willingness to obey without recognition. It’s in these quiet, unseen places that your faith is refined. Will you serve Him with the same passion in obscurity as you would on a grand stage? This step is critical in ensuring your identity is rooted in Christ alone, not in success or public approval.
God’s process is perfectly designed to shape us into the people He’s called us to be. Trust His timing, embrace the lessons, and know that He is working in every season to prepare you for His purposes.
Reflection:
Which stage of God’s process are you in? Are you surrendering pride, listening in the desert, or faithfully serving in hiddenness? How can you lean into what God is doing in your life right now?
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for using every season of my life to shape me for Your purposes. Help me to surrender my pride, embrace times of waiting, and serve You faithfully, no matter the assignment. Teach me to trust Your process, knowing that You are preparing me for greater things. Amen.
Call To Action:
Identify which of the three stages—humility, the desert, or obedience—you’re currently experiencing. Reflect on how God might be using it to prepare you, and ask Him to help you embrace the process with faith and trust.