"So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed"  (Acts 19:20).

The Lord Jesus Christ called Saul, to become an apostle to the church.  Saul was the meanest man alive during his day.  He was a legalistic Pharisee, and was on his way to Damascus to bind, bring to trial, and ultimately kill Christians (Acts. 9:1-2). Saul was a witness to the casting out and the stoning of Stephen (Acts. 7:58). Jesus said, "yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.  And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me" (John 16:2b-3).  Why then did Jesus choose Saul as an apostle, primarily to the Gentiles?  Consider the eternal plan of God and perhaps you will see the wisdom of His choice.  Paul later declares, that God doesn't choose many mighty persons according to the flesh (I Cor. 1:26).  Paul tells us, that God has chosen the foolish things, the weak things, and the base and despised things of this world to confound the wise, to put to shame the strong and mighty, and to bring to nothing the things that are (I Cor. 1:27-28).  Why?   So, "that no flesh should glory in His presence" (I Cor. 1:29).  The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is a gospel of 100% finished works done by Jesus in His body on the cross. 

Anything that Paul ever had attained in the flesh, he knew must be put aside and considered as rubbish, in order to fully know Christ (Phil 3:10).  Paul knew that he was a vessel for the Lord Jesus Christ; considering himself 0% and the Lord Jesus Christ as 100%, for salvation, life, and service to God.  Paul was into his 3rd missionary journey, and was writing Epistles to the Corinthian church at Ephesus, and preaching over 20 years since his apostolic call.  Paul focused on Christ and the cross and determined not to know anything except Jesus Christ and Him Crucified (I Cor. 2:2).  Paul shared God's hidden wisdom of Christ in us and the truth of the Christ-life.  Without compromise or deviation, Paul spoke to the church, standing in full demonstration of the wisdom and power of God.  For Christ is the power of God (I Cor. 1:24).  Christ is our resurrection life by living the Christ-life in us.  Christ crucified is the power of God (I Cor. 1:24).  The message of the cross is the power of God for everyone who believes and is Spirit birthed (I Cor. 1:18; Rom. 1:16).

The message of the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Spirit birthed in us, with 100% grace because of the finished work of Christ at the cross, is staying focused on the truth of the Word of God.  Paul was preaching and writing New Testament scripture, not reading it.  New Testament scripture wasn't even yet available to preach or read.  The anointing of Christ and Him crucified was the wisdom and power of God in Paul.  This living word of the Christ-life in him, as an anointing began to flow out of Paul to others.  This message and living word of the Christ-life grew mightily and prevailed – establishing the church! V