Do you want to deceive yourself or God?

Another type of imprisonment was the one that involved Ananias. Peter rebukes Ananias, telling him why Satan has taken so much possession of your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit. This story shows us how deception can take root in a person's heart, leading him to lie not only to others, but also to himself. Ananias thought he was doing something good for God, but he was doing it with the intent of appearing right in the eyes of men, while God wants us to give our all, without reservations, putting Him first in our lives.

Ananias' sin was not only lying, but the lack of humility and submission to God. He wanted to appear generous without really being so. God asks us to be transparent with Him and to live in the truth. When we strive to put God first, we do not seek self-exaltation or recognition from others, but remain humble, trusting that God Himself will lift us up at the right time. Mental strongholds that push us to want to be admired by others or to lie to protect our image are harmful to our spiritual growth.

When we lie, we not only deceive others, but also ourselves. The habit of telling lies leads to building a distorted reality, where the truth becomes confused and partial. This attitude distances us from the true freedom that Christ offers us. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and professing this truth frees us from the mental strongholds that imprison us. Only by living in the truth of God, can we produce fruit that never withers, that has eternal value. Recognizing and dismantling mental strongholds is a fundamental step to living a full and authentic life in Christ.