This Is the Way: A 30-Day Journey Through the Book of ActsSample

Great Fear

By Sion Alford

Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened. —Acts 5:11

Have you ever prayed, “Revival, Lord! Bring us revival, just like the kind that swept through the early church in the book of Acts!”? Or perhaps you’ve heard someone say, “We need to be more like the church in the book of Acts!”

Most people who pray or say things like this are thinking of the miracles, signs, and wonders marking those early days—the blind seeing, the lame walking, and believers moving in unity and power. But I’m willing to bet they aren’t thinking about the sobering events that transpired in the opening verses of Acts 5.

It’s there we meet Ananias and Sapphira, a well-known couple in the church who sold a piece of valuable property. They must have wrestled with the sum it brought in—it was too much, they thought, to give away entirely. So they made a fateful decision: they would keep part of it for themselves while presenting the illusion they had given everything to the church and the apostles. But deception, as it always does, caught up with them. Their lie was exposed, and after being confronted by Peter, they collapsed dead right in the middle of a church service!

This isn’t the kind of purifying revival most people are hoping for when they think of the revival seen in the book of Acts. It’s the kind of swift judgment one might expect on the other side of the cross, in the BC days, when God’s justice seemed swift and sharp. You know, Old Testament God—quick to bring down the hammer when sin reared its head. But here? On this side of Calvary? In the age of grace and mercy? It’s not exactly the scene we envision when we talk about the glories of the New Testament church, is it? It shakes us and reminds us that a healthy fear of the Lord shouldn’t disappear in this age of grace—it needs todeepen.

A closer look at this perilous event reveals something we need to learn. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was the sin of deception—thinking they could fool those around them when in reality, they were attempting to deceive God Himself.

To make matters worse, their lie wasn’t a simple misstep; they lied to the Holy Spirit. They wanted to project an image of being something they weren’t—selfless, generous, giving it all away for the cause—but in truth, their hearts weren’t aligned with their actions. Their giving wasn’t about sacrifice or love for others, it was about status. They craved recognition, to be hailed as the most generous in the church, benevolent forerunners of the community. But as it always does when in the presence of God, the truth surfaced. Ananias and Sapphira hadn’t given what they claimed, and in their pursuit of praise, they made a grave mistake—they traded the fear of God for the fear of man.

In the wake of their deception and God’s swift judgement, a holy fear swept through the entire church and everyone who heard about the prayer meeting. This wasn’t a fear born of dread; it was a holy reverence that ignited something profound and eternal—a revival of souls. In fact, “more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number” (Acts 5:14 NIV).

This account isn’t simply a cautionary tale to remain truthful and transparent. It’s an invitation to embrace a reverent, holy fear of the Lord and let it awaken something deep within us—a godly fear that doesn’t push us away from the Father but draws us closer; a godly fear that deepens our intimacy with Him like it did in the church of the book of Acts. It’s a holy fear rooted in both awe and love, reminding us simultaneously of His majesty and His mercy.

Prayer

Father, help me to walk in truth and humility before You. Cultivate a holy fear in my heart that leads me into deeper intimacy with You, aligning my actions with Your will. Not a fear that makes me want to retreat or hide but one that pulls me closer to Your true nature and character. You are breathtaking in Your magnificence and full of endless glory! Yet You are also overflowing with mercy and boundless in unconditional love. Today, I stand in awe of You, and I invite Your Holy Spirit to stir within me, awakening a deeper love for You and a reverent fear that keeps me anchored in who You are. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Activation

• Are there places in your life where you’re more focused on appearing righteous and holy to others, all the while knowing you’re just “faking it”? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal these areas to you. Then take them to God in prayer. As you confess and surrender, receive His forgiveness and grace to break free from the fear of man, allowing God’s love to shape who you really are.
• Create a list capturing what it means to be afraid of God and another explaining what it means to have a healthy fear of God. Reflect on the fruits each mindset bears, particularly in how you approach God in prayer and worship.

For Further Study

Acts 5; Psalm 111:10; Psalm 31:19; Proverbs 9:10–11; Proverbs 14:26–27; Proverbs 22:4; Jeremiah 32:40

Holy Spirit, what are you saying to me?