Show Me Your Hands预览

THE WRONG IDENTITY

The first problem revealed by Ananias and Sapphira’s behavior was a misrepresentation of their true identity. Even though they attended the meetings of the early church, they didn’t take up their Cross wholeheartedly. And that is where we find the root of holding on to what belongs to God.

When our hearts are not fully committed to Christ, it opens a door for the enemy to enter. It was no different In the case of Ananias and Sapphira. “Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart?’” (Acts 5:3, NLT). Are you starting to see why God took their actions so seriously? Satan himself was infiltrating Christ’s precious new Church. And He was not allowing his bride to be violated in any way even if it cost the lives of two people.

In Matthew 12, Jesus makes it very clear. “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart” (v. 35, NLT). When our hearts are taken over by evil, our identity can no longer be found in Christ. And while we may not be struck dead like Ananias and Sapphira, our spirits are at risk of eternal death.

Which heart issue is at the root of your reluctance to let go? Has Satan found a way into your heart by telling you to cling to something that belongs to the Lord? What else, apart from money, are you holding on to too tightly?

Let us protect our hearts from the evil one by letting go. Let our actions become a powerful weapon against the enemy’s attacks on our hearts.

“‘You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me.. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple’” (Malachi 3:8;10, NLT).