Ananias and Sapphira - Part 3 (What Fills Your Heart?)
Rev. O. K. Nkrahene | February 24 2025 | Acts 5:1-11
KEY VERSE: But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God." Acts 5:3-4 (ESV)
MESSAGE: The Holy Spirit had come upon the Church, and the impact was undeniable. Thousands embraced the faith, believers were devoted to the foundational principles of growth, and the gospel advanced with power. In Acts 4:31, we see another outpouring of the Spirit, strengthening the Church for bold witness. But then, in Acts 5:3, we encounter a disturbing contrast—Satan filling the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira.
This is a sobering reality: while the Holy Spirit fills believers for the kingdom expansion, the enemy is also at work, seeking to infiltrate hearts. Ananias and Sapphira’s deception was not just about money—it was about yielding to the influence of darkness. Their hearts, which ought to have been fully surrendered to God, became a dwelling place for dishonesty. Their sin was not only against the apostles but against God Himself.
Peter, filled with and acting under the unction of the Holy Spirit, discerned the true source behind their actions—lies, hypocrisy, and deceit do not simply emerge from nowhere. The Bible warns us about the condition of the human heart: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). That is why Proverbs 4:23 urges us to guard our hearts with all diligence.
The question is: What fills our hearts? Are we yielding to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or are we allowing the enemy to sow seeds of deception within us? FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Be alert and discerning—do not become an instrument of the enemy. May the Church walk in wisdom and truth, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, search my heart and purify my thoughts. Keep me from deceit, and let my life be an instrument of Your truth. Fill me with Your Spirit, that I may walk in integrity before You. Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 55: Exodus 33-34 — Moses Intercedes for Israel
DAILY word study: FILLED
The Greek word used for filled in Acts 5:3 is "plēroō" (πληρόω), which means "to make full, to complete, to be controlled by." It is the same word used to describe the filling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4), but here, it is applied negatively—Satan had "filled" Ananias' heart, influencing his actions.
This word highlights that our hearts are always filled with something. Just as the Holy Spirit fills believers to empower them, yielding to sin and deception allows the enemy to take control. Ananias and Sapphira were not just tempted; their hearts were influenced entirely by deception.
Reflection:
Are we giving room for the Holy Spirit to fill us daily? What influences our decisions—God’s truth or worldly desires?
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