It is interesting to reflect on the idea that even though we know that some of our lies are unbelievable, we still persist in telling them. As a child, I remember making some cookie dough and put it in a ziplock bag. When my mom found it in my bed, I spent hours trying to convince her that I had no idea what it was or where I got it. Of course, she knew this was a lie. How much more does God know about our lies?
A Memory 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?
Acts 5:3 (ESV)
In Acts 5:3, Ananias doesn’t only lie to Peter, but he also lies to the Holy Spirit. In this case, Ananias and his wife decided to sell a piece of property and donate the money to the church, telling Peter that they gave 100% of the profit. In reality, the two of them held back some of the money for themselves. As punishment for this lie, both Ananias and his wife are struck dead by God.
It should be noted that there was nothing wrong with holding some of money back for themselves. The wrong action was lying about this retention. Most likely, the two of them wanted the adoration of the other church members through the appearance of great generosity. Only giving a portion of their profits wouldn’t generate the same level of admiration as giving everything.
Did Ananias and his wife realize that they weren’t just lying to the people, but also to the Holy Spirit? Given the severity of the punishment, my guess is that they did. This makes me wonder how I treat the Holy Spirit s as i live my life. Do I try to trick him into believing that I am a better person? Given that God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent (all-powerful, all-knowing, and present everywhere), this type of trick seems quite foolish. Yet, there are many times that I still persist in trying to get away with these types of deceptions.
Today, I am going to take this issue seriously and realize that my lies don’t only affect myself and others, but also my relationship with God. How is it possible to have joy in God’s presence when I am trying to keep secrets from him? How can I take pleasure in truthfulness, even when it brings less glory than the lie?
Reflection Questions
- When I tell a lie, who does it affect?
- Which types of lies are against the Holy Spirit?
- How do I feel about the punishment that Ananias and his wife received?
- What kind of punishment do my lies deserve?
- How can I avoid lying to the Holy Spirit?
- How can I change my attitudes to delight in truthfulness?
Reflective Prayer
Use this memory verse to pray using the ACTS method: Adoration, Confession, Thankfulness, Supplication
- Adoration: Praise God. Does this verse bring any specific characteristics of God to mind?
- Confession: Tell God that you are sorry for specific sins. Does this verse bring any specific sins to mind?
- Thankfulness: Show gratitude towards God. Does anything from this verse inspire gratitude?
- Supplication: Make requests for yourself and for others. Does anything from this verse inspire a prayer?
If helpful, you can use a prayer journal template.
Respond
As you consider the theme of lying to the Holy Spirit, are there any Bible verses that came to mind? If so, add a comment at the end of this post!
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Related Resources
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English Standard Version (ESV): Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
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