The Anointing - part 4
Today we will look into Acts 5 and start our discussion with one couple named Ananias and Sapphira who did not understand the power of the Holy Spirit nor the severe consequences of lying to the Holy Spirit. Do you remember what happened to them? They dropped dead when they tried to manipulate Peter! (Acts 5: 1-11)
You see, the land they owned was theirs to keep and sell, but they were trying to impress others by participating in the giving but still keeping some for a rainy day. They lied when they told Peter that they gave their all. Mothers of Nations, the Holy Spirit cannot be lied to nor manipulated to benefit man.
What is important to note here is that both Ananias and Sapphira looked at Peter and lied. Peter was the vehicle the Holy Spirit used to speak through. When the anointing of God is on a person’s life and they ask you a question, do not lie. You may find consequences will follow in your own life. You cannot lie to God’s people and expect to not pay a price. This is a strong lesson to learn.
The anointing in this situation created an atmosphere in the room of the fear of the Lord. The deaths of Ananias and Saphira revealed that God would not tolerate deception in the Church. The anointing on Peter exposed the liars.
The recounting of this event from Acts 5 is most certainly sobering. We come to realize that integrity and truth are held in high regard by our Lord and that the anointing is nothing to be played with!
Mothers of Nations, before we go any further, let’s take a moment to pray and talk to the Lord about our commitment to truth and our full reverence of His anointing and holy Presence.
Now continuing to examine the anointing demonstrated in the book of Acts, we see that day by day, experience by experience, the anointing on the apostles’ lives continued to grow. Signs and wonders were done among the people. They even brought people out into the streets and laid them on couches, hoping that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Multitudes began to gather seeking healing for their sicknesses and diseases.
Whenever the anointing flows with great power, the devil and the religious get upset. Soon the High Priest and all those who were with him rose up. They were filled with indignation. The apostles were put in prison but not even a prison could keep God’s anointed vessels bound!
As we see in Acts 12:7-10, an angel came in the middle of the night and opened the prison doors for Peter. He was bound in chains and unable to release himself. Prayer was going up to God for him daily. The anointing on those intercessory prayers sent supernatural intervention.
When the anointing of God rests upon your life, you realize that you cannot always do what others demand. Your first obligation is to God Who anointed you. The disciples were arrested and again commanded not to preach. But they answered, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29 NKJV)
When the anointing is on your life, you will find that people will come along and challenge you. Mothers of Nations, this is your time to say what the disciples said. “I must obey God. I cannot obey man.”
As we close today, I challenge you to search your heart and consider to whom you pledge your obedience in matters of spiritual commitment.
Dr. Sharon Predovich
