Lying to the Spirit – Pastor John's House.com

http://www.goingtojesus.com/site/php/the-seven-pillars.html.

Pastor John,

Anna and I were reading the tract Seven Pillars this morning. Firstly I’m thankful John that you uphold your work like you do with fear and reverence for the truth. When Paul said, “I have laid the foundation, but another builds on it. But let each one take care as to how he builds on it”, it feels that the work you are doing is holy work that builds on top of that of Paul’s with the care he said one should.

What struck Anna and I as interesting in that tract was when it referenced where Ananias and his wife lied to the holy Ghost. We read the part of Acts where it tells the story. How does one lie to the eternal life of God? Moreover, what was Satan’s desired outcome when he led him to lie? Is lying to the Spirit choosing to do wrong when the Spirit is leading you to do another, thus you’re a living lie to others who believe you, having been baptized with the Holy Ghost, are being led by the Spirit?

I found it very interesting that Peter sensed he was lying and more important that Satan was behind it. How aware were the Apostles of Satan’s doings and influence on believers?

Michael and Anna

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Hi Michael.

Here is the story from Acts 5

[1] But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

[2] And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

[3] But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

[4] Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

[5] And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

[6] And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

[7] And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

[8] And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

[9] Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

[10] Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

By lying to the man of God who was filled with God’s life, Ananias and Sapphira were lying to God’s life, which is just another way of lying to God.

As for Satan leading Ananias and Sapphira to lie, it would not have been the case that Satan was standing behind Ananias whispering in his ear, “Lie to the holy ghost! Lie to the holy ghost!” Peter’s question should be understood as being something like this: “How is it that you have become so much like Satan that you would come here before me and act like him?” Until the Son was revealed, Satan stood before God in heaven many thousands of years with lies in his heart, and God never exposed him, but in this New Covenant, Peter was free to call a spade a spade, and to condemn evil whenever it came close to him, even if it presented itself as something good, as in this case with Ananias. The apostles, filled with the Spirit of Christ, would have been as aware of evil as Christ was, for he was in them, revealing truth and giving them power to enforce truth in their area of control.

When I was a teenager, I heard my father preach about this event in Acts 5 to a congregation in Louisville, KY. When he read the scripture that described the liar falling down dead before the holy man of God, my father made a comment that I have never been able to forget. he said, “It’s a good thing for some of us that the rest of us are not any closer to God than we are.” Whew. Think about that one.

Pastor John