Testing the Spirit
How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?
Acts 5:9 (NIV)
Peter confronts Sapphira with cutting questions: how could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Ananias had fallen dead hours earlier for identical sin — lying to God about offerings. Testing the Spirit means trying His patience while faking devotion: doctored tithes, inflated testimonies, showcase holiness. God is unauditable by actors.
Holy joy includes holy fear. The early church grew in fear and joy together — purifying reverence, contagious jubilation. Fearers of lying to God live lightly; triers of deceiving Him live tensely. Transparency with the Spirit breeds undisguised joy: open accounts, exposed hearts, received grace.
Examining your offerings today: money, words, appearances — all true before Him? Testing the Spirit: never pays, always exposes.
Transparency attracts presences. Opening everything before Him fearlessly today. Open books invite holy audits. Examine yours today carefully and fully. Confess freely. Stay clean. Open books invite holy audits daily. Examine yours today and always. Hidden agreements rot entire ministries silently. Open your accounts before God today. Preventive transparency averts public tragedies. Preventive transparency averts shameful public tragedies. Confess small deviations today. Open hearts receive abundant grace. Open hearts receive abundant daily grace. Walk in light always.
And rejoicing forgiven: confessors receive grace, never plagues.