Holding Back Portions of Your Life from God
Acts 5:1-2
“But a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostle’s feet.”
The story of Ananias and Sapphira is a sad one. After the day of Pentecost, many in the church decided to sell their possessions and give the monies to the church to help those in need. This couple commits to doing the same with a property they owned. Unfortunately, when the property sells, they decide to lie to Peter about the money they received for it so they could keep back some of it for themselves. It doesn’t go well for them.
A Divine Revelation
When it comes to giving your life to Christ, could the choice that Ananias and Sapphira made, be said of you as well? Do you hold back a portion of your life to maintain control of parts you don’t feel like surrendering to the Lord? After all, when God said to love Him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength, I’m sure He really didn’t mean all, did He? Well, since Jesus is to be our example, let’s look at what He was willing to give up.
When Christ purchased you with His own blood, God asked Him to surrender everything, and take on human flesh as a helpless baby. He left the splendor of heaven to become the son of a lowly carpenter. In Isaiah 53: 2-3 it says, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”
Then at the young age of 33, He was publicly humiliated, beaten beyond recognition, and sentenced to death on a cross without cause or offense. Those who hailed Him as King of the Jews a few days earlier were now mocking Him and crying out “crucify Him.” He was betrayed by one disciple, abandoned by the rest, and Peter publicly denied even knowing Him not once, but three times. There was no portion Jesus held back, but willingly gave it all. Why? His love for His Father and those the Father loved was all the reason He needed. He also trusted His Father, and therefore, He obeyed His Father to the point of death. Do we trust God with our all?
A Divine Challenge
Are you holding back from giving your all to God? Is it your finances you seek to stay in control of or maybe your time is what you hold tightly to? Or maybe it’s doing things your own way that keeps you from obeying God in everything. Unfortunately, many of us have embraced a belief that laying a portion (mainly the sin portion) of our lives at the Lord’s feet is an acceptable sacrifice, an offering He can bless, or an act of true salvation…it is not! The truth is “Jesus paid it all, and all to Him I owe.”
Call to Action
Beloved, don’t be deceived! Take heed to what happened to Ananias and Sapphira when they attempted to hold back a portion of their everything. Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land… You have not lied to men, but to God. And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last, and GREAT FEAR CAME UPON ALL WHO HEARD IT!
Father, help us understand the importance of giving You our all. Not because You need anything from us, but it is the only way we can truly embrace all of You. Absolute surrender opens us up to everything You have to offer. Anything we hold on to will never compare to what You desire to replace it with. Give us the courage to let go and let You be Lord of all! In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!