Thought for the Day

"Jesus speaks to Peter in a way that most of us wouldn't expect. Jesus says to him in Luke 22:31, "...Simon, Simon, behold, satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:" Paul was familiar with the enemy. Paul knew his opponent. But even Paul came to realize that satan was a formidable enemy. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 2:18, "Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but satan hindered us."

Peter was familiar with the work of the enemy. It was the same year that Jesus had ascended into heaven. Christians were gathering together and joining forces by distributing amongst themselves equally, so that the rich could still have plenty, but the poor would have plenty too. Everyone brought to the disciples what they had and they distributed it amongst the brethren. But there was a certain man and his wife that wanted the best of both worlds. They wanted the benefits of being a Christian, but they chose rather to believe satan. The story goes like this, "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, V2 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. V3 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? 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. V5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things." Acts 5:1-5"

Excerpt from The Power of God Thinking by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2010