Divine Discipline

While the church was enjoying a season of unity in response to external Satanic attack, an internal Satanic attack was taking shape in two of its members. Ananias and Sapphira, attempting to steal public praise by defrauding the church and lying to the Holy Spirit, pretended to be giving sacrificially for the relief of the poor. As they brought their “gift” Peter confronted both Ananias and Sapphira with their lies and deception. Once their guilt was established, the Lord brought discipline upon them. This message teaches that God guards His church through the exercise of spiritual discipline and purifies it from gross sin in order to check Satanic influence and to grip hearts with the fear of the Lord.