The Ananias & Sapphira Syndrome

Acts 5:1-16

The Ananias & Sapphira Syndrome

- Howard Hughes having everything & having nothing

- Believers can fall into the same trap

- v. 1 Ananias means - “Jehovah has been gracious”

Sapphira means “Beautiful”

- Looks Good - Acts Good - v. 1

Acts 5:1 (KJV)

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

Remember “Eliab”?

1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)

But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

- Now with a Believer when it comes to selling a possession it so often is our heart

- v. 2 - When the A & S syndrome sets in

- Holding back

Acts 5:2 (KJV)

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.

2 Thessalonians 2:2 (KJV)

That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

James 1:8 (KJV)

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

- This instability brings about 3 things if the A & S Syndrome is kept

Acts 5:3 (KJV)

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?

• Ruin of the Heart

• Ruin of the Head

• Ruin of the Hand

- If Recognized & Dealt with there will be death to the A & S Syndrome

1. The Heart

Recognize It

Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Deal With It

Psalm 51:10 (KJV)

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Ephesians 4:27(KJV)

Neither give place to the devil.

How?

Romans 6:6 (KJV)

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

might be destroyed - Render inoperative - disabled

2.The Head

Recognize It

Psalm 139:1-4 (KJV)

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Deal With It

Psalm 139:23-24(KJV)

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

3. The Hands

Recognize It

Ezekiel 18:4 (KJV)

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Romans 14:8 (KJV)

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

Deal With It

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (KJV)

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

- The A & Syndrome can not stand the fires of purity

Acts 5:5 (KJV)

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

Acts 5:10 (KJV)

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.

James 4:8 (KJV)

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Why Purify

Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV)

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Results

Acts 5:11-16 (KJV)

And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.