God's Holy Fire: 'Conspiracy'

Monday, May 18, 2026

Multiplication of Ministry: Year-End Information

Key dates and details about our year-end ministry transition and financial support.

 See Details
And Peter said [to Sapphira, concerning Ananias and her], "How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too."
— Acts 5:9 NLT

Key Thought

There is no conspiracy theory in the story of Ananias and Sapphira. It IS conspiracy. However, Peter puts their sin of conspiracy and lying into the context of testing the Holy Spirit. They apparently presumed that the Holy Spirit was either not at work in the apostles' ministry or that the Holy Spirit would be unaware of their lie. This story is a powerful and shocking reminder of just how seriously God takes sin. We are called to be holy, genuine, honest, and forthright. I don't know about you, but the Spirit is knocking on the door of my heart about living with complete transparency and authenticity before other people, before my church leaders, and also before God. There are to be no conspiracies, secret sins, or intentional deceptions! The Holy Spirit knows the deepest thoughts of our hearts and minds, so let's intentionally invite the Spirit to purify and transform every part of our inner being - our hearts, souls, and minds!

Today's Prayer

O God, my Father, the God of peace, please sanctify me through and through. May my whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen.

The prayer is adapted from 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

4 Related Resources by Heartlight

Lying to God
Devo: Unstoppable!
"But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it..."
Holy Fear
Devo: Unstoppable!
"As soon as Ananias heard these words [about his lie], he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. Then some young men..."
Goodness and Deception
Devo: A Year with Jesus
"Dear Beloved, Key transitions in the life and faith of My people need to be protected. In the early days of My church, this need for safety was..."
Full Disclosure
Article by Mike Barres
Would you have come clean? Mike Barres holds himself accountable for telling the truth, the full truth, and not deceiving others when it is in his best interest.

Illustration

Illustration of Acts 5:9 NLT — "How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Monday, May 18, 2026

Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'A Clean Life' (Ep. 5:6-7)
"Dear Father, Don't let me be deceived by the empty words of worldly people. It is because of these things that your wrath will come upon the sons of...."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Henri Nouwen:
"Our life is full of brokenness - broken relationships, broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness without becoming bitter and..."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'Give Thanks!' (Ps. 118:29)
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Devious Plans for Assassination' (Acts 23:12-15)
"The next morning [after Paul's arrest and protection under Roman authority and after the Lord's assurance to Paul that he would preach in Rome] a..."

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

More God's Holy Fire

Translations