Focus: Acts 8:20-21 - KJV
20. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
2 Kings 5:15-19
The gift of the Holy Spirit is freely given and ought to be given to the others through us as believers, freely too. It is a common practice, at this time of life, to find believers, particularly ministers of the Gospel, setting a price for ministering in congregations from place to place. Unless you have a particular sum at the minimum to part with as “honorarium”, they are not willing to come and be useful to the flock of God. It is not so much their fault that this happens, but the fault of those who offer to pay to bring them over to minister. The situation is worse with those that the Lord has given the talent to play musical instruments, or to sing. It is now so customary that they get paid to put to use what they carry. Some ministers offer them money so that they may have them as against others. The bottom line is that the things of the Spirit, particularly the gifts of the Spirit, are not for sale.
Daniel was offered gifts and material wealth to interpret the king’s dream. Since he knew well that he is not necessarily the one that had the interpretation but the Spirit of God in him, he declined the offer but gave the interpretation for free. Elisha was approached by Naaman to accept gifts for being able to guide Naaman on how to be rid of his leprosy. Elisha declined the gifts in that it was not in any way necessary. When Gehazi thought he must have been silly to allow Naaman go with his belongings, he surreptitiously collected from Naaman and suffered great repercussion. Peter was sent to Samaria to minister the Holy Ghost unto believers in Samaria. There was a Simon amongst the believers who hitherto was a sorcerer. He marveled at the way people received the Holy Ghost by the laying of hands of the Apostles and offered money to Peter that he too may receive the power to lay hands and pass on the Holy Ghost. Peter’s response was damning, and today, highly instructive for those who either offer or receive money regarding the Spirit of God.
The Lord is sending out a stern warning to all those who operate in the ministry of offering the Holy Spirit for sale through the instrumentality of the gifts of the Spirit. It is not right and it is not approvable of God. Hence, we are to desist from doing so, forthwith. No one wants to be as devastated as Gehazi for venturing to do the work of God based on money. Neither should anyone be damned to perish with his money like Simon. However, the real solution is to abstain from trading pecuniarily with the things of God. When we do abstain, we will do all our work in the body as unto God and allow God Himself to pay us for what we do. He gave us the gifts of the Spirit and our individual talents freely. Why then must we turn the same to money making ploy? Simon’s intention was to buy and in turn start to sell to others. That is never the mind of God and we need to cease from it.
SOLUTION: Let everyone drop the idea of trading the gifts of the Holy Spirit for money. Please stop receiving honoraria for going to minister. Let the Church of God thrive by the power of the Holy Spirit and not merchandising.
Please pray:
Father, I thank you for all that I have received from you for freely have you given them to me. Help me to be contented with that which I have from you never to be covetous and seeking pecuniary gain with your gift. Please multiply your grace upon my life that I may be impactful with it in my generation. Forgive me of whatever I had done in error in the past by accepting any profit for the use of your gift. Please turn me around for better so that through me, your Kingdom on earth may be better served, in Jesus’ name. And on this very day, let every repercussion of merchandising your gifts depart from me and all, in Jesus’ name.
If you are blessed by this post, kindly share with your contacts, as well as others, that they may be blessed also. Thank you and may God bless you abundantly as you do so, in Jesus’ name
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