Simon The Magician By Luz Cintrón May 29, 2002 Web Site:http://www.thepearlsofwisdom.net

 
 
 

Last night the Holy Spirit stirred within me the need of reestablishing a place of honor and respect for the gifts of the Almighty. The story about Simon the magician was brought into remembrance with new understanding as He always unfolds new and old things out of His treasure. I read once again in Acts 8:9:

Acts 8:9-11
“But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.”
And they heeded him because had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.”

Then it happened that Philip preached the things concerning the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ and people began to be baptized, so many that even Simon the magician became a “believer” receiving the baptism of water and confessing his faith in Christ.

Simon persevered following Phillip and was himself astonished at the miracles and wonders that accompanied the preaching of the Gospel. Now it happened that when the apostles in Jerusalem came to know what was going on they sent Peter and John over there. They went to help in the foundation of the faith received laying their hands and praying over the new believers to impart the baptism of the Holy Spirit. As they prayed the Holy Spirit was being imparted.

When our friend Simon saw what was going on it was too much for him to process in the “new man”. What happened? Well he offered money to the apostles. Now, why if he was witnessing the laying on of hands to all who willed to receive the Holy Spirit, and I believe there was no charge on behalf of the apostles to receive this ministration, in other words I believed they were ministering freely what they had received freely; why on earth would Simon come along and offer them money for it? What was this all about?

But he did, and the fact that he did speak more of his not so old nature still embedded in his flesh and his fleshy or carnal mind frame. In a time in which the fear of the Lord and Spirit of Holiness was reigning and ruling in the church, placed in their rightful place, when we have Ananias and Sapphira to witness of that, we see a Simon trying to purchase with money what was acquired only by the blood of the Holy Son and by faith in Him. To begin with it is the flesh of man trying to find shortcuts into the fruits of His Spirit without the needful abiding that is required.

What was the sin of Simon?

It is recorded that Peter answered Simon:

 “Your money perishes with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.
Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart  may be forgiven you.
For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

Acts 8 :20-23

I tell you after Ananias and Sapphira when Peter gets to speak on these terms I am sure that every one shook. I am sure the one who knew about what happened then must have been glued to each word coming out of the servant of God. You never knew how far this  go until everything was cleared by the Holy Spirit who searches the hearts and discerns the intentions therein. The fact is, a sentence was handled to Simon: “your money perishes with you…” and it was on account of a thought, a thought even before it would translate into a deed. Because the holy things of the Lord  in the ministration of the Holy Spirit and through the Holy Spirit, it is a most holy thing, so holy it required the blood of the Son of God to be imparted to man. The blood of bulls and goats, could not bring this down and until the sacrifice of Jesus was consummated the gift was not released.

That is why we read in Isaiah, come and buy from Me without money

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Wherefore do ye spend money for [that which is] not bread? And your labour for [that which] satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye [that which is] good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness

Isaiah 55:1-2

For the price attached to the indwelling of His Holy Spirit is too holy to be measured with money. Its value is far above and beyond the value of gold and rubies and all the riches of this world and all its kingdoms throughout history put together. We have to acquire a new conscience of how high and holy it is this gift we hold. But familiarity once again brings forth contempt. Let us not be swift to dismiss the attitude of Simon but let’s allow the power of His Word to search our inner parts and establish truth in us to set us free. Let’s look into it.

Why was Simon judge on the spot?

Peter says that it was because Simon thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money. Now tell me, isn’t it like it is nowadays? We have a frame of mind of everything instant, pre-packed, microwaveable, shake and bake kind of thing. Have we allowed this mentality to permeate into the sanctuary of God with men? (I beg of you, humbly as one who has transgressed in this same way, for none of us is exempt that you open your heart and allow Him to bring His healing truth of deliverance. Let us allow Him to sift the chaff off and make us Holy as He is.)

How many times we have read a book and thought of the truth ministered therein, “Wow, if only everyone should read this their eyes would be opened?”  I myself have many times given away books in the hope to bring His people closer to Him, to bring them into a place of revelation and intimacy, to kindle a hunger and a thirst, a love that can only come from spending time in His presence.

For this are all matters of the heart and if we do not become willing to wait in His presence, (that is to come and buy without money) we shall never acquire what is offered from, which is to say, revelation, knowledge, discernment, understanding, wisdom that consecrates and separates us unto Him for His service. To wait before Him is “time consuming” and shows no fruit in itself but on the outside it looks like someone is being plain lazy. Waiting is the alabaster jar broken and its contents poured. Those who will look with the eyes of the flesh will condemn us for our waste of time and “resources”. But, that is exactly how it should be. We can not buy the gift of God. When we invest all we are and surrender unto Him, all we are and hold it void, then we are filled with His best and in so doing we have purchased without money, and in such a way that we state just how holy this gift is.

We, modern day Christians, we have all sin against the Lord in the way of Simon the magician. For we have sought to purchase the gift of God, and in our ignorance and blindness, even anointed servants, have fell into the spirit of merchandising something that is most holy unto Him. Things which have been revealed to the teacher, the preacher, the minister, the apostle, the missionary, the evangelist, the prophet, the shepherd of the flock, revelation that has come as manna from the table of the Lord, we have packaged it, price it, and distributed it wholesale and the Lord have mercy on the wording we have used sometimes to advertise them. Of course they are good things; they have been ministered from the heart of God unto His people. Of course is good to make them available to all, but, is it correct to profit from them? What about the poor among us if we price such things? Are we not excluding them from the Lord’s Table because of money? Was not all these things, freely given for the edification of His body? Where is the fear of the Lord and high regard we owe Him?

We have not only sinned in trying to purchase the gift of God, but we have enticed the flock to sin as well every time we announce conferences and resources as the needful thing to enter into the new level or to be released in the fullness etc., etc… and it has a price tag attached to it. Simon is also the one who seeks the gifts to excel, to promote himself and not for the edification of the church.

It breaks my heart to see ministers and servants of the Lord in need.  Because there is much need among those who serve and the ears of the flock as well as their hearts tend to become hardened unto their needs because of the abuse these peddling practices among us. Then they are enticed to seek the blessing by the “planting of seeds” which is nothing else but purchasing it by “investing” our money into it. There is only one thing to invest in the kingdom and it is not money but our own blood through which we become consecrated unto the Lord, as we die to ourselves and enter into His will for us, which is the release of his kingdom in us.

We need to repent and ask the Lord for wisdom on how to provide, what to provide and who to provide, not only to the servants of the altar but to the widows and the orphans as well. But no matter what, never ever try to plant seeds other, than the one of faith, which is trust in Him and the time consecrated to seek Him alone for who He is. His house is a house of bread, spiritual and physical as well, and how we may  have managed the things entrusted to us, will be checked in due time.

This attitude of Simon needs to be purged from us big time and the only way we can be set free from it is through repentance in the presence of the Lord seeking His heart of mercy and His truth for us, whatever the cost. The only motivation in the heart of those who serve should remain the edification of His body unto which we should consecrate ourselves as Jesus did to sanctify ourselves for the sakes of our brethren.

Peter spoke to Simon words of mercy and grace extended unto him on account of the Lord’s loving-kindness exclusively. He said to Simon what through the Holy Spirit he was given to sense, as he was searched and weigh on accounts of the attitude of his heart and his words spoken in ignorance. Peter said to Simon:

“Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you for I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

Indeed we remain poisoned with bitterness, bound in our iniquity seeking the approval of man before the approval of God and pride blind us. Let us fear and reverence the Lord our God that His presence may find a place of restful habitation among us as it was among the first believers.

Let us repent not because of what may befall on us for what we have harbored in our hearts, but out of the awareness that something utterly disrespectful was done in His presence, something almost desecrating to the indwelling of His Spirit in us and among us.

Let those who don’t believe learn through our fear and reverence that the Lord is worthy to be sought and greatly to behold. Before the Lord, the poison of bitterness and the bounds of iniquity, all self-centeredness and self promotion attitudes are totally uprooted and broken off from us by the anointing power hidden in His presence. Let us enter and allow others to enter as well. Let His will be done.
 
 

Your servant in His love;

Luz Cintrón
Let us be glad and rejoice,
and give honour to Him: for
the marriage of the Lamb is come
and His wife hath made herself ready
...Revelation 19:7.