Ananias: An Example of Radical Obedience

Are you willing to be radical obedient when God speaks to you? Do you get hesitant because you are not 100% sure what you heard was REALLY from God?

Don’t let the fear of being wrong hold you back anymore! Learn from Ananias who was radical obedient no matter what it could cost him! When God asked him to go to Saul (later known as Paul) and restore his sight, he went.

I wonder what Ananias was thinking in the process. Maybe something like this:

“Is this really you, God? Because if I am wrong, I’ll be a dead man. I know Saul is here to arrest us and we know what happened to Stephen. Everyone has been talking about it.  I’m not. Ready. To die. We were planning to stay in hiding these next months and now you are telling me to go right to Saul’s house and present myself. Oh man, I better heard you right! I want to believe that Saul, in fact, IS your chosen instrument. That would turn everything around and I want to be a part of seeing this happen!”

Ananias was willing to be obedient beyond what he could see and what he had previously heard about Paul. He was willing to lay aside any doubts that might have crept up. He was willing to take a risk to see God’s plan unfold and be part of another man’s launch to ministry!

Am I willing to be obedient to God’s voice even if the odds are against me and even if there is a chance that I am wrong and there would be dire consequences? Am I willing to hear God’s voice to believe God when it comes to the purposes and callings of others? Am I willing to believe Him and not what my mind or my experiences tell me about them? Am I willing to be used so that those I serve will become greater than I?

Remember if Ananias hadn’t been obedient, Paul would have never gotten the confirmation that he indeed had been hearing right from God about Ananias. Would he have doubted everything else Jesus had spoken to him if Ananias had never shown up?

How do we live like Ananias?

DO:  Step out in faith – at once- the next time you feel like God is speaking something!

DON’T: Weigh up all the pros and cons which will eventually convince you that it wasn’t God. Don’t wait around just because you need several confirmations that you heard God right!

Let’s face it, how often would you face prison or death if you decided to step out? Or are you just concerned to humiliate yourself or doubt that God will take care of you?

DO: Hear from God first! What is he saying about other people’s calling and destiny? See with God’s eyes!

DON’T: Put people into the box and get blinded by the status quo!

Who knows, maybe God wants to use YOU to release someone else into greater ministry! If he can change a persecutor into a radical follower of Christ, why can he not change your lazy, arrogant co-worker into a radical preacher?

Obedience is the fruit of faith.

– Christina Rossetti

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• How did you go with you Character study this week? What did you learn?
• Is there a place where it is hard for you to be obedient?
• Have you ever misjudged someone that God eventually used to do great things?

Would love to hear your feedback!

If you want to look at Bible characters and learn from even the ones that aren’t so well-known, do a character study. You’ll be amazed what you can learn!  If you want to read Ananias story, look at Acts 9 and 22:12-16!