“Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, ‘This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.’ They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

“When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

“When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’

“Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.’

“Then Simon answered, ‘Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.’

“After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.” -Acts 8:9-25

A Testimony of Salvation and Healing

I just returned from a remarkable trip to Latin America. My husband and one of my daughters, AnnMarie, went with us. Our team of 13 shared the gospel with scores of people and saw many saved, healed, and set free. It was pure. It was holy. And the Kingdom of God was released to the dying and destitute. Young and old were saved. Nothing compares to bringing the gospel and the abundance of the Kingdom to a people who have been prepared to encounter the living God!

I want to share one beautiful testimony from last week that fits so perfectly with this passage from Acts. I sat with a couple and shared the gospel. They thoughtfully received Jesus as their Savior. Before I left them, I asked them if I could pray for anything for them. The man shared how he had chronic pain continually throughout his whole body. I asked if I could lay my hands on his shoulder and pray for his healing. I did just that and commanded all pain to go, in Jesus’ name. When the pain left his entire body, something in his countenance changed; it was like the fullness of the gospel came alive for him in that moment. He held tightly to the Bible in his hands and received both salvation and healing that day. God is so very good!

Philip’s Example

So it was with Phillip. He released the Kingdom of God as he went. He did it with integrity before the Lord. Peter and John step onto the scene, bringing the power of the Spirit, confirming the gospel that Phillip preached. Many believed as the Word was proclaimed and demonstrated in the power of the Spirit. The combination is undeniable! And there was great joy in that city!

And here comes a curious sorcerer named Simon, famous for his great magical power which came not from God but Satan himself. It was just a counterfeit power, given with strings attached, which is always how the devil works. When he gives, something is demanded in return. This passage shows his response to the gospel, but Simon clearly was not a free man, nor did he want to give up his fame and power in order to make Jesus famous. Somehow, Simon found something else to add to his bag of tricks. No one knows the true condition of his heart upon salvation, but God did. Perhaps it wasn’t easy for Simon to part ways with his past manipulation of people for his own fame and gain.

“The sin was a desire to possess spiritual power for personal ends.” -G. Campbell Morgan

Placing Phillip and Simon side by side, I want to highlight an observation. I have had many conversations with people on both sides of the fence when it comes to healing and miracles. I think skepticism has been born out of disillusionment around the fame of people or a question of integrity. This is where faith in the goodness of God is married with discernment. But if we put God in a box to say He does not do marvelous things anymore, we miss out on the greatest adventure of believing Him for impossibility.

Worship is made fully alive when we can trust wholeheartedly in the goodness and wonder of God and trust fully in His abundant character. I don’t want to put my limitations of unbelief on His character or the wonders He can perform!

Simon had a ways to go in order to lose Simon and find Jesus. Praise God for Peter’s strong rebuke out of mercy for Simon. The J.B. Phillips New Testament translates “‘your money perish with you (Acts 8:20)’” like this: “‘To hell with you and your money!’” In defense of all God was doing so powerfully, Phillip desired that nothing minimize, steal, or hijack the very glory of God. He doesn’t display His power for the fame of man but rather for His own renown so that people and nations can know Him.

“Men may come very near, they may be intellectually convinced of the supremacy of Jesus; they may even decide that they will adopt His ethical ideal; they may go so far as to determine that they will imitate the perfection of His example. But these things do not make men Christians.” -G. Campbell Morgan

The Spirit’s Power

The apostles laid their hands on the Samaritan church, identifying it as an apostolic church. The Spirit came in power to the Samaritans, demonstrating that this church was part of the people of God. There was no barrier due to ethnic identity. The church in Samaria now had apostolic endorsement along with the church in Jerusalem. I have to think that in the embrace of the apostles, the laying on of their hands, and the gifts and grace that came with this filling of the Spirit, much healing took place. Remember, there were generational strongholds from their pagan marriages, racial hatred from neighboring peoples, and deep rejection they carried. When the Spirit of God comes to make all things new, He does just that, and breeches, barriers, and strongholds are removed. When Jesus comes in power, entire cities are reborn into a new spiritual reality.

A Call to Integrity and Repentance

How can we apply this to the integrity of our ministry based on the work of Philip, Peter, John, and even Simon?

Deep unto deep, do we long more for our fame than God’s glory?

Do you boast more in your uber spirituality or the work of Christ through your life?

God has given us the gift of repentance to course correct. Will we heed His call, Church?

Faith and discernment must be married in this hour for us to know how to navigate with devotion and not cynicism.

“‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.’” -Matthew 5:8