They turned the world upside down—what about you?

“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.” (Acts 17:6)

Yes, these young people overturned the established order. They didn’t just pray—they manifested God with power! But where are the young people like that today? Where are those who stand up and say: “I refuse to be an Ananias!”? Not the one from Damascus. Not the one who opened Paul’s eyes. No! The one from Acts 5. Hypocrite. Greedy. Deceitful. That one, the church wants no more! That kind of Ananias is a silent poison in the body of Christ. Revival cannot erupt on a buried lie.

But good news: God has a response! For every Ananias who lies, God raises up young people to carry him out. Young people on fire, filled with discernment and power. And so I ask you: who will you be in this revival? Ananias, or one who wraps him up to preserve the explosion of the Kingdom?

Revival doesn’t begin with a conference. Revival is not organized. It breaks out through hearts ablaze, hearts that refuse to be silent, refuse to slumber, refuse to die spiritually. Revival starts with the young, with young people who say: “I want the fire! I want to sweat for the glory of God!” This text, this message, is a prophetic call. It is God searching for you in the crowd. You who thirst. You whom He wants to use. Will you answer?

Three faces of Ananias… and who are you?

Ananias. A name that means “God has shown grace.” And yet, this name comes back as a sharp rebuke between the lines of Acts. There are three Ananiases in the book.

• The first is the institutionalized religious man, a high priest without power. Ananias of Acts 23:2. He knows the Torah. He respects the law. He wears the mitre. But he is empty. Worse—he’s the one who opposes Paul, the man God chose for the season. This kind of Ananias fills our churches. He’s punctual, sitting in the front. He knows Scripture, but denies the power. He attends every meeting but is nothing more than a spiritual shell. Say it with me: “I refuse!”
• The second is the one from Damascus, Acts 9:10. He has faith. He receives visions. God speaks to him. But he argues with heaven. A hardened doubter. God sends him to Paul, and his response? “But Lord, you know he’s killing everyone?” He’s the kind of Christian filled with excuses, who begins every call to serve with “But I…” He’s afraid of the call. He has a successful career. He holds degrees. He doesn’t want to get his hands dirty in the mission. They say, “Serve on the welcome team.” He says, “I’m called to prophesy!” They say, “Start in the restrooms.” He replies, “I’m too anointed to be humbled like that!” God says red, he answers green.
• And then there’s the first Ananias, Acts 5. Hypocrite. Fake giver. Bringer of a cardboard sacrifice. He wants the appearance of faith without its commitment. He sells land, keeps part of the money, places the rest at the apostles’ feet, and pretends he gave it all. Why? Because he wants glory without honor. Honor without integrity. Recognition without sacrifice. But he forgets this: lies have no place in a revival movement!

When God begins a movement, He begins it on the foundation of holiness. And for every outpouring of holy fire, young people rise to carry out the toxic corpses from among the people.

The young saw. The young wrapped. The young buried. The young stood up.

Youth is God’s weapon against the cancer of compromise.

“The young men rose.” (Acts 5:6)

The crowd was there. The apostles were there. The congregation was there. But when Ananias dropped dead, no adult moved. Only the young. Yes. While adults were frozen in fear. While the crowd watched. The young acted. They said, “This corpse cannot rot here. It must be carried out.” Young people, do you have spiritual eyes? Can you discern what is decaying the body of Christ? Are you ready to drive out hypocrisy, pride, blasphemy, and rebellion from the church?

I’m talking about young people like David, mocked by his brothers, yet he killed Goliath. I’m talking about young people like Timothy, pastoring a church at sixteen in a chaotic city. He was young. And he walked in integrity. He had power. I’m talking about Gideon, timid at first, but called by God: “Mighty warrior.” You too—God looks at you and says: “Mighty warrior.” But today, are you fleeing your mission because of your youth? Moses was 80 years old. David, barely 17. God doesn’t look at your age. He looks at your fire!

I say to you, young man, young woman: be God’s response to the lie of Ananias. Refuse the disguised system. Refuse double lives. Refuse rebellious independence. Revival starts with you. You want to change your church? Change your own heart. Because revival is individual before it’s collective. It’s birthed in the believer’s heart before it’s manifested in the assembly.

God only trusts young people rooted at the apostles’ feet

Acts 5 unveils an astonishing secret. After burying Ananias, the young men return to the door. Peter says: “Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door.” They come back. They don’t think they’re spiritual fathers. They don’t launch their own ministry. They don’t start their “Live Fire Church” YouTube channel. They return to the apostles’ feet. They stay in the house. They stay connected to the source. These are young people who understand that power is sustained by staying plugged in. A mango that falls too early never becomes a mango tree. It rots!

Enough with green mangos who use the wind as their excuse! Just because a wind blew doesn’t mean you had to leave your church. Just because you were suspended for two services doesn’t mean you had to walk away. It’s the mango tree that must release you. It’s not for you to fall under the pretense of being “mature.” God raises those who know how to stay, despite the fire, despite the wounds, despite the misunderstandings.

Revival needs men and women who are both ablaze and deeply rooted. Do you want to shake your generation? Submit to spiritual fathers. Return to the door. Don’t rise up without discernment. Don’t tear down foundations. God honors those who honor spiritual authority. Every rebellious independence is a demonic imitation of the Lion of Judah.

Only after the youth wisely acted does it say:

“Many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles.”

The fire fell because the church had been purified. Revival was released because the leaven had been removed.

• You want miracles? Bury Ananias!
• You want wonders? Refuse double lives!

Let’s pray together

Father, today, I refuse to be an Ananias. I refuse hidden sin, hypocrisy, compromise, and double living. Lord, expose what displeases You in me, reveal the roots of darkness that keep me from acting for Your glory. I want to be that young person You can count on. That young person standing at the door. That young person who sustains the revival. That young person who prays, who watches, who serves, who loves You in truth and power. Come and set me ablaze! Come and transform me! Fill me with a fire no one can extinguish. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

🙏 If you’ve never given your life to Jesus, say this prayer in faith:

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge I need You. I believe You died for my sins and rose again. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Savior. Transform my life and lead me in Your ways. Amen.

At the heart of the Bible

• Acts 4:32-34 – The simplicity and unity of the early church that unleashes revival
• 2 Timothy 3:1-5 – The profile of Ananias and enemies of revival in the last days
• Acts 5:1-12 – Youth as God’s instrument of judgment against corruption
• Acts 17:6-7 – The power of young people who turned the world upside down for Christ

📽️ Want to go further? To watch the full video: click here.