Walking With Faith

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

WALKING WITH FAITH

Acts 9:36-43

36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

NIV

This is faith that can move mountains, and even raise the dead. This is the same Peter who seemed to struggle with believing one moment that then the next climbs out of a boat and walks on water until he looks at his situation and then starts to sink. This is the same Peter who answered correctly in Caesarea Philippi when Jesus asked them who they thought he was. This is the same Peter who swore he would follow Jesus even upon to death and then denied knowing him three times. Yes, Peter had experienced a life-changing moment when the Holy Spirit came upon him in that upper room, and he and all the others spilled out into the streets of Jerusalem speaking in other tongues and being so full of the Spirit, He stood up and preached one of the all-time best sermons ever. When he was brought to the lifeless body of Dorcas, instead of mourning alone with the widows and others, he exercised his faith. Luke does not tell us what Peter prayed, just that he did pray. We know that he already had the intention of raising Dorcas from the dead because he sent everyone from the room so that he was alone with her dead body. What other reason would he do that unless that was what was on his mind, and in his spirit? Therefore, he must have prayed for Jesus to do this miracle, for Peter had no doubt that the Lord was alive and in heaven, as he watched his ascend into the heavens until a cloud hide Jesus from his sight. Jesus said that if we believed we would do greater, or at least the same things, that he did. Jesus also said that if we ask him for anything, he would do it. Peter must have asked Jesus to raise Dorcas from the dead and after praying, Peter told her to get up, and she did. Life returned to her body. Wherever her spirit was, it returned, and she became alive again. Maybe Peter asked Jesus to send the Spirit of Dorcas back from his presence and into her body. We simply are not sure, but what we know is that Peter had that kind of faith. Did God give Peter more faith than he has given us? If we believe that God does not show favoritism, therefore he treats all of us believers with the same Spirit and power, and we have the same amount of faith that Peter had. The difference may be in how we use or exercise our faith. We have the same Spirit dwelling within us that Peter had. We have the same Lord that Peter had. We have the same power available to us that Peter had. So why then do we not use that power as Peter did? Sure, we most likely should not go to viewings with the intent of raising the dead person back to life, that might be a little bizarre. However, maybe we should pray every time we are faced with the opportunity to heal someone from an illness or some infirmity. Why do we not see people healed every day? Why do we accept illness within our own bodies? Wouldn’t Jesus heal us if we asked him? Maybe we don’t believe as much as we say we do. Maybe we do more talking than walking. We can be a person full of faith and the power of God, like Stephen and Peter. Let us walk with faith.