27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
03 Acts 09 32-43 THE MINISTRY OF PETER 19 Acts 09 39-41 Intimacy with Jesus
📖 Acts 09:32-43
19 – Sun16Jun2024 – *Intimacy with Jesus* - _Acts 09:32-43_ – THE MINISTRY OF PETER – _Acts 09:40_
While Dorcas was with the people in Joppa, her life had been a fruit-bearing life. Now she was no more. The widows were weeping for her. Yes, the departure of Dorcas was painful for them.
We, too, deeply miss our loved one, who has left us and is no more with us. We remember all the unique ways in which he or she has made a difference in our lives. While the person was with us, we had taken these aspects for granted and sadly, we had focussed largely on the negative facets of the person. It is only when the person is no more that all the special ways of the person being a blessing in our life, dawn on us, and then the separation is unbearable.
It is, therefore, necessary to appreciate people around us now and seek to know what is good in people’s lives rather than focusing only on what we perceive to be their failures. *Are you constantly nagging and finding faults with your loved ones?* Please set this right.
_Acts 9:40-41 But *Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise."* And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. (41) Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive._
Peter put the people out, who were weeping over Dorcas. Peter was exercising faith in Jesus. When there are people around us who are those who do not operate and live out of faith in Jesus, it will affect us.
Yes, we are sent into the world, where the majority do not have faith and trust in Jesus. Our life amongst them is inevitably a witness to our faith journey with Jesus. We must be conscious of who we are. We are witnesses to our faith and trust in Jesus. We are those trusting in Jesus and that is the difference between us and the people of the world.
Peter knew that he was to exercise his deep faith in Jesus in bringing Dorcas back to life. He did not want to be surrounded by those who did not have sufficient faith in raising a dead person to life. He, therefore, put everyone out of the room.
We see this happening in the ministry of our Lord.
_Mark 5:39-42 When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping." (40) And they ridiculed Him. *But when He had put them all outside*, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. (41) Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, *"Talitha, cumi,"* which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." (42) Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement._
The Lord knew in His Spirit that the little girl was not dead but sleeping. For the people this was ridiculous. We must also be cautious that we do not assume that the Lord is against people dying and wants to bring them all back to life. It is needed to be so in tune with the Holy Spirit and operate in the realm and fullness of the Holy Spirit.
Peter knew in his spirit that the Holy Spirit was directing him to raise Dorcas from death and bring her back to life. This shows how deeply Peter was engaged with the Holy Spirit. He was moving in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
Friends, this is where we need to be in life. We must be always operating in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, to discern what the Lord would want us to think, say or do every moment. Are you in this space? This is my prayer. “Lord Jesus, I commit myself entirely into your hand. Lord, lead me continuously. In Your name, I pray. Amen.”
Peter knelt down and prayed before he said or did anything to the body of Dorcas. What do we expect would have been the prayer of Peter at that time? I believe that Peter was seeking the heart and mind of God. He was seeking God’s confirmation if Dorcas must come back to life.
We must know that our life span here on earth is numbered by the Lord and it is all written in His book. _Psalms 139:16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And *in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me*, When as yet there were none of them._
Were the days of Dorcas, on the earth, come to an end or was there another plan of God? Peter had to know what was in the heart of God and this is what he sought in prayer.
In his spirit, Peter was affirmed that the Lord wanted him to raise Dorcas to life. Friends, I find this to be fascinating. If only all of us were operating in this realm of closeness with the Lord, how wonderful it would be!
We then find Peter exercising what he was assured of in his spirit from the Lord. His words were simple, “Tabitha, arise”. There was no drama. He being a Jew called her by her Jewish name, ‘Tabitha’.
```Will we exercise this faith journey with Jesus?```