Peter Raises a Woman from the Dead - Acts 9

³² As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. ³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. ³⁴ “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. ³⁵ All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

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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 for the believers, especially 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.

The healing miracle of Aeneas has the effect of all in Lydda and Sharon turning to the Lord.  Everything the apostles are doing is for the glory of Jesus and to magnify His name.  To witness for Him.  Peter specifically says to the paralytic, “Jesus Christ heals you.”  This is done for the witness and testifying of Jesus and who He is.  

A note about Tabitha is that she helped the poor.  In chapter 10, we will read something similar about Cornelius.  This is used to show that the person was not selfish but sacrificed for others and had a sincere heart for others.  Unlike Saul, who breathed murderous threats and sought to persecute people, Tabitha was enduring and kind.  It is a stark contrast.  Yet both had to be brought to life.  One spiritual and one physical.  Both type of resurrections can be done by Jesus.

Peter is at a different level of living in the Holy Spirit than perhaps anyone in the history of the church.  He is able to walk so closely with God that Jesus is doing miracles through his hands and at his words.  Peter is following Jesus and Jesus is doing the same type of miracles He did when He was physically walking with Peter through Peter.  Jesus heals a man who is paralyzed through Peter.  And Jesus raises another person from the dead through Peter.  A lot is made of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, but this is more significant to me.  Jesus uses a person, a person who has sinned but is saved through belief in Him, to raise someone from the dead. 

Oh, how we are so far from living like this today!  We are so far removed from this type of walking with God that I’m not sure we know how to get there anymore.  The church truly needs a revival and a renewance to find this type of living once again among the body of believers and to be able to teach leaders how to follow Jesus in this way.

Many believe we live in a time when such signs are unnecessary because we have the Word of God.  At that time they didn’t have the Word of God so sign gifts were very important to show that the power of God was with the believers.  Today the Word of God is with believers and that is the power of God.  I have not been shown that this is true.  In books of martyrs and/or missionaries they give accounts of miracles of escaping prisons and such.  I believe that should a person so completely believe that Jesus is God and they are able to completely shed all of their life to only live where He leads that such a person might be able, if God directs to be used as these believers were with miraculous signs and wonders. 

It is incumbent upon the church to pray for closeness to the Holy Spirit; that all obstacles and obstructions be cleared so they can follow His leading and do His work.