forgiveness, fixing our faith

Acts 9     Peter’s Ministry

³² Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. ³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. ³⁴ Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. ³⁵ And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶ Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. ³⁷ And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. ³⁸ Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” ³⁹ So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. ⁴⁰ But Peter sent 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 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴² It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Here again we see what Jesus had said of the disciples was being lived out by and through Peter. Mark 16: ¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  ¹⁹ So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.

Many people today question whether the days of miracles, signs and wonders ended with the early church. They ask why are there no miracles present today. My first response to that is there are miracles happening every day. People are healed and delivered from all sorts of things by the hand of God, through prayer and merely in His presence. Often we tend to look for any explanation other than God when a miracle happens. That happens in part because God is just one of  many ways people seek there answers.

When we look at the text we see that there is no formula,  ritual or pattern that was followed to bring forth the miraculous. Peter simply took Jesus at His word. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and walked in that power and presence. Peter was available to do what ever God wanted to do. Jesus spoke of the power that we have in prayer and He also mentioned two of the greatest hindrances to that power in Mark 11:24-25,

²⁴ Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. ²⁵ Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.

 So we see there that the two obstacles we have in seeing miracles are faith, or lack of faith and unforgiveness. If we pray without expectation of miraculous results then we should not be surprised that we don't see miracles. We need to get our eyes off of ourselves. It's not about us. It is not our power, the touch of our hand or the greatness of our prayer. It's about God. It's about His power manifested in His presence through the Holy Spirit. We are to pray believing. Peter was able to do that because he understood by experience that it wasn't the size or amount of his faith that mattered. When he walked on water in the midst of a storm Peter learned that what mattered was the object of his faith. When he fixed his eyes on Jesus he was able to do what Jesus did. Look at what Hebrews 12:2 says.

² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

If we want to fix our eyes on Jesus, the object, the author and perfecter of our faith we need to know where to look. Jesus is not on the cross, though we need to have seen Him there. He is no longer in the grave, though it's important that we have seen that evidence. Jesus no longer walks as a man among us. He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. If we are to have faith that brings forth miracles we need to see Him there. We will only be able to see Him there, at the right hand of the Father if we abide there. If we have made walking in the presence of God normal in our lives.

This brings us then to the other hindrance or obstacle to miraculous answers to our prayers. "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions." We need to understand that unforgiveness is sin. Even a little of it in our life will hinder us in walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter felt as though he had completely failed Jesus when he denied Him. Experiencing the forgiveness of Christ, he walked in the fullness of that power. We need to remember all that we have been forgiven and hold no bitterness or unforgiveness in our hearts. Sin prevents us from entering the presence of God. Without being in the presence we can't see Jesus. If we can't see Jesus we can't fix our eyes on Him and our faith will fail.

Do we want to see miracles. Let's begin with the miracle of forgiveness. Not some hollow words we say, I forgive you. But like Jesus as He was on the cross said Father forgive them. We too must put the hurts and the anger and the bitterness, all that is associated with unforgiveness, to death. As we have been forgiven so must we forgive, past, present and future. Then we can see Jesus. Then and only then we can walk in the fullness of His power.