Acts 9:32-43

Attention Grabber:

Remind: “Learn about seeing moves of God in 30 minutes” didn’t mean do this and in 30 minutes you will see God move, lol

have you heard, “How many of you want to see a move of God?”

or you have said it yourself

This lesson will be focused on two instances of God moving, and what we can learn from it

Reminder: Theme for Acts

Acts 1:8 NASB95

8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Summary: Acts is all about the Holy Spirit, and mainly how He is giving people power to be witnesses for Christ

witness - testifies, affirms

Holy Spirit gives power to help us testify, affirm that Jesus is the Christ

testify that Jesus is the way

testify that Jesus saves

Review

Pentecost, we just celebrated

gospel spreads in Jerusalem

Persecution of Christians, gospel spreads beyond Jerusalem

one of the main persecutors (Saul/Paul) gets converted, “chosen instrument to bear my name among the Gentiles . . . there’s our theme

now Acts turns back to Peter, he was in most of the headlines from chapters 1-5

preached at Pentecost 3,000 saved

healed man who had been lame his whole life

arrested a few times for preaching, whipped once

called out people lying to the Holy Spirit, and they died on the spot

God healed many through him

Peter knows about moves of God!!!

Let’s do some reading, I will divide our verses into two stories, and we will look at the similarities, and the differences

Story 1

Acts 9:32–35 NLT

32 Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. 35 Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.

Story 2

remember we are looking at similarities and differences

Acts 9:36–43 NLT

36 There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. 37 About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. 38 But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!” 39 So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. 40 But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! 41 He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive. 42 The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides.

Let’s learn about, “a move of God” by first looking at some similarities in both of these miracle stories: healing of paralyzed man, raising of a dead woman

Similarity #1 - God moved through an act of faith

Peter spoke to the person in both miracles

get up and roll up your sleeping mat

get up, Tabitha

it’s not the speaking that caught my attention (more on that later), but the fact that it took faith to speak to a paralyzed man and a dead woman.

Book of Hebrews 11 says, “Faith is the evidence of things not seen:

Remember that faith is proof that you believe, faith is often an action, can be seen

some friends brought a sick man to Jesus, tore off the roof to get to him, and the Bible says when Jesus “saw” their faith (to go through all that trouble)

Turn these into class questions . . .

we have faith that we will receive paychecks, so we . . . . .(work all week long) . . . proof that we believeu

people who have faith in the weather person that says there will be an ice storm tomorrow . . . . . (rush to the grocery store) . . . you can see that they believe

your giving at church is good proof of how much you believe that you can’t beat God giving . . . a little, a lot, somewhat, sometimes . . . what you gave is evidence of what you believe

this belief proof often involves putting something at risk

for the job, you are risking putting in all that work for nothing

for the weatherman, risking an extra trip and money to to go grocery store for nothing

giving at church, you could have kept that money, and now it’s gone

and in all of those, you look like a fool if you’re wrong

for Peter, his main risk was looking like a fool, looking outright crazy

been much easier to say to the man, “God bless you”

been much easier to pray for comfort for the bereaved gathered around Tabitha

than to put people out, and go into the room like he was going to do something

Let’s personalize it, since we want a move of God . . . . in whatever miracle you are believing for . . . what proof can you point to that shows that you really do believe God? What are you risking?

a prayer in solitude is not risking much

are you risking time? effort? money?

Ex. fasting risks your comfort, energy . . . could have been eating, but I believe

are you risking looking like a fool?

Ex. holding on when others say you should let go?

If you want a move of God, check to see:

if you really have faith

Similarity #2 - The demonstration of God’s power caused the gospel to spread

after both miracles . . . people got saved!

Moves of God happen to you, but are for God . . . often you reap benefits, but ultimately these moves of God are for God’s purpose, God’s glory

at the end of most miracle stories in the Bible, we see God getting the glory

Fiery Furnace - Nebuchadnezzar: Let to a decree across the whole land, don’t speak against their God, no other God can rescue like this

Lion’s Den - King Darius decreed that Daniel’s God was the living God

David’s words to Goliath - I will kill you and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel, and everyone here will know that the Lord rescues his people

Moves of God open the door so that we can be his witnesses, Acts 1, verse 8

man was definitely blessed, but the big story is that all of people of Lydda and Sharon got saved . . . . “Real Headline: Two whole towns turns to Christ”

Tabitha was raised from the dead, but her raising led to others being saved and now those people have access to eternal life!

When we say, “We need a move of God!” or “I want to see a move of God!”

Why do we say it? What’s the motive? For many . . .

just will be cool to see it

got some personal needs

my family/friends have some needs

Better reasons - so that more will come to Christ, grow in Christ, God will get more glory

Neither of these moves of God/miracles personally benefitted Peter!

two strangers: were helped

many got saved!

Let’s personalize it . . . .

Here’s an easy one, don’t forget to testify of past moves of God/miracles

share it and explain through who you got it

you might see more miracles, if God sees that you will share the ones that have already happened (being kingdom minded)

Focus the purpose of your prayers

the heart of the prayer towards the end of Acts 4 . . . . the prayer that caused the building to shake, and led to more miracles and wonders . . . “give us boldness to preach your word” (kingdom minded)

not just “heal Sally, bless Jim, help Dan” . . . . but heal Sally, bless Jim, help Dan so that people will hear of your power and believe in your son, Jesus Christ!

What can you add to the end of your prayer requests? (and mean it)

Make a way . . . so that people will see that you are real

Heal me . . . so that others will ask what happened, and I can share the gospel with them.

our prayer ministry is so that people will see that God is real

their act of faith - sending in the text

our building fund: WMBC is not asking for a bigger building, just for a bigger building’s sake, but for God’s sake . . .bigger place to reach more people, serve more people, the building itself can be a testimony

a warning from the book of James

James 4:3 NASB95

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Move of God, are ultimately for God, for his kingdom

If you want a move of God, check to see:

if you really have faith

if you are being kingdom minded

(you can ask things for yourself, but include benefits for God, and mean it)

Difference #1 - God moved through different doors

1st story, Peter just happened to meet an unsaved man who was paralyzed

a situation Peter had seen before (lame beggar at the temple in Acts 3)

2nd Story, Tabitha, a believer, was brought to Peter’s attention by other believers invited by other believers

he had never raised anyone from the dead before! oh boy!

and it was a rush situation

different situations/doors . . . But Peter was ready for both situations . . . he was sensitive that God wanted to move . . . . whatever/however/whenever

1st story, Peter could have kept walking by, just said, “God bless you, I’ll be praying for you” . . . and no one would have thought anything of it

also, Peter took time to stop, pause his schedule

2nd story, Peter could have prayed for the bereaved family . . . and no one would have thought anything of it

and this time Peter had to speed up his scheduled

different doors - different people, different situations, different timing . . . but he recognized God wanted to move

warning: every new door is not God, but you should pay attention

If you want a move of God, check to see:

if you really have faith

if you are being kingdom minded

if you are looking for God to move whenever/however/whatever (same door, different door)

Difference #2 - A different process was used each time

1st story, Peter just spoke to the man, used Jesus Name, said get up

compared to crippled beggar, who he spoke to and then took him by the right hand and pulled him up

2nd Story - put people out of the room (got rid of people who wouldn’t believe like Jesus did), knelt and prayed, and then spoke, didn’t use Jesus Name

We can’t say speaking is the key, earlier in Acts, chapter 5, Peter’s shadow is healing people, he just had to walk by, no speaking

you’ve heard me say it, if you have paid attention: there is no magic formula to access God’s power

no, just say “in the Name of Jesus”

(in my name, really means under my authority . . . not my name is a magic word)

no, just anoint with oil

no, just speak it

no, just fast

no, just give a bigger offering

in other words, you must be Holy Spirit lead . . . and He might lead you to say in the Name of Jesus, anoint with oil, give them a handkerchief that’s been prayed over, speak over them, fast for a week, give a special offering

Connection to the power comes from connection to the Person, not the procedure

“God, I see you coming through that door, What do you want me to do, Lord?”

not . . . “God, I see you coming through the door, I got it from here”

you never “got it from here” . . . always stay connected

Peter’s prayer concerning Tabitha, was probably about what to do

cool things is that if you are Holy Spirit filled, you will be Holy Spirit lead

and if you are willing to be Holy Spirit lead, you will be Holy Spirit filled

so be sensitive to what God wants you to do, it could be various things, it could even be to be still

for the day of Pentecost, the instructions were to wait

If you want a move of God, check to see:

if you really have faith

if you are being kingdom minded

if you are looking for God to move whenever/however/whatever (same door, different door)

if your connection is to the Person, rather than the procedure

God made you who you are, so you can declare who He is

announcements

PMR: - stands for prayer ministry request

Alstons

Mother Alston is recovering

Deacon Alston was doing much better Sunday Night