In Acts 9:39-41 we look at Peter as he is available to serve, ready to go where ever the need was. And when he is told of Dorcas’ death he is led to her and was greeted by all the widows, holding up the clothes that she had made them. All the evidence is there of her past fruitfulness, lives have been transformed by her ministry but death had taken it away. Look specifically at what Peter does here:
A. Vs. 40 “Peter put them all out” : All of the past no matter what good had been done in Christ needed to be put outside. Many times I have ran into those who are dead spiritually and they start out by saying all the things they use to do for Jesus. They wave the clothes they made in Jesus. Folk’s all of the great things done in Christ full of grace and beauty won’t have any bearing upon your condition now. In fact they were a hindrance. Why? Because we often use our past successes as reason to stay in our present condition.
Paul put it this way, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
B. “knelt down and prayed.” : There has to be a humility and a surrender to the Lord in prayer. Life had been interrupted by death and the only way to get life back was by humility and dependence upon the Lord.
C. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.”: Peter turned to the body, the “flesh” and said its grace that brings life! It’s not past works or self effort, no it’s by coming to him where you are and trusting Him afresh!
I love the beauty of this passage as verse 41 tells us that life comes back into her, she sees Peter a brother who was demonstrating dependence upon the Lord and not self, and he gets her to sit up. Then as he gives her his hand and helps her up Peter presents her alive to the body of Christ.
So what is that? Well that speaks to me of discipleship and coming alongside a brother or sister who has fallen and giving them a hand up.
Only God can bring new excitement back into your dead spiritual life and restore it like it once was. He can heal you of your bitterness and bring back that beauty that was once a characteristic of your life in Him.