“Fly High” – Acts part 8
On the lighter side of life: It’s all in how you see yourself (picture)
Thesis: The book of Acts showed that Jesus used ordinary men like Peter who were filled with the Spirit to heal people and even raise people from the dead so that “Power evangelism” would break out and lead multitudes to the Lord.
Illustration:
The next time you feel like GOD can’t use you, just remember:
Noah was a drunk ...
Abraham was too old ...
Isaac was a daydreamer ...
Jacob was a liar ...
Leah was ugly ...
Joseph was abused ...
Moses had a stuttering problem ...
Gideon was afraid ...
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer ...
Rahab was a prostitute ...
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young ...
David had an affair and was a murderer ...
Elijah was suicidal ...
Isaiah preached naked ...
Jonah ran from God ...
Naomi was a widow ...
Job went bankrupt ...
John the Baptist ate bugs ...
Peter denied Christ ...
The Disciples fell asleep while praying ...
Martha worried about everything ...
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once ...
Zaccheus was too small ...
Paul was too religious ...
Timothy had an ulcer ...
AND
Lazarus was dead!
No more excuses now.
Scripture Text: Acts 9:32-42:
32As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. 34“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 37About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
39Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40Peter 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. 41He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
Introduction:
As we have been exploring the book of Acts we have discovered how God uses ordinary people to do the extraordinary. He does this by filling them to overflowing and empowering them with the Holy Spirit. Acts is a book which demonstrates what the Holy Spirit is able to do with people who accept Jesus Christ and then allow the Holy Spirit to fill them and use them for the purposes of the kingdom of God. Peter models that the Holy Spirit will work through us to heal paralytics and even sometimes to raise the dead. It’s not by our power or ability that heals people but it is the power of the Holy Spirit that does these healings and miracles.
It connects back to what Jesus said in John 7:37-38:
37On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
Jesus promised us the living water which would flow from those who believe. He says it will flow from within. This promise is associated with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit which we have looked at in Acts 2. Since the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in Chapter 2 we have been walking though Acts and observing how the Holy Spirit is enabling people to do supernatural things for the Kingdom of God. People are being healed, people are being delivered from demonic spirits, people are being saved, baptized, transformed, and miracles (genuine miracles are happening). No show no Hollywood dazzle- just plain Spirit miracles. It’s impacting the Middle East and people are coming to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior both Jew and Gentile. Revival is spreading in this story of the birth and the growth of the New Testament Acts church.
T.S. - So what do we learn from studying the book of Acts and how do we apply it today to the current day church in the world?
I. The Holy Spirit does have the power and the ability to heal (Acts 9:32-35).
a. Peter reveals this power of the Holy Spirit by his willingness to pray for a paralytic named Aeneas.
i. In Lydda Peter runs into a man who had been a paralytic for eight years.
1. The question could be asked what happened to this man?
a. Most believe he had an accident which left him paralyzed.
b. He was bed ridden and unable to move or work for many years.
c. So along comes this guy named Peter who is filled with the Holy Spirit. He is out traveling around bringing the Good News to the people of Lydda.
2. Peter addresses the man and says “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.”
a. A few points about healing and the Gospel.
i. Notice – Peter does not say “I heal you!” He says “Jesus Christ heals you!”
ii. The truth is I cannot heal anyone! Only Jesus can heal – and he uses the Holy Spirit to do so. I have no power to heal anyone!
iii. The power to do the supernatural does not come from my ability it comes from the power of the Holy Spirit.
iv. The power to heal someone is a sovereign act of God designed to point people to Him.
1. I believe God heals and I have seen people healed.
a. Each miraculous healing I have witnessed was used by the Spirit to point people toward the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. So back to our story of Peter. Does Aeneas want to debate with Peter about the theology of healing? Is their a debate about healing from Aeneas? Is their a debate with anyone else about weather healing is possible or not? No Peter just says, ‘you are healed by Jesus, stand up!”
a. So he just stands up!
i. He believes and the Holy Spirit does the rest!
b. He then grabs his mat and everyone in Lydda is amazed and blown away from the healing miracle.
4. I want you to notice something about our passage here.
a. Aeneas was healed as a testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit and to the message of Jesus Christ.
b. This man was healed so that others in this city would believe in Jesus Christ.
c. Notice the result of this healing in verse 35 is made clear, “All those in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord!”
i. This healing brought revival – it says everyone in the two towns believed and turned to Jesus!
ii. Note: It says “ALL.”
ii. I want to share some thoughts on healing today and the sovereignty of God as it is connected with, “Evangelism of the lost.”
1. This scenario in Acts 9:32-35 is a example of a type of evangelism called by the term “Power Evangelism!”
a. Dr. Nichols and I have been discussing how God has used Heart of the Father Ministries to do “Power Evangelism” in India.
b. We talked about the healings that occurred in India and about the miracles He has seen and I have seen while we ministered in India.
i. It seems that God does supernatural things in India to prove to the people of India that He is “The One True God.”
1. Remember they believe in 1,000 of gods!
2. God uses the supernatural manifestation of miracles to demonstrate that He is the “One True God.”
3. The miracles happen in the crusades to show that God is the all powerful one and the result is 100,000 people have come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior in India through Heart of the Father Ministries.
2. I recently read a book sent to me from Dr. Dave Nichols called Evangelism Unleashed by Randy Clark.
a. Dr. Nichols wants me to read this book because the Lord has given him a vision that this type of evangelism is coming back to America and Heart of the Father will be apart of this move of the Spirit.
b. The book opens up talking about the concept of Power Evangelism: Listen to some of his thoughts on this subject:
i. In chapter 1 of his book he documents testimonies of Modern-Day Evangelists. He states this about his observations of these individuals: They affected their sphere of influence through the mighty demonstration of the Spirit and power, that is, through the gifts of healings, faith, miracles, and deliverances (5).
1. He lists the following testimonies about these ministries from these well known evangelists who had “Power Evangelism” occurring in their meetings and ministry:
a. Aimee Semple McPherson: Evangelist, religious denomination founder
Also called: Sister Aimee, Aimee Semple McPherson Hutton Aimee Semple McPherson was the first famous Pentecostal evangelist, seeking publicity to broaden the audience for her religious message, using modern technology (including the automobile and radio) -- truly a pioneer in religious history. The Foursquare Gospel Church which she founded is now a movement with more than two million members around the world, beginning with her 5,300 seat Angelus Temple in California. But most people know her name mainly for an infamous kidnapping scandal
b. William Branham: See powerpoint pictures.
c. Tommy Hicks
d. Carlos Annacondia
e. Oral Roberts
f. Lester Sumrall
g. Reinhard Bonnke
h. Benny Hinn
ii. In Chapter 3 he recounts some of the “Power Evangelism” methodologies found in the NT and especially in the Book of Acts:
1. He notes the Ephesian Revival under the Apostle Paul spoken of in Acts Chapter 19.
a. This revival went on for 2 years – people were healed – and evil spirits driven out of people ad it changed the community so much that people quit buying the false idols and the idol makers became angry because it affected their business.
b. It’s believed through church history that over 50,000 people came to Jesus in this 2 year time frame.
iii. In chapter 4 of his book he also talks about how “Power Evangelism” played a major role in the Spiritual Awakenings in Britain and America.
1. He sites examples of miracles happening in John Wesley’s meetings.
a. People shaking, jerking, people being slain in the Spirit- falling over without anyone touching them crying out to God for mercy and grace.
b. Times of uncontrolled weeping broke out in the meetings.
c. Some people were healed supernaturally, some were delivered from evil spirits.
d. He notes: “Not only was there healing, shaking, and falling that accompanied the ministry of John Wesley, there was also deliverance” (26).
2. He sites examples of “Power Evangelism in George Whitefield’s meetings as well:
a. He also saw similar things occurring in his meeting with the exception of healing. But many times it is recorded that he was too sick to preach but when it came time for him to preach he would be revived in body and preach like nothing was wrong with him and many would come to Jesus.
iv. In Chapter 5 he sites examples of “Power Evangelism” from the great American Revivals:
1. The Second Great Awakening and the Cane Ridge Revival:
a. He states, “As in the First Great Awakening, power encounters such as falling, shaking, groaning, shouting, deliverances from demons, and falling under trances were common. The Cane Ridge meetings had the outbreak of another phenomenon, what is commonly called ‘the jerks’” (31).
b. He adds this thought to about other revivals, “When several Southern Baptist seminary professors of evangelism were asked by phone, “What was the greatest revival in Baptist history?” the response was unanimously, “The Shantung revival.” Healing, falling (or slain in the Spirit), electricity, laughing in the Spirit, even raising the dead are recorded in “The Shantung revival.” This was a revival built upon the desire that one had truly been “Born Again” even though some of the missionaries realized that they hadn’t, and the desire to be baptized in the Holy Spirit” (32).
T.S. – Peter by the power of Holy Spirit prayed for a crippled individual and it says all those is two towns accepted and followed the Lord after witnessing the healing. The method of, “Power Evangelism” does work and is an effective tool for seeing people come to Jesus. But he did not stop at just praying for people to be healed he even prayed for the dead to come back to life.
II. Peter and the raising of a dead woman in Joppa (Acts 9:36-43)
a. Power evangelism at its peak is when someone is raised up from the dead.
i. Dorcas has died a woman known for her good deeds and quality work.
ii. They are all mourning her death and remembering her.
1. She was always doing good and helping out the poor.
iii. They called Peter to come and he came and he saw the mourning.
1. He sends everyone out and prays for her to be raised and she is.
2. He takes her by the hand and leads her out to the mourners.
3. They are all amazed that she is alive again!
4. It says it our text many came to believe as a result of this miracle.
b. The question could be proposed today, “Does God want to do miracles so as to use them to lead people to Him?”
i. In chapter 8 of Evangelism Unleashed Randy Clark addresses how the church is growing all over the world and it is because of “Power Evangelism.”
1. He sites Africa as an example:
a. On the continent of Africa, there are over 5,000 independent Christian denominations, all born in the 20th Century and all Pentecostal spirituality. They are growing faster than Islam, twice as fast as the Roman Catholic Church, and three times as fast as the non-Catholic and non-Pentecostal churches…Why have these churches been so successful is a complex question, but if you ask what one factor drew the people to first attend one of these churches, the answer is healing…the typical disciple comes to such a church for the first time in search of healing, usually for a malady that has resisted either traditional or modern medicine or both” (55,56).
2. He sites Europe as an example:
a. The fastest growing churches in England are churches open to the move of the Holy Spirit through healings and miracles. The fastest declining churches are the ones opposed to it. He states, “It is clear that the people are hungry for a God who is seen to have power to help them in their needs” (56, 57).
3. He sites Asia as an example:
a. He states, “On the continent of Asia, the largest churches in most of the nations are Pentecostal or Charismatic” (57).
b. The largest church in the world is David Yonngi Cho’s church in South Korea which numbers over 800,000 people. It is know for it’s “Power Evangelism model of prayer and miracles.” He adds, “Healing has always played a major role in Cho’s church. Spiritual warfare through prayer has also been a key factor in the success of this church” (57).
c. In India the fastest growing churches are those churches that are open to healing and deliverances.
i. Dr. Nichols can attest to the move of God in India.
ii. I have been there and seen the miracles and yes even the healings!
iii. Through Dr. Nichols meetings many have come to Jesus 100,000 because they see the demonstration of Power Evangelism by blind, deaf, lame and the like being healed.
iv. When I was there we had one lady delivered from prostitution and demons and today she has helped her church grow in leaps and bounds in Bonganapali.
v. Clark states, “Many came to salvation in Jesus through the demonstration of the kingdom of God where the blind, deaf, lame, and those with tumors were being healed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (59)!
vi. Play DVD for church from Dec. 2005 Crusades!
4. He sites Australia as an example:
a. He states, “The Pentecostals with their openness to power evangelism are the fastest growing church movement on the continent” (59).
b. He notes the growth rates from 1976 through 1981:
i. The United Church – minus 10%
ii. Anglican 5%
iii. Churches of Christ 8%
iv. Lutheran 10%
v. Roman Catholic 24%
vi. Baptist 24%
vii. Pentecostals 385%
5. He sites South America as an example:
a. Clark notes, “During the last several years, we have seen over 70,000 healings in our meetings in Brazil. It is a nation on fire with revival” (65)
b. C. Peter Wagner said that the epicenter of revival has switched during the past few years from Korea to Brazil. Every church I am aware of that is growing rapidly has strongly embraced the ministry of healing and deliverance” (65).
c. Stoll predicts that if the current rates of growth continue, five or six Latin American countries will have non-Catholic-mostly Pentecostal –majorities by 2010 (66).
6. North America as an example:
a. The largest church in America is Joel Osteen’s church of 38,000 which is Pentecostal. The pole states of the top largest 10 churches in America ½ of them are Pentecostal/Charismatic.
b. Clark states this grim reality about North America though, “North America along with western Europe has long been considered by some to be the Nazareth of the church world. We are a nation of skeptics, and proud of it. Regardless of which evangelist that I have spoken with, I hear the same report: they do not see the same degree of healing and miracles here that they do in other non-western countries. I long for the day when that is no longer true” (69).
c. Clark does add a note of hope when he states, “The fastest growth of North American churches has been the thousands of new Charismatic churches. Apostolic networks numbering thousands of churches have developed over the past twenty years. Most of these networks of churches would embrace the dynamic of power evangelism with its primary focus on healing and deliverance” (69).
Conclusion:
Clark concludes his book making this summary: “It is my opinion based upon this study that in most places of the world the Church is growing the fastest where there is openness to, and practice of, power evangelism” (71).
Peter in the book of Acts role models for us that “Power Evangelism” has played a major role in the growth of the New Testament church of Acts and it also needs to be allowed to flourish in our churches today because the Holy Spirit does desire to set people free and he will use miracles to get heir attention!
We need to remember Peter was just like you and me and God used an ordinary –imperfect fisherman to do “Power Evangelism” and to lead many to Jesus.
God can use you to your full potential if you let him and sell out completely to Him.
Besides you aren’t the message, you are just the messenger of “Power Evangelism”.
1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
2. Dear God, I have a problem, it’s me.
3. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.
4. The most important things in your house are the people.
