This was the same Peter, who after Jesus was crucified, said he was going fishing, and went back to his old occupation. But the day of Pentecost changed all that, didn't it? It's amazing what transformation takes place in a life when the Holy Spirit comes in. Peter went from being pitiful, to powerful!
Getting back to Dorcas, after she died, her friends washed her and laid her in an upper chamber. The disciples heard Peter was in a nearby town, and they sent two men to him, desiring that he come without delay, and he did.
When Peter got there, he found widows weeping for Dorcas in the upper chamber. But Peter put them all out, and kneeled down and prayed, and turning to the body, said, "Arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, sat up.
And Peter gave her his hand and lifted her up and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive! And it was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord (Acts 9:39-42).
Now don't you know, there was one big celebration there! And don't you know Peter must have been rejoicing in what the Lord had done for them as well. Now, Peter had the same Holy Ghost in operation in his life that they talk about today.
Yet, we don't hear about people being raised from the dead on the six o'clock news today, do we? Why? Is God doing something less in this day and age than He used to? You'll notice, because God raised Dorcas from the dead, "many believed in the Lord."
Isn't that supposed to be the thrust of evangelism today, that "many believe in the Lord"? If so, then we dare not settle for a watered-down version of the Holy Ghost in our lives and churches.
Has the Holy Ghost lost His power? Or, could it be, heaven forbid, our faith has lost its power? How about our walk with Jesus...can people look at us and know we walk with Him? Do people call you when someone is sick and dying, or has already died and they need them raised?
When people who are disciples know you are in the area, are they sending people to you asking you to come without delay? Are you full of the Holy Ghost and power? If you are, then why aren't you using it? And if you're not, then why not? These are questions we really need to answer honestly.
Jesus, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and He sinned not. He was tempted as much or more than we, yet He was without sin. He kept His life pure and holy.
When you want God more than you want anything else, it's then the anointing flows to meet the needs of others. The unbelievers will want what you have in Jesus.
There will be healings and miracles and people getting filled with the Holy Ghost, if you will be humble and clean and a teachable vessel for God. The gifts are given to us for the purpose of evangelism. We must use them for God's glory.
Our whole purpose for being here is that when people talk to us, or see us, or hear about us, that "many believe in the Lord."
Jerry Baysinger was a twenty-one-and-a-half-year civilian employee of Missouri State Highway Patrol and operator of his own successful furniture repair business, when in 1993, he was diagnosed with five melanomas and liver cancer. Given a month to live, he resigned from the Patrol and went home to die. 
