🕊️ PRAY HERE Devotion 🕊️ Remove All Distractions & Doubt

Scripture: Acts 9:40-42 (KJV)

“But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he 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.”

Devotion: Have you ever been around someone who was so sad that before long you found yourself crying too?

Or maybe you shared something God had put on your heart, and instead of encouraging you, someone immediately started saying,

“That’ll never happen.”

“Be realistic.”

“I wouldn’t get my hopes up.”

Before long, you started questioning what God had already spoken to you.

Whew!

Faith can be strengthened…

But it can also be weakened by the wrong environment.

That is why we must be careful who we allow to influence our thinking while we are believing God.

Let’s look at today’s scripture.

Tabitha had died.

The widows were weeping.

Their grief was understandable.

They loved her.

They were holding the garments she had made for them.

All they could see was death.

But Peter saw something different.

Before he prayed, he put everyone out of the room.

Why?

Because Peter needed an atmosphere where he could hear from God.

He was not trying to be rude.

He was not trying to hide anything.

He was removing every distraction.

He was removing every voice except the voice of God.

Glory to God!

Notice something else.

Peter was not trying to put on a show.

He did not gather a crowd so people could watch him pray.

He closed the door.

He knelt down.

And he prayed.

Whew!

Some of the greatest things God will ever do in your life will happen in private before they are ever seen in public.

Sometimes we are too busy trying to impress people when we should simply be seeking God.

Peter wanted God’s presence…

Not people’s applause.

Now let’s bring this into our lives.

Who are you sharing your prayers with?

Everybody cannot handle what God has spoken over your life.

Some people will water down your faith with their fear.

Some will remind you of every reason it cannot happen.

Some only believe what they can see.

Some have never experienced the power of God for themselves, so they struggle to believe He will do it for you.

Whew!

This is why you have to protect your faith.

That doesn’t mean you stop loving people.

It means you become wise about who you invite into certain moments.

There are some prayers that need to stay between you and God until He brings them to pass.

There are some battles that require you to shut the door, kneel down, and hear from Heaven.

Jesus often withdrew to pray.

Peter prayed privately.

Even Saul spent time alone with God after his conversion.

There is a pattern here.

God often speaks the clearest when the distractions are removed.

Today, ask yourself:

What distractions do I need to remove?

Whose negative words have been louder than God’s promises?

Who have I allowed to dilute my faith?

And what would happen if I spent more time listening to God than I do listening to everyone else?

May we all learn to shut the door, get on our knees, and hear from the Lord.

God bless you!

Prayer: Father God, help me remove every distraction that keeps me from hearing Your voice clearly. Forgive me for allowing fear, doubt, and the opinions of others to influence my faith. Teach me to protect what You have spoken over my life and to seek You in private before looking for approval from people. Give me discernment to know who to share my burdens with and who to simply pray for. Strengthen my faith so that I believe Your promises above every circumstance I can see. Lord, let my confidence rest in You alone, and help me always choose Your voice over every other voice. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 🙏🏼🕊️