“Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly.”
Acts 9:34 (NLT)
Peter didn’t heal Aeneas—Jesus Christ did. A man who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years heard a simple, confident instruction: “Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat.” No complex prayer. No begging. Just the name of Jesus and a response of obedience.
When you trace Peter’s ministry in Acts, you see this same pattern in Acts 3:6—“in the name of Jesus Christ, get up and walk.” The believers even prayed for the ability to heal in Acts 4:30—“Stretch out your hand… may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of Jesus.” Why? Because we need both the message of the good news and the display of the good news for people to turn to the Lord.
That’s exactly what happens here. The people of Lydda and Sharon didn’t just hear good news; they saw it. Aeneas wasn’t a private testimony—he was walking proof. The whole population that watched him moving around saw the name of Jesus on display, and they turned to the Lord. When God’s power shows up in the open, the message stops being theory and becomes undeniable.
This story makes me think of Jericho because Aeneas’ name means praise. When praise gets up and gets loud, walls fall down. There were eight years of silence. Then in one moment, praise got up, rolled up the mat, and started walking. Today the invitation for us is that same command: get up. Roll it up. Put away what is holding you back. There is power in the name of Jesus, and there is a faith that will stand when he speaks. I’m thankful for short, confident prayers today—and for a God who still heals. Ask Jesus to help you roll up your mat today.