Today’s thought brings us to the last gift in this series of the nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit; The Gift of MIRACLES within Classification #3: The Gifts of Power. What is a miracle? A miracle is a supernatural intervention in the ordinary course of nature for a specific purpose and time. It is worked by faith. When God sets aside His laws or suspends the laws of nature, this action is a miracle. God is not bound by natural laws of His own making; otherwise, this limitation would reduce Him to the plane of a creature and do away with His sovereignty.
All of the gifts of the Spirit are in one sense miraculous, “supernatural”, but the use of the word “miracle” for this gift, or the working of miracles is used to display God’s power and magnificence. In the Young’s Concordance, the Greek word “miracle” here is called “powers”. That is to say, the working of miracles is called the working of powers, and in the Greek concordance, this same word means, “explosions of almightiness.” It means impelling, staggering wonders and astonishment.
In other words, “the working of impelling, staggering wonders or astonishments, or the outworking of explosions of almightiness.” Yes, the gift of miracles…the working of miracles, for the believer – today – glorifying “God” of all power, for the purpose of stimulating the faith of His people and astonishing the unbelief of the world. As Jesus stated, signs and wonders shall follow the believer.
An excellent example of this gift is stated in: Joshua 10:12-13. “On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Ayalon.” So, the sun and moon stood still until the Israelites had defeated their enemies.”
The purpose of miracles is to: Confirm the Word of God as stated in Hebrews 2:3-4 “What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself? It was passed on (or confirmed) to us by those who heard him speak, and God verified the message by signs and wonders and various miracles and by giving gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose to do so.”
Also, the purpose of miracles is to display the power of God over all powers in the universe as stated in Psalms 107 Oh… that everyone would praise the Lord! …Exodus 7:10-14 l, So Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh, and they performed the miracle just as the LORD had told them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his court, and it became a snake. Then Pharaoh called in his wise men and magicians, and they did the same thing with their secret arts. Their staffs became snakes, too! But then Aaron’s snake swallowed up their snakes. Pharaoh’s heart, however, remained hard and stubborn. He still refused to listen, just as the LORD had predicted. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh is very stubborn, and he continues to refuse to let the people go (NLT). Exodus 7:20, So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. As Pharaoh and all of his officials watched, Moses raised his staff and hit the water of the Nile. Suddenly, the whole river turned to blood! (NLT).
The Bible is a book of miracles and those who believe the whole Bible are still seeing them in answer to simple prayer and faith.
Let’s take a look at miracles in the Old Testament.
- Jesus turns water into wine – John 2:1-11
- Fire called down from heaven–1 Kings 18:31-39
- The opening of the Red Sea – Exodus 14:21-22
Let’s take a look at the record of one man who was greatly endued (or clothe) with the Spirit of God. This man was given a double portion of the Spirit of God. This man Elisha:
He divided the Jordan River in 2 Kings 2:13-14.
He twice provided water miraculously. 2 Kings 2:19-22, 3:9-20.
He pronounced a curse upon some young (Greek) men who mocked him. 2 Kings 2:23-24
He multiplied the widow’s oil. 2 Kings 4:1-7
He raised the dead son of the Shunamite. 2 Kings 4:32-37
He removed the deadly poison from the pottage. 2 Kings 4:38-41
He fed one hundred men miraculously with 20 loaves. 2 Kings 4:42
He pronounced the curse of leprosy on Gehazi. 2 Kings 5:27
He caused iron to swim. 2 Kings 6:1-7.
Now, let’s take a look at miracles in the New Testament.
1. Paul smote Elymas, the sorcerer, with blindness. Acts 13:6-11.
2. Dorcus and Eutychus were raised from the dead by Peter and Paul.
3. Phillip was supernaturally transported from one place to another.
In Acts 19:11-12 we read “The Lord wrought special (extraordinary) miracles by the hands of Paul.”
This literally means “not ordinary miracles”. Paul did in Ephesus, not ordinary miracles but very special, extraordinary ones.
TODAY…God is doing miracles…where there is belief in the supernatural power of God, and faith for it.
I recall of an instance when I was a young boy, and my mother, Lucille Lundmark, had the responsibility of providing for the household. She had some pressing utility bills, etc. After paying her tithes, she wrote the total amount needed in her Bible, prayed over them, and believed that God was faithful to answer the promise of His word. She proclaimed that He would take care of His children, those that are true and faithful and obedient to His Word. Within a day or two, there came a knock on the door, and a lady from the church felt lead to give her a certain amount of money, to buy groceries and help pay some bills. The amount she gave my mom was to the penny, what was needed…praise be to God, for HE IS FAITHFUL!
Another example of God’s miracle working power intervening in one’s life is told by Smith Wigglesworth, of an experience of his son-in-law, who was a missionary to Africa. He had been stranded on one side of a creek by a flash flood, which prevented his crossing. It was nightfall, and it was necessary that he reach his destination quickly. He knelt down on the bank of the creek to pray. When he opened his eyes and aroused, he was on the other side.
An example taken from my mother’s life story is as follows. In her own words… “In the summer of 1963, A tornado was coming straight toward our home. I with some of the children stood in the front yard. I looked right into the rolling, boiling enemy and said to it, “You cannot come this way, we are Gods’ children – so just turn and go the other way.” The newspaper reported that the tornado stood still for several minutes then turned east – it had been headed south, right toward our house.” I was one of the children and witnessed the tornado as it stood still and changed direction as my mother prayed. Yes…God is our protector!
An experience of my own: One weekend in October 2003, I was at my son Joshua and daughter-in-law Sara’s home. I was in the process of roofing their newly purchased home when them came up with a huge thunderstorm. I received a phone call from Sara at her employment and a sister-in law, stating that there was a big rainstorm, hailstorm…coming directly our way, only about 20 minutes away. I had one whole side of the roof exposed, off. There was no time to cover the roof properly. I knew I had to rely and place my trust in the Lord. I asked my friend Rich, who was helping me to agree with me in prayer that the rain would stay up in the clouds.
We prayed and commanded the rain clouds to stay in the air and proclaimed that it would not rain on this home during that day and God would get the glory. My nephew, who was also helping me, asked what He should do next, and I said, “Tear off the other side”. We then proceeded to tear off the other side…we finished the day with NO RAIN!
God was faithful to our request…I knew that what I said, I could have as a child of God…for God would get the glory for it. This was a “miracle” for this was “literally” an intervention in the course of nature that day…PRAISE GOD! Out of desperation and a cry for help with faith believing, God is faithful to answer! Miracles are to be expected…today. “Miracles” are listed as casually as “tongues” or any other of the gifts. It is God’s desire for the church today to produce miracles…for if the church cannot produce miracles today, it cannot demonstrate the power of God to an unbelieving world.
Power in the very shadow of Peter healed the sick. Acts 5:12-15. Jesus miraculously fed the 4,000 on one occasion and 5,000 at another time. He located tax money in a fish’s mouth! Matthew 17:27.
He turned water into wine.
TODAY…God is doing miracles…where there is belief in the supernatural power of God, and faith for it. It was the miracles of Moses and Aaron that proved to the Egyptians that Israel’s God was one of power and deliverance. It was the calling of fire down from heaven that demonstrated to the heathen of Elijah’s day that His God was the powerful one. Miracles are not to be performed or expected at random or for no good purpose, but they are always a purpose where God would get the glory. Jesus performed miracles for the good of others. He refused to turn stones into bread for His own benefit. Paul condemned a sorcerer to temporary blindness when he (the sorcerer) attempted to keep a man from finding God, but Paul did not breathe a word of harm or judgment against his own persecutors.
Yes, it’s time we expect both the gift of healing and the gift of working miracles. It’s time we as a church stop sending the sick away… to the world for help. It’s time we as a church go to our Father’s house and receive the things He has provided for us.
He has food for us and for all who are hungry. Jesus said, “Give ye them to eat.” He is not asking the impossible. The gifts of the Spirit enable us to do this. It is time we as a church show to the world that there is salvation, healing, happiness, and protection. ALL THAT IS NEEDED and ALL THAT MATTERS has been provided for in the Father’s house, waiting for the prayer of faith to be expressed from the heart and soul of the believer.
Ordinary people with extraordinary gifts given from God our Heavenly Father. It’s time for God’s Spirit…to work through consecrated believers and provide for humanity what no government or Christ less religions can do.
We may make mistakes through the operations of the gifts…. only because we are human. When we are sincere, God sees through our faults, sees the need, and responds to it. We are His children, and we are supposed to bear His image and display His characteristics. The saddest unbelief is that of “born again” believers who “have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.”
Every child of God is promised power to do miracles and get what he wants (Matt 21:21-22; Mark 9:23; 11:22-24; 16:15-20; John 14:12-15; 15:7, 16; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 27-31).
The great need of today is the full restoration of the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3). It is my prayer today that we once again see the Christian power in the church for the glory of God! You may ask…Why don’t we have these gifts working within the church or within our own lives?” We all have needs in different areas of our lives.
If God says in His Word that these gifts are for EVERY BELIEVER and we don’t see these gifts being manifested, then it’s time we start meeting God’s conditions. God said, “Covet earnestly the best gifts.” If we as a group of believers don’t have them, it is because we are not coveting and desiring these things. Let’s desire and covet them as a body, as a group, as believers and pray. It is my prayer that we as believers begin to pray that the Holy Ghost will manifest Himself among us dividing to every man severally as He wills.
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