Gift of Workings of
Miracles
Review
of earlier sessions: The Holy Spirit is the giver of all the spiritual
gifts - as He wills and works through us. (1
Corinthians 12,4-11) Every member can be a minister of all the gifts
but some people will display more focused abilities in certain gifts –
again only as the Holy Spirit wills.
He
is not my servant, but He is my helper when faced with human need.
Well, what is this gift ?
“Miraculous
powers” (NIV) is poor because it hints at a possession not a grace given
as God wills. Greek is energemata: "workings" or
"effectings" English: "energy or energising" then dunameon
is the plural for "of powers" but of supernatural origin.
Literally, this gift is the "putting into effect the power"
of God - by you. The result is a happening or an event that supersedes the
natural order of this physical realm.
Some
major examples:
Elisha
- is a type of Christ.
(2 Kings chapters: 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 13)
Over
nature: dividing Jordan, healing poisoned waters and soup, iron floated.
Judgement: against young hooligans, Gehazi, invading Syrians blinded.
Food & water
supplied/multiplied x 3
Dead raised.
Lepers healed
Resurrection of a man. (13 in total, the double anointing as asked for !)
Jesus
Jesus
demonstrated the power of God as a man filled with the Holy Spirit, guided
by His Father in times of solitude to the right people and places to do
the will of God and to show how God our Father is - good not angry.
Miraculous
Provision of food and drink x 5
Healing and deliverance x 33 (including 10 lepers at once)
Raising the dead x 3
Over nature x 3:, storm stilled, walking on sea, fig tree withered.
Provision of money for righteous purposes.
Resurrection and appearances.
Not
easy -in his home town of Nazareth He could do little because of their
unbelief,
Matthew 13.58.
The
working of miracles is much more than healing, this gift is the ability to
do the "undoable." Not as a magic show to impress or entertain
but as an act of mercy to edify the body and to testify that Christ is
alive and cares, and something or someone is authentic.
The
purpose of a miracle:
(Exodus 4,29-31) -they believed, they were comforted by the Lord's concern
for them, they bowed down and they worshipped.
Three dangers:
1.
Not believing, eg. all gifts ended at the end of the first century;
2.
Trying to help God with false claims of miracles done by Him;
3.
Following the workers of super-natural happenings which are not from God,
Exodus 7,11; Deuteronomy 14, 1-5; Acts 8, 9-11; 2 Thessalonians 2.9.
Why don't we see miracles today?
We
do!
But
I do have to admit that I saw many more in the first half of my 25 years
of following Jesus than in the latter half, I wonder why ? Could it be
that the first half was often spent in the developing world, or among the
street peoples of Spain among people with a hunger for God and little
ability to help themselves ? Maybe church atmosphere in the UK was a
little more evangelistic a while ago because that seems to be where God
visits with pleasure ?
Maybe
we have not because we ask not, or maybe we ask wrongly, (James 4.2) with
prayers coming out of our fears and what we perceive that we want, rather
than making a deep surrender to God's good, pleasing and perfect will?
Rom.12.2
Miracles today similar to those of Jesus
(Powerpoint presentation)
Provision
of food and drink -Viva Cristo Rey, Dorothy Brinkman in Africa, where food
and drink were visibly and miraculously multiplied over many days,
Healing and deliverance - so many testimonies among us.
Raising the dead -30/11/01 Daniel Ekechukwu see www.dci.org.uk/main/nigeriareport.htm
for the full story. I have personally spoken with and a woman in
Burkina and a man in Lira, Uganda who had been genuinely dead for some
time before being raised.
Over nature - Bishop Tom Okello's 'execution' testimony in Amin's time,
when the Lord overcame nature and slowed the bullet down until it was visible
and then caused it to be deflected away from Tom's head on several
execution attempts.
Provision of money for righteous purposes - Miguel Diez of Remar Spain
feeds, houses and cares fro 20,000 people a day and has written a book on
the miraculous provision of funds over 20 years.
We
need ask God to raise up this gift of working miracles in the Church and
church. A man or a woman who will not use this grace gift to become rich
at the expense of ministering God's power into people's misery and
suffering and hopes.
So - can only a Saint work a miracle or is
the gift for the saints ?
It
seems from history that you can be called a Saint and have a day of your
own for one proven miracle.
Two kinds of believers
Those
who believe in God but live according to their own abilities, plans and
provision, taking care of themselves - and those who believe in the Living
God, see their own spiritual poverty, and call upon Him every chance they
get, living for Him and His cause, and letting Christ take of them.
For
them the saints of the Bible - life in Christ is a continual miracle, and
if it is not for you - why ever not ?
1. If you
need a miracle from the Lord:
How
desperate are you -if needs be will you take the roof off your neighbours
house to get your friend to Jesus ? (Mark 2.23 ff) Or whatever it takes to
touch and be touched by the One who works miracles -Jesus. Jesus said,
"Go back and tell John what's going on: The blind see, the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the
wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side. Matthew 11.4-6.
2. If you
want to be used in the working of miracles:
Kathryn
Kuhlman said when she was frequently criticised for daring to be a woman
in a ministry of miracles: "Any man could have had the ministry I
have but none will pay the price." Continuation of Mat. 11,4-6 says:
"Blessed is the man who does not fall away
on account of me (what I do)" Temptations to pride, fame, pounds,
critics can cause a man or woman to fall in no time !
If
you are not an apostle -you can still be apostolic, and go ..
If
you are not an evangelist -you can still be evangelistic and tell. .
If you do not have the gift of working of
miracles -
You do know
a man who has, and He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus
said, "Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.
.." (John 14.12) Do what He did, attempt great things for God, expect
great things from God.
You
and Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit are a powerful combination to
bring about change that defies any natural explanation.
Les
Norman.
March 2003.
DCI | The World Christians Network,
United Kingdom.
www.dci.org.uk