Part4 Reclaiming Miracles, Signs and Wonders
Reclaiming Miracles, Signs and Wonders Part 4
Tuesday November 26, 2024
Luke 4:18-19 NKJV "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; [19] To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
We see a mixture of word and power in Jesus’ self-declared ministry. (Isaiah 61:1-2)
When miracles are performed through believers, they are intended to show the world and the devils that God is with us.
Acts 10:38 ESV how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Acts 19:11-15 LSB And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, [12] so that cloths or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. [13] But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I implore you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” [14] Now seven sons of one named Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. [15] And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
God’s Presence is actually better proved by the fruit of transformed lives, both ours and those to whom we preach.
Galatians 5:22-23 LSB
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
2 Peter 1:5-8 LSB (Peter’s parallel of Paul’s fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23.)
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith (faithfulness) supply moral excellence (goodness), and in your moral excellence, knowledge (joy), [6] and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance (long-suffering), and in your perseverance, godliness, (gentleness) [7] and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. [8] For if these things are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Which is harder, performing miracles or transforming people into godliness?
Titus 2:11-14 NKJV
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, [12] teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, [13] looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, [14] who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Jesus’ miracles were mostly instantaneous, but His teachings took years to stick.
Jesus was called Rabbi (teacher), Rabboni (my teacher), and He himself promoted His teaching ministry far above His miracles.
Jesus never expressed any frustrations with performing miracles as He did with His teaching ministry.
John 14:9 ESV Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
He rebuked people for seeking after signs but praised them for listening to His words.
Luke 10:38-42 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
When looking for miracles, we will sometimes accuse God of not being helpful, of not caring.
Acts 20:32 NKJV "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Miracles do not build us up. It is the word that builds us up, edifies and equips us.
Miracles give us quick, short time relief. Sound doctrine builds us up for eternity.
We will regain the miraculous, if we return to the true gospel.
God is committed to His word and He will always confirm His word with signs and wonders. If we remain faithful to His word, we will find Him to be faithful to His word.
Acts 14:8-10 LSB And at Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. [9] This man listened to Paul as he spoke, who, when he fixed his gaze on him and saw that he had faith to be saved from being lame, [10] said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk.
It is not enough to preach God's word faithfully. We must live according to the word before God can approve of us.
2 Timothy 2:15 LSB Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
1 Timothy 4:16 LSB Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
1 Timothy 4:16 NLT Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.
How we live is more important than what/how we preach.
How you preach may have a limited impact on how you live, but how you live will definitely impact how you preach.
It is possible to preach right and live wrong, but it is impossible to live right and preach wrong.
You can’t live right apart from a sound knowledge of God's word.
We will see miracles on a frequent basis when right doctrine is demonstrated by right living.
Regarding miracles in the church today, we have to contend with the twin spirits of the Sadducees and the Pharisees. One spirit pays attention to themselves to the neglect of their doctrine, while the other spirit pays greater attention to their doctrine while living carelessly.
When properly handled, the Truth of God’s word will produce godly results.
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
There are two aspects to the nature of godliness… character and power.
1 Timothy 3:16 NKJV And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.
Our greatest need is to become like Him in all His Nature.
Godly results include the salvation and sanctification of saints, AND miracles, signs and wonders.
Sanctification happens when God’s word changes me. Miracles happen when God’s word changes situations at my command.
Sanctification requires my cooperation with the word of God. Miracles are all in God’s hands.
Romans 12:2 NLT Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
I must respond to God's word, (sanctification) before I expect demons, disease and nature to respond to God’s word in my mouth, (miracles, signs and wonders.)
The word of God is true, alive, sharp and prosperous.
Hebrews 4:12 NLT For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [11] so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
