~ The Spiritual Gift of Miraculous Powers ~
Opening Comment ~ “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:16-18).
Category ~ The sign gift of performing miracles.
Purpose ~ The New Testament miracles were one way that God demonstrated His sovereignty over all things. It was in a day when the written Word of God was not readily available.
“The miracles of the Old Testament age authenticated Moses and the prophets as men of God… the miracles of the New Testament age authenticated in turn Christ and his apostles.” —Robert Reymond
“There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him’” (John 3:1-2).
“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them’” (Luke 7:22)
Definition ~ “The working of miracles’ is to do supernatural things. There were miracles in the apostolic age, but today we are seeing greater things. When Jesus spoke a word to a person – like the woman at the well or to Nicodemus – and that person was converted, I don't marvel at that. But when I speak the Word or you speak the Word and somebody is saved, that is a greater work.” —J. Vernon McGee
Scripture ~ “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
“And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:28-31).
This chapter ends with the “more excellent way” explained: “and now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Time Period ~ The period of time when the gift of miraculous powers were given was primarily while Christ was on earth. There were no readily available written copies of God’s Word to mankind.
“Truly the signs of an apostle were [past tense] wrought among you in all patience, in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds” (2 Corinthians 12:12).
The NIV translation says it this way: “The things that mark an apostle – signs, wonders and miracles – were [past tense] done among you with great perseverance.” In this passage we find that Paul’s statement indicates that some of the miraculous sign gifts in the early Church were over.
However, God is sovereign and I believe miracles (in the sense of defying the laws of science) are still happening today, but mainly in third-world countries where the availability of God’s Word is not available – miraculous signs are one way God uses to convince people of His reality. In industrialized nations I believe it is extremely rare for miracles that defy physical laws occur.
New Testament Examples ~ Many of the miracles of Jesus while on earth are widely known. Changing water into wine, walking on water, feeding the multitudes, restoring sight to the blind man, and many more!
Comment ~ While Christians today do not commonly see miraculous events we can be sure the God is still active and still sovereign. He is still in control. He is active around the world in miraculous ways.
“The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make him holy, then put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it.” —Leonard Ravenhill
Closing Comments ~ “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).
“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
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