By My Spirit
The Bible is an incredible book, unique in all the world. So much so that just the adherents to its directives would turn even the purgatories of Earth into paradise. Still, creation's instruction manual is meant to be used in concert with the insight and power only the Spirit of the Creator can provide. In fact, incredible answers to prayer, and genuine verifiable miracles are such a universal theme throughout Scripture that there absence is indicative of something gone seriously wrong.
Miracles: The "Children's Bread"
Throughout the pages of the Bible, as well as human history, few miracles are as plenteous and meaningful as that of the healing of physical disease, mental illness and spiritual torment. So much so, this one of many gifts of the Spirit is deserving of it's own study by Prophetic Christians. For our purposes a few scriptural points should suffice:
"From there Jesus took a trip to Tyre and Sidon. They had hardly arrived when a Canaanite woman came down from the hills and pleaded, "Mercy, Master, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly afflicted by an evil spirit." Jesus ignored her. The disciples came and complained, "Now she's bothering us. Would you please take care of her? She's driving us crazy." Jesus refused, telling them, "I've got my hands full dealing with the lost sheep of Israel." Then the woman came back to Jesus, went to her knees, and begged. "Master, help me." He said, "It's not right to take bread out of children's mouths and throw it to dogs." She was quick: "You're right, Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master's table." Jesus gave in. "Oh, woman, your faith is something else. What you want is what you get!" Right then her daughter became well. Matthew 15:21-28 The Message
Here Jesus identifies His gift of the miraculous as the "Children's Bread." In Christ's day, as in our own, bread is a staple and a vital food source. Bread, that is the miraculous, is not served as a mere appetizer or only with the first course. Miracles are ubiquitous throughout the scripture and are used by God as a sign of His presence and truth:
"The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works (miracles). Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves." John 14:10-11
Here Jesus explains that even His teaching benefited by the signs and wonders God performed to capture His audience's attention and validate His message above other of His day. Note Christ does not stop there but continues:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works that these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:12-14
Many New Testament verse like these strongly suggest that far from the possibilities of miracles having ceased, 21st Century 1st World Christians may have ceased appropriately seeking them as the means of power evangelism vital to the message of the Gospel.
Western Christianity could learn much from the Canaanite woman. Notice how the repeated and desperate prayer of this mother is viewed by Christ. Not as a lack of faith but as great faith and is rewarded. In this version, the love and compassion for her tormented daughter causes a mother to overcome several obstacles. These include traveling to meet Jesus, opposition to Him by the religious establishment of her day, Jesus' ignoring her, His disciples complaints and Jesus' refusal of her request. All these she was driven to overcome and eventually her faith won the day!
An even greater lesson can be learned from a similar scenario played out when Jesus' mother Mary's requests that He perform His first miracle before He had planned to at the wedding feast in Cana:
"On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” John 2:1-4
Ordinarily this would seem to be the end of the matter. Instead, in perfect submission Mary persists:
"His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him." John 2:4-11
Like the Canaanite mother, Mary's refusal to take no for an answer overcame Jesus' objection! What's more, note the reason for Christ's refusal to grant her request is that His time for His first miracle had not come yet. Jesus latter teaches that the times and seasons are established by God the Father. Respecting the Lord's explanation strongly suggests that intercession not only turned water to the best of wine but even changed the Heavenly Father's timetable for Christ's debut performance!
Healing the Sick
Another important theme of the New Testament is healing the sick. Christ constantly taught by show and tell. Using signs and wonders Jesus drew immense crowds and then taught them the word of God with authority. Furthermore, He commissioned His apostles, and more importantly those who would believe their message, to carry on the family business in the same way making healing and miracles as integral part of making converts and disciples:
"Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead. And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs." Mark 16:14-20
Some dismiss the above verses on grounds they may or may not have appeared in certain ancient manuscripts. Either way, they are certainly in keeping with the examples of both the Gospels and the Book of Acts. Others dismiss this version of the Great Commission on grounds that since the canonization of scripture we no longer need the miraculous. Happily, not only is this point of view nowhere to be found in scripture but was far from true even when the Word of God made flesh walked and ministered on Earth!
More strong evidence is supplied by none other than James, the brother of Jesus. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to James and so deep was his conversion that according to the Book of Acts he became the head of the church of Jerusalem. During an critical early church dispute, Peter and Paul each had there say but it was James who rendered the final verdict. This seems strange at first glance seeing he had failed to be worthy of even being a disciple during Jesus' ministry. However, once the depth of James' conversion was clear, apparently the apostles understood that having lived a lifetime under the direct influence of Christ gave James perspective and training into the nature of Jesus even they didn't have.
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:13-16
Here is clear evidence that while there are sick among us and while there are elders of the church, if they are righteous, their effective and fervent prayer will heal the sick. God would that this were the case! Sinners would overrun our facilities, once again be tearing the rooftops off of houses to lower their sick and dying loved ones into our services. Instead there is little or no difference when we pray for the sick, even among our own families and congregations. Perhaps this stems from and is responsible for the fact there is little or no difference between the lifestyles of believers and unbelievers. Note also that in these passages there is no mention of cessation of the power of Pentecost, though it would be a handy excuse for the inability to carry out this command.
Let us study to show ourselves approved, learning to know God's will and diligently seek His face until it's recognized in our lives. Let us learn the art of intercession, praying without ceasing for a return of the power of God so vital in carrying out the Great Commission entrusted to the Church.
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