The Gifts: Miracles

Wednesday Evening Bible Study

February 2, 2000

Introduction

A gift of the Holy Spirit is a special ability given to a believer by the Holy Spirit.

It is not a natural born talent, like music is for some people. A person may indeed be "gifted" in music, but it is not part of our list of gifts imparted by the Holy Spirit.

It is not some kind of earned "merit badge" for good Christians. It is a form of "grace". One of the Greek word for "gifts" is charismata, or, "workings of grace".

Definition

(1 Cor 12:10 KJV) To another the working of miracles

working – energema – thing wrought; effect operation; from – energeo – to be operative, be at work, put forth power

miracles – dunamis – strength power, ability; inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth; power for performing miracles

(1 Cor 12:10 NASB) and to another the effecting of miracles

(1 Cor 12:10 NLT) He gives one person the power to perform miracles

(1 Cor 12:10 NIV) to another miraculous powers

The words are both plural, seemingly to point to the effecting of each miracle as a gift, much as gifts of healing were the healing given to each person in need, here the miracles are each miracle produced.

Definition:

The effecting of a work which cannot be produced by natural agents or means.

Examples of Miracles

The Old Testament is full of examples of miracles.

God did incredible miracles through Moses in the plagues of Egypt (Exo. 7-12), the parting of the Red Sea (Exo. 14), manna in the wilderness (Ex. 16), water in the wilderness (Ex. 17), etc.

Elijah and Elisha also performed miracles like raising the dead, calling down fire from heaven, feeding people, etc.

In a sense, much of Jesus’ ministry would be called "miraculous".

(Luke 19:37 KJV) And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works (dunamis) that they had seen;

This was His triumphal entry into Jerusalem after having spent three years ministering to people.

His miracles involved:

Turning water into wine (John 2:1-11)

Healing (Luke 6:19)

Raising the dead (Luke 7:11-15; John 11)

Feeding the multitudes (John 6)

Walking on water (Mat. 14:25)

The apostles also demonstrated the workings of miracles.

(Acts 4:33 KJV) And with great power (dunamis) gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

They spoke and people dropped dead (Acts 5:1-12)

They raised the dead (Peter, Acts 9:40; Paul, Acts 20:9-10)

They healed many people. People were even healed by Peter’s shadow passing over them (Acts 5:15). People were healed by Paul’s sweatbands (Acts 19:11-12) and these events were called "miracles" (dunamis).

Paul blinded Elymas the magician (Acts 13:6-12)

Warnings

1. Some supposed miracles may be hoaxes.

One of the latest things to sweep through the churches has to do with gold. Some people are claiming that God is putting gold dust in their hair. Others are claiming that God is filling their cavities with gold fillings, or turning their amalgam fillings into gold, or at least polishing their gold fillings.

The gold dust thing started a few years back by an Argentinian evangelist gal named Silvania Machado, who claimed to have God put "gold dust" into her hair. I’ve seen videos of her shaking her head and lots of gold dust coming out. Charisma magazine reported on Sept. 8, 1999 that they had done two independent tests of the stuff that comes from her hair, and both labs confirmed that the stuff is flakes of plastic film with no metal in it at all. It’s a hoax.

I have not read any articles that substantiate or debunk the gold fillings yet. I have read that some people who have claimed to have received gold fillings were afterwards rebuked by their dentist for simply forgetting that he had filled their cavities. One decent comment from a dentist was wondering why God wouldn’t just fix the teeth with the best material, enamel.

2. Some miracles may be genuine, but that doesn’t mean that God is behind it.

Jesus talked about false prophets performing genuine miracles.

(Mat 7:22-23 KJV) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works (dunamis)? {23} And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

God will allow false prophets to do miracles as a way of testing whether or not we really love the Lord or just the miracles.

(Deu 13:1-3 KJV) If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, {2} And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; {3} Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

The antichrist will display miracles.

(2 Th 2:9-10 KJV) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power (dunamis) and signs and lying wonders, {10} And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

3. Miracles don’t guarantee to cause belief in a person.

Jesus rebuked the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum –

(Mat 11:20 NASB) Then He began to reproach the cities in which most of His miracles (dunamis) were done, because they did not repent.

These cities had seen most of His miracles, yet many of them still did not believe.

4. The danger of adulation.

There is a danger that we will accept adulation from people for miracles performed through us.

When Paul and Barnabas came to Lystra (Acts 14:8-18), Paul healed a lame man, and as a result, the entire town turned out to worship them as gods.

(Acts 14:14-18 KJV) Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, {15} And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: {16} Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. {17} Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. {18} And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

A few days later, this adoring crowd had turned against Paul and Barnabas and stoned them.

I’ve heard Pastor Chuck say that this is one of the biggest reasons why we don’t see too many miracles beyond healing, because there aren’t a lot of people who could handle what would happen if miracles began to occur.

Ingredients for making miracles

1. Need

Every where we see a miracle done in the Bible it was because there was a need for it. Jesus never performed a miracle just to entertain people.

(Luke 23:8-9 KJV) And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. {9} Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.

2. Permission

As with anything, we need to keep in mind that it must be God’s will to perform a miracle. When Peter was in prison, the church prayed and God sent an angel to set Peter free. But when James was imprisoned, he was put to death, as Peter would be one day.

(1 John 5:14-15 KJV) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: {15} And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

You may be sure that you have a "need", but if God wants you to live with your perceived "need" a little longer, He isn’t going to give you a miracle.

3. Faith

It would seem that both this gift and the gifts of healings seemed linked with the gift before that, the gift of faith. It seems that God gives a certain abundance of faith to a person to trust that He will perform a certain work.

Jesus said,

(Mat 17:20b KJV) If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

There was one place where Jesus did NOT do many miracles:

(Mat 13:54-58 KJV) And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? {55} Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? {56} And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? {57} And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. {58} And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Faith for miracles starts with understanding your God.

(Acts 4:23-31 KJV) And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. {24} And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: {25} Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? {26} The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. {27} For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, {28} For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. {29} And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, {30} By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. {31} And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

When you understand that God created the world by simply speaking it into existence, it’s not to big of a stretch to understand that He can pretty much do whatever He wants to.

Some people have problems with things like Jonah and the whale. But if God is really God, why is it so hard to believe?

If we cannot believe in God, we cannot believe in miracles.

(Acts 26:8 KJV) Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?