Audacity of Miracles

Audacity of Miracles, Signs and wonders

The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. Acts 15:12 NIV

It was some few years back I stumbled into a conference hosted by Church of Christ and the speaker was making much emphasis that miracles no longer happen today. He went further to explain that those who claim they speak in tongues, heal the sick and cast out demons are the deceivers and antichrist the bible warned us about. He made mockery and mimicked healing evangelists and preachers who claimed they cast out demons.

I sat quiet as he summarized his teaching. Fortunately he asked for questions and reactions to his presentation. I indicated by raising my hand and he generously obliged me. I said something like this –

“Sir, thank you for your wonderful teachings and I am especially impressed that you kept referring to the bible all through your lecture. I beg that you forgive me but I am among those that believe that God still performs miracles today; I speak in tongues and have personally driven out evil spirits in the name of Jesus Christ.

Yet, I don’t want it to be a matter of your words and mine; I see that some people in this auditorium are sick because there is a proof of it in their physical appearance. Would you accept a very simple challenge, so that God will vindicate Himself. I want to suggest that those who are sick of any ailment stand out in the center of this auditorium and let everyone who truly believes in Jesus Christ call down healing on all such.

If they all or some are healed we all will then accept that God still heals the sick today, but if none is healed, we conclude that God does not heal the sick today. I promise not to open my mouth to say anything, so that the prayer would have been said by only your members”.

There was silence in the hall and suddenly our teacher said, “We don’t allow that kind of thing here. We don’t put the Lord to the test”.

Then I said, “Is it that you are afraid that the truth will hurt your doctrine or…?”

“I said we don’t do it and we don’t try it”.

I sat quiet but at the end of the meeting many of their leaders thronged after me and most of them confessed that they know and have experienced that God still perform miracles today but were afraid to speak out.

Our text states that testimony of miracles silenced dogmatic argument. People can challenge your grammar but they can’t argue obvious manifestation of God’s power. Miracles, signs and wonders are God’s signature in our meetings.

Jesus Christ pleaded it as evidence He came from God

But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father John 10:38NIV

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,  because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction 1 Thess 1:4-5 NIV

Someone may ask, “Must everyone perform miracles?”

You don’t need to perform miracles but miracles, signs and wonders are proofs that God is in the meeting.

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. Mark 16:20NIV

When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said.  With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:6-8 NIV

There are obviously counterfeit signs and wonders but that only proves that there are original and genuine signs and wonders

(to be continued)

Emma your brother @PNUR