But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; surely, they shall not see the land which I sworn unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it. Numbers 14:21 – 23.
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. Matthew 11:20 – 24.
This is one of the topics from the scripture which the enemy is very interesting to use to divide the church into denominations (Pentecostal, evangelical, Calvinist, Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Puritans, etc.) but God is not in any denomination rather than in his children who are born again of water and of the spirit (John 3:5): I will live in them, and dwell in them, says the Lord: and they shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty (2 Corinthians 6:18): let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Philippians 3:15.
From the scriptures, we’ll found out that there are two kinds of supernatural miracles, signs and wonders, namely, the miracles and signs of mercy of which no faith is required but is designed to inspire or provoke faith in God in the recipients (and many of the people believed on him, and said, when Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? John: 7:31) and to draw them to a closer walk after him that they should trust and fix their hearts on the excellent greatness and Omnipotent power of God: that they should keep believing him for any impossibility (and I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:3 – 5) based on the previous demonstration of power they’ve witnessed. A miracle of mercy is such as the widow woman at Nain who lost her only son was on her way out to bury him when Christ was on his way into the city saw her with the mourning crowd witnessed as the Lord had compassion on her and raised her dead son’s body back to life (Luke 7:13) contrary to the question of faith the Lord asked Martha if she believe that he is able to raise her brother Lazarus back to life. John 11:39 – 40. And mercy given and shown in the evening time, when the people brought their sick and possessed relatives to Christ for healing and were all healed of their various infirmities and sicknesses without any question whether they believe God for their healing or not that it might be fulfilled that which was written, himself took our iniquities and bare our diseases: that is the definition of miracle of mercy. Matthew 8:16 – 17.
This is the reason God voiced out his frustration against the sin of unbelief of the Israelis in the wilderness that despite all the mighty works and wonders he has wrought on their behalf in his pity and mercy so that they should believe on him from Egypt into the wilderness and in the wilderness they remain as children in whom is no faith (Deuteronomy 32:20), therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. Isaiah 63:10. This is also the same reason that Christ pronounce malediction on the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida from the texts before us, that despite all the greatest miracles he did before their eyes, the endgame of those miracles is not accomplished, namely, they refused to repent, but believed not on him that the sayings of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again, he hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spoke of him. John 12:37 – 41.
Secondly, there are supernatural miracles wrought by God as the result or because of the faith of the recipient (and Jesus said unto the centurion, go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. Matthew 8:13) even as the Lord asked the two blind men which came unto him for healing, do you believe I can do this for you? They said unto him, yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, according to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened. Matthew 9:28 – 30. Note: the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, let us continue to trust in his faithfulness, mercy and goodness that healing is the bread and right of his children (Mathew 15:26) even though the manifestations of any of these miracles (mercy and faith based) of healing are determined according to the will of him who does what he wishes with the heavenly armies and with those who live on earth. No one can hold back his power or say to him what did you do (Daniel 4:35): see now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live forever. Deuteronomy 32:39 – 40.
Physicians heal yourself. Elisha was blessed and anointed with the double portion of the anointing power of the Spirit of God above his master — Elijah, but he died by sickness (2 Kings 13:14), while the latter was caught up alive to heaven in good health by the chariots of fire. Those who are gifted with the healing gift are also at the mercy of God for healing if they should fall sick by any other reason apart from sin; just as a sinner believer who is chastised is healed after his confession and the prayers of faith of the elders of the church over him with after anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. James 5:15. The Apostle Paul was mightily used in the healing ministry as one of the gifts and signs of his apostleship (truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. 2 Corinthians 12:12), but he would later on write to Timothy that he left Trophimus sick at Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20): and of Epaphroditus ‚he wrote that he was indeed sick so close unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Philippians 2:27.
I will humbly submit before us this day in the defense of the immutable (unchanging overtime and unable to be changed) and Omnipotent of God that he has not and will not change concerning this topic before us: (b) and of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ that the scriptures cannot be broken (John 10:35) regarding the testimony and continuation of the words and works Christ did when he was on earth as he promised that his faith and spirit –filled servants (and Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Acts 6:8) shall do greater works than him because the same Father who was at work in him while he was on earth (John 14:12) is the same at work in them he left behind to repeat the same works in a greater proportion to the glory of his name through his Spirit that is at work in them: © and of the eternality of the risen Lord and Christ who is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) in the contention for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints that the kingdom of God and the gospel of Christ is not in word, but in power according to the scripture: that the age of supernatural miracles, signs and wonders from the Lord of hosts which dwells in Zion (Isaiah 8:18) is very much around through the in-​filling of the indwelling baptism of his Holy Spirit (Acts 19: 1 – 7) even as the Lord Jesus Christ give details account of those signs, miracles and wonders to expect following them that believes (and he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Mark 16:15 – 18) in him until the end of time when the church, which is his body, shall cease to be on earth at his second coming, when the trumpet shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall be raised first, and we that are alive and remain shall be changed, and be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and to be with him forever according to working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. This near future manifestation in itself is a miracle. Should any thought it incredible that God can raise the dead and transport the living saints at the coming of Christ to heaven without seeing death? Is it not written that we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed? 1 Corinthians 15:51. It may or may not occurs in our time, but the word of God shall not go unfulfilled — watch and pray, for you know not at what hour the Lord will come.
As God’s children, sincerity should be displayed as we confess and admits to whatsoever we lack in our faith, and to humbly ask God to help our unbelief in those things which seems incredible to us today in his word that he might help us (night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith. 1 Thessalonians 3:10) rather than to seek to utilize our spiritual inability resulting from of our little faith to nullify any part of the truth of the gospel. Not because we are not experiencing or living by their reality or spiritual manifestation of them does not make any of them void; but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles. 1 Corinthians 12:7 – 12.
For any present-day believer to say that the age of supernatural manifestations of signs, wonders and miracles is over in the church today is unimaginable and unthinkable. The fact that the Wonder of all the wonders (Christ) is now in you to give you a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17) in the hope of eternal life through the power of the world to come which is presently in you (Hebrews 6:4 – 5) is in itself a miracle, sign and wonder. But, if the Lord has changed and transformed you from the old life and man you were once in times past from your sins into a new life and creature you are now today in his righteousness, I can only pray like Apostle Paul that your eyes should be opened by God so that you should know what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believed, according to the working of his glorious power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, far above principalities and power – that you should also know the practicality of the authority and power he has given unto us to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the powers of the enemy without hurt.
According to the scriptures (Joel 2:28) and the events that happened at Cornelius house (while Peter yet speak these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? Acts 10:44 – 47), God is actually in the business of filling earthen vessels or mortal bodies both of present day converted and believing Jews and Gentiles with his Spirit just like in the day of Pentecost to work salvation, regeneration, sanctification and deliverance from demonic possession and other miracles, signs and wonders through the out-​pouring of the Holy Spirit in the lives of his children on earth – for the promise is unto you, and unto your children, and to all that are afar off, even as unto many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:39.
There are always counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders through the power of Satan working miracles in the world to confuse and dilute the word and works of God through familiar spirits (demonic powers)) just like the magicians at Egypt attempted to oppose Moses and counterfeited the miracles wrought by God through him to dispute his claims before Pharaoh (2 Corinthians 11: 3 – 4 & 14 – 15), but how can a child of God rightly and biblically thinks through that Christ, having spoken to warn us of the rising numbers of false prophets in the last days with great signs and wonders on earth to deceive the nations of the world, and if possible, to deceive the elects will consciously withdraws the manifestations of the testimony and confirmations of the power of his resurrection away from the present day church? If we seek to remove the manifestations of the preaching power of the cross through the gifts of the spirit of his resurrection away from the church, all that will be left would be a sleepy, weak and powerless church; this is not the type of church Christ intend to build, but a fervent in spirit and a triumphant church serving the Lord, while exercising their spiritual authority to expose the devil’s defeat on the cross; repeatedly displaying the confirmation of the truth of the gospel before all men as when Christ first triumphed over him on the cross to make a public disgrace of the hosts of darkness – for in him you are complete, which is the head of all principalities and powers. Colossians 2:10 –15.
Jesus preaches, teaches, heals the sick and cast out demons (Matthew 4:23): this is the kingdom of God, and this is the continuation of Christ work on earth after we receive power, after that the holy Ghost is come upon us to be his witnesses on earth, to preach, teach, heal the sick and to cast out demons…the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 1 Corinthians 4:20. The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes –Jews and Gentiles. And this power is demonstrated and shown through signs and wonders, not only by changing lives, but by breaking divers’ yokes, and to set the captives free – And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen — Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever. Mark 16:20. Hebrews 13:8.
In 1 Corinthians 14 verses 1 –3, the bible commands us to earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gift, especially the gift of prophecy that we may prophesy to edify, exhort and comfort others in the church while administering whatsoever gift we receive in the meekness and gentleness of Christ to serve one another in love according to the proportion of faith (Romans 12:6) which works by love (Galatians 5:6) lest we should make ourselves worthless and insignificant in the sight of God and man though we are gifted by any of those unspeakable gifts of God in all their spiritual beauties, glories and sweetness of Christ, if we are not exercising them wisely and cautiously in love as a good steward of the manifold grace of God.
At first, Moses was reluctant to obey the call of God because of his first experience of rejection and resistance before his brethren at Egypt after he killed an Egyptian to defend an Israeli. He then asked for power (Exodus 4:2) which God grant him for diversities of operations and manifestations to the intents that the people might believe him and obey God’s word from his mouth. We see then that the primary purpose of power for miracles, signs and wonders is for the people to believe the word of God from the mouth of Moses as the servant of God (and it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. Exodus 4:8): but God later suggested to destroy the Israelis for the hardness of heart when they made idols of gold despite his glorious presence in the form of pillar of fire by night and cloud by day with signs and miracles and great deliverance shown unto them: he promised to make another people who would be better than them in obedience and co-​operation with Moses to fulfill the will of God to make himself a name and a nation of obedient priests apart from them. Exodus 32: 9 – 10.
There are certain problems and sicknesses which the bible calls the oppression of Satan (how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Acts 10:38): these types of problems and sicknesses are not solved either are curable by counter drug prescription or surgical operation except by the gifts of healing or miracle to cast out the devils behind them — and God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 1 Corinthians 12:28 – 30.
I’ve seen the Lord healed and delivered countless people in my ministry from this kind of situation of demonic oppression in African and European countries during different ministrations. Few years back at Montpellier, there was a particular case of a sister who has been sick for quite a good period of time without any relief or improvement whatsoever despite medical visitations, body scan, radiology and drugs treatments. She was invited to the church by a friend but would not come at first except the pastor come to pray for her and she’s healed before she’ll be going to church – she was right, the scriptures cannot be broken as Christ says, except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. John 4:48.
By persuasions, I followed her friend in the company of Mariana to visit, encourage and to pray with her. During the prayer season, she vomited lots of dirt from her stomach and admitted at the end that something has left her body. She was healed and freed, zealous and faithful to the Lord, and fruitful in the church afterwards. This is the purpose of any miracle, signs and wonders as intended by God from both the Old and New Testament believers as the apostle declares – I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Romans 15:17 – 19.
We are answerable to every miracles we received from God – salvation, mercy or faith healing with other miracles of blessing (therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? Hebrews 2:1 – 4) lest we should be like them that observe lying vanities to forsake their own mercy, and to make ourselves unworthy of his fellowship, relationship and eternal life – salvation is of the Lord.
Whatever the miracle we received from God or the miracles wrought by him through us to make others to believe in him, his intents and purposes are the same by bringing every thought into captivity into the obedience of Christ: otherwise, the miracle workers and the miracle receivers or beneficiaries may all likewise perish in hell. The underlying factor or reason of Christ miracles is to go and sin no more (obedient), lest a worst thing happens to you, or the pronouncement of pardon of the past disobedient life of sin – your sins are forgiven you, rise and walk etc. Whether it is the miracle of healing, deliverance, sign of an instant judgment such as the early church witnessed in the death of Ananias and his wife (Acts 5:11), or of any kind of miracle, it is not the badge or assurance to get to heaven, but one calling us to duty as obedient children which is the end goal of any miracle so that we might serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire. Moses life was cut short by God as the result of his uncontrolled anger when he was instructed to speak to the rock to give water to drink to the Israelis, but he smote the rock because they angered him: though God honored his word and released the miracle of water from the rock for the people to drink; but every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward as he was deprived the right of continuation in leadership and entrance into the promised Land. Moses had the mercy miracle of youthfulness and invigorated throughout his life time: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated (Deuteronomy 34:5 – 7) until his death at the age of hundred and twenty years old on the mountain where he was led to die by the word of God. Numbers 27:12 – 13.
At Marah the place of bitter water where he first proves their hearts but they failed because they murmured against him after three days of walking in the desert without water, God made them to realize that his free miracles, signs and wonders are not so free to live anyhow afterward, but with a price of obedient to pay – believe, obey, submit and walk in his ways for freedom from sickness and disease. Exodus 15:26 – 27.
Not everyone that says Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but they that do the will of my Father which is in heaven, says Christ (Matthew 7:21 – 23): the workers of iniquities rejected and refuted by the Lord are condemned, not because they performed miracles in his name, but because they handled the word of deceitfully, and they walked in craftiness, and they never renounced the hidden things of dishonesty (2 Corinthians 4:2): thus they make themselves children of perdition according to their lifestyles – sowing to the flesh to reap eternal corruption – God is not mocked. God will use some people for his glory but afterwards reject to be burnt in hell (Hebrews 6:7 – 8): while others shall also be used, but are preserved for eternal glory. 2 Timothy 2:20 – 21.
Men shall not be condemned to live without Christ in eternity by the accounts of the gifts and manifestations of the Holy spirits if they do not fully know the will of Christ concerning their manifestations and operation in their lives, though they shall be beaten with few stripes for the many advantages and possibilities missed by the ignorance of them, but shall be saved: but the unprofitable servants, which knew and is gifted supernaturally, but commercialize to profit, satisfy and enrich himself therein, instead of his master’s profits and interest, bearing fruit that abides unto eternal life, but instead exploiting others and scandalizes his Lord’s name by them shall be condemned and rejected by Christ at the end into hell fire. Luke 12:41 – 48.