Miracles Happen! (eBook)

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Miracles Glorify God

God, the Creator of all things, is forever and ever in control of all things. He is in charge! He is almighty, omnipotent, omnipresent, and wonderful—truly, the ultimate Father. Nothing is impossible for God. His Word tells us very plainly what he can do, what he will do, and what he has already done for you and for me. And all he has done and will do glorifies him and his Son. With every miracle you read about, experience, or see, you can and should give God all the glory and thanksgiving you can muster. Allow your faith to grow and develop as you realize all miracles are from him. Each supernatural manifestation should increase your faith, belief, and love for your Father in heaven. God blesses you daily by surrounding you with his miraculous plans for every step you take.

I am often asked questions like “Does God heal this?” or “Can he heal that?” Too often, people limit God. There is nothing too hard for him. Not only can God heal any illness, but God can also replace an organ that has been removed. Read the following passages and take the limits off what God can do.

•“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is there anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27 AMP)

•“I am the LORD, I do not change.” (Malachi 3:6 NKJV)

•Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26 NKJV)

While some people believe God can cure physical problems, they may not believe he can cure emotional or mental issues—things like PTSD, bipolar disorder, fibromyalgia, or schizophrenia. With man, there is no treatment, medication, or medical cure for these things. Medical science can often control the symptoms, but it can’t cure these disorders or diseases. But God. Contrary to medical beliefs, I have seen many people healed of PTSD, bipolar disorder, fibromyalgia, and schizophrenia. Let’s look at a few other verses that show God’s glorious power straight from the mouth of his Son:

•Jesus came close to them and said, “All the authority of the universe has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18 TPT)

•Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23 NKJV)

•Jesus replied, “The things that are impossible for people are possible for God.” (Luke 18:27 ISV)

When people see God’s miracles or experience his power, it opens their eyes. They realize God and Jesus are alive and love them very much. God does heal today just like he did in the Bible. Not only does he want to heal, but he also heals to glorify himself in the greatest way that there is. We saw this often throughout the Old Testament and especially in the New Testament with Jesus. Jesus’s miracles were known by many—and not just by those who believed he was the Son of God.

•All the people were astounded as they saw with their own eyes the incredible miracle Jesus had performed! They began to say among themselves, “He really is the One—the true prophet we’ve been expecting!” (John 6:14 TPT)

•The Pharisees and the chief priests called a special meeting of the High Council and said, “So what are we going to do about this man? Look at all the great miracles he’s performing!” (John 11:47 TPT)

Jesus’s miracles were proof that he was indeed the Son of God—the true prophet Israel had been waiting for. And he wanted his miracle work to continue long after he was gone. So before Jesus died, he gave the gift of miracle healing to his disciples (and now to us). In Mark 16:17–18, Jesus said, “‘And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover’” (NKJV).

Did you know that God has commissioned us to perform miracles? It’s true! And as we minister to the sick, other people will look to us and comment on the signs and wonders that follow us. Signs and wonders are scriptural. God’s Word says in John 14:12, “‘For sure, I tell you, whoever puts his trust in Me can do the things I am doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father’” (NLV). Miracles happen as we lay hands on the sick and pray for them. God does these miracles through you, a believer. Just remember that God must get the credit and the glory for every miracle.

Stephen and Philip are two examples of men who took Jesus’s words to heart and went on to perform miracles in his name and for his glory. Acts 6:8 says, “Stephen, who was a man full of grace and supernatural power, performed many astonishing signs and wonders and mighty miracles among the people” (TPT). This is a very important passage. Stephen was full of grace and supernatural power and did many mighty miracles among the people. How did he get full of grace and power? He studied the teachings of Jesus, learned from people around him, and acted on what he learned and saw. This same supernatural power will grow the more you study, learn, lay hands on people, and see them recover. Follow Stephen’s example just as he followed what he learned from Jesus’s disciples.

And then there’s Philip, who also performed miracles. Acts 8:6 says, “And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did” (NKJV). People respected Philip and believed he was a man of God because of what they saw. He didn’t have any special powers that weren’t available to someone else. He simply believed that God could work through him, and he acted in obedience. Clearly, God can and does use ordinary people to do extraordinary things!

As people see God use you in a supernatural way, their faith will grow also. When the disciples and servants witnessed the miracles Jesus performed at the wedding, people believed: “Jesus performed this miracle, the first of His signs, in Cana of Galilee. They did not know how this happened; but when the disciples and the servants witnessed this miracle, their faith blossomed” (John 2:11 VOICE). Witnessing you laying hands on the sick and seeing them recover will show people God’s power flowing through you. Witnessing miracles always astounds and changes people. It is an experience no one ever forgets.

After teaching and leading the audience in the sinner’s prayer during a service, I always ask people to turn to a person next to them. I direct them to pray specifically for the other person’s needs. Many times, it’s for healing. And do you know what happens? Miraculous healings pop up all over the room. Someone doesn’t have to be saved for years before praying for another person. Even a new believer can lay hands on the sick and see them recover. Because it isn’t about us. It’s about God working through us. This is often the first experience of healing a new believer sees and feels. And because of what they have witnessed, they can’t help but give God the glory!

This happened often in the Bible. As people saw or heard about miracles being performed, their faith and belief grew.

•While Jesus was at the Passover Feast, the number of his followers began to grow, and many gave their allegiance to him because of all the miraculous signs they had seen him doing! (John 2:23 TPT)

•All the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. (Acts 15:12 NKJV)

Right now, get a pad of paper and a pen. Jot down the miracles in your life that come to mind and continue doing so as you read this book. Thank God for each one. When you need encouragement, pull out your list to remind yourself of what he has already done and promises to do for you today and tomorrow. He is certainly well-qualified to bless you with supernatural miracles. Give him all the glory, praise, and thanksgiving. Your response shows him you trust him and agree with what he is doing. There is power in agreement. And God wants you to give him all the glory as miracles manifest in your life. Miracles truly glorify Jesus as well as his Father.

Finally, remember that as you go out to minister, you need people agreeing with you. Matthew 18:19 says, “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven” (NIV). This verse shows the power of a partner or prayer partner. This person doesn’t necessarily need to be in the same room with you while you pray because prayers travel any distance instantly. Remember, don’t limit God! The important thing is the agreement of those who are praying.

Unity and acting in total agreement will increase the expression of God’s power and the miraculous healings that will happen through the prayers of believers. On the other hand, controversy and dissension hinder God’s power to flow through human hands. I have full confidence that my ministry prayer partners are praying for me regardless of where I happen to be in the world. Those prayers increase the power of my prayers when ministering to the sick. And God’s blessings flow back to...