MiraculousGiftsandtheSpirit

SeeingMiraculousEffectsCanChristiansseetheeffectsofmiraclestoday?

CanweseetheCreation?

CanweseetheeffectsofJesus’sresurrection?

CanweseehowJesushadmultitudesfollowHim?

MiraculousSigns

Whatisthepurposeofmiraculoussigns?“Andtheywentoutandpreachedeverywhere,whiletheLordworkedwiththemandconfirmedthemessagebyaccompanyingsigns” (Mark16:20).

“Forweknow,brotherslovedbyGod,thathehaschosenyou,becauseourgospelcametoyounotonlyinword,butalsoinpowerandintheHolySpiritandwithfullconviction” (1Thess1:4–5a).

MiraculousGiftsoftheSpiritThegiftsoftheHolySpiritarealsosignsofGod.

“howshallweescapeifweneglectsuchagreatsalvation?ItwasdeclaredatfirstbytheLord,anditwasattestedtousbythosewhoheard,whileGodalsoborewitnessbysignsandwondersandvariousmiraclesandbygiftsoftheHolySpiritdistributedaccordingtohiswill” (Heb2:3–4).

Thosewiththegiftsworktogether(1Cor 12:4).Twochurchesteachingcontrarybeliefsandbothdoingmiraclescannotbothberight.

RecordedMiraclesHowelsedorecordedmiraclescausefaith?

“NowJesusdidmanyothersignsinthepresenceofthedisciples,whicharenotwritteninthisbook;butthesearewrittensothatyoumaybelievethatJesusistheChrist,theSonofGod,andthatbybelievingyoumayhavelifeinhisname” (John20:30–31).

WhydidJohnrecordonlysevenmiraclesandtheotherGospelsrecordovertwenty?

SignsandWonders

Dosignsandwonders helpwithobedience?“ForIwillnotventuretospeakofanythingexceptwhatChristhasaccomplishedthroughmetobringtheGentilestoobedience—bywordanddeed,bythepowerofsignsandwonders,bythepoweroftheSpiritofGod—sothatfromJerusalemandallthewayaroundtoIllyricumIhavefulfilledtheministryofthegospelofChrist;” (Rom15:18–19).

WhywouldtheapostlePaulwriteaboutsignsandwonders unlessthereweresignsandwonders?

WorksMiraclesHowcouldtheapostlePaulremindtheGalatiansofhimworkingmiraclesunlessthereweremiracles?

“DoeshewhosuppliestheSpirittoyouandworksmiraclesamongyoudosobyworksofthelaw,orbyhearingwithfaith— ” (Gal3:5;Gk. dunamis)

Canyouimaginewritingaletterremindingagroupofpeopleofthemiraclesthatyoudidbutthatdidnotactuallyoccur?

PoweroftheHolySpiritDidyouknowthatChristianshavehopethroughthepoweroftheHolySpirit?

“MaytheGodofhopefillyouwithalljoyandpeaceinbelieving,sothatbythepoweroftheHolySpirityoumayaboundinhope” (Rom15:13).

Whatkindofpeoplepossessthisjoyandpeace?

TheMeaningofMiracles“Miracle”doesnothaveitsownGreekword.

Theword“miracle”isinEnglishBiblesbytradingtheword“miracle”for“sign”(seimeion)or“powers”(dunamis).

“Miracle”ismostlyatranslationfor“sign,”seimeion(John2:11).

Unlessoneincludes“wonders”(teras),whichisnotcommonlytranslated“miracle.”

GiftsoftheSpiritObservationsfrom1Corinthians12:7–13:

GodgavethegiftsoftheSpiritforthecommongood.

GodgaveavarietyofgiftstospreadGod’sWord.

IndividualsreceivedaportionoftheseabilitiesfromthesameSpirit.

GiftsandtheIndwellingHavingtheSpiritdoesnotrequirehavingthegiftsoftheSpirit.

“ForIlongtoseeyou,thatImayimparttoyousomespiritualgifttostrengthenyou— thatis,thatwemaybemutuallyencouragedbyeachother'sfaith,bothyoursandmine” (Rom1:11–12).

TheRomansalreadypossessedtheSpiritnecessaryforsalvation.

“AnyonewhodoesnothavetheSpiritofChristdoesnotbelongtohim” (Rom8:9b).

GiftsandSalvationHavinggiftsoftheSpiritdoesnotsecuresalvation.

“Noteveryonewhosaystome,‘Lord,Lord,’willenterthekingdomofheaven,buttheonewhodoesthewillofmyFatherwhoisinheaven.Onthatdaymanywillsaytome,‘Lord,Lord,didwenotprophesyinyourname,andcastoutdemonsinyourname,anddomanymightyworksinyourname?’AndthenwillIdeclaretothem,‘Ineverknewyou;departfromme,youworkersoflawlessness.’” (Matt7:21–23).

CouldanyofJesus’sdiscipleshavesaidthis?

EvilMenandGod’sSpiritRememberthatevilmencanpossessgiftsfromtheSpirit.

JudasIscariot didmiraculoussigns(Matt10:1–4,8).

Caiaphas thehighpriestprophesiedaboutJesusandalsosoughttoputJesustodeath(John11:49–53).

TheSpiritcancontrolwickedmen.

ReceivingtheGiftsHowdidmostpeoplereceivethemiraculousgifts oftheSpirit?

ThebaptizedbelieversinSamariareceivedtheSpiritwithgiftsbythelayingonoftheapostles’hands (Acts8:14–17;cf.18–20).

PaulbaptizedadozenmeninJesus’snameandtheyreceivethegiftsbyPaullayingonhands(Acts9:1–7).

Likewise,TimothyreceivedthegiftofprophecyfromPaul(2Tim1:6).

MiraclesthroughHandsMiracleshaveceasedthroughthehandsofmen(cf.Acts14:3).

Willtherecomeanyothermiracles?Jesuswillcomebackintheclouds,peoplewillchangebodies,andbelieverswillmeettheLordinthesky.

TheCreationistheeffectofGod’smiraculousworking.

ReflectionHavinggiftsoftheSpiritisnotnecessaryforsalvationwhilethegiftoftheSpiritisessentialtosalvation.

MiraclesthroughhandsofmenhavefulfilledtheirpurposeofconfirmingGod’sWord.

Thecreation,humanity,andchurch aretheeffectsofGod’smiraclesthatprovethefaithtoday.

ChallengeChallengethosewhobelieveinmiraculousgiftsthattheWordfulfills themiraculoussigns.

Upholdbiblicalmiraclesasmorethanenoughtobelieve.

DonotdebateGod’swonderfulworkstodaytohealpeopleandbringforthlifeinthisworld.

InvitationAllowtheSpirittoworktochangeyourlife.

BytheTruth,theSpirittransforms believers(2Cor 3:18).

TheHolySpiritgivesusnewlifethroughbaptisminJesus’sname(John3:5;Acts2:38;Rom6:4).

OnemusthavetheHolySpirittobelongtoChrist(Rom8:9).

MiraculousGiftsandtheSpirit