2 Corinthians 5:18 “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Before we look at the gift of the working or miracles we need to recognise that just as with the gifts of healings, scripture also reveals two main methods that the Lord uses to work miracles through His saints. The two methods are; working miracles through the prayer of faith and working miracles through the spiritual gift called “working of miracles”. In this section we will discuss the method of working miracles through the prayer of faith, and the first miracle which we will discuss is the miracle of the new birth. When someone is born-again that is a display of the working of miracles, for it is only by God’s power that a new spirit is created in the individual who is born-again (2 Corinthians 5:17). In the above quoted passage of scripture we see that the Lord Jesus has given all believers the ministry of reconciliation. In other words all believers are called to witness to the unsaved around them so that they can believe the gospel and thus be born-again. And so we see that when the saints lead new converts in the sinner’s prayer, they are in fact operating in the working of miracles, for in that moment the Lord creates new spirits in those who are born-again. It is important to note however that the ministry of reconciliation given to the saints is for one on one ministry and not for ministering to multitudes.
Acts 9:17 “And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
The second miracle which we will discuss in this section is the miracle of the saints being filled with the Holy Spirit. When someone is filled with the Holy Spirit that is a display of the working of miracles, for it is God’s power that is imparted to the individual who is baptised with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-8). Part of the “great commission” that Jesus gave to all His disciples in Mark’s gospel (Mark 16:15-18), is that they would speak in new tongues. In other words the Lord mandated all His disciples to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless if you read that statement in context with the rest of the passage you will see that just as all disciples are mandated to proclaim the gospel, heal the sick and cast out demons, so it is also implied that all disciples are also to pray for fellow disciples so that they can be filled with the Holy Spirit. In the above quoted passage of scripture we see that truth confirmed when the Lord used Ananias, who was just an ordinary disciple, to baptise the apostle Paul with the Holy Spirit. And so we see that all saints, that are themselves filled with the Holy Spirit, can lay hands on fellow believers so that they too can be filled with the Holy Spirit. When believers do this they in fact operating in the working of miracles, but again it is important to note that this mandate is given to the saints for one on one ministry and not for ministering to multitudes.
Mark 16:17-18 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name, they will cast out demons.”
The third miracle which we will discuss in this section is the miracle of casting demons out of those who are oppressed by them. The act of casting out demons is a display of the working of miracles, for it is only by the power of God that demons can be cast out of someone (Luke 11:20). In the above quoted passage of scripture we see that the Lord Jesus has mandated all believers to cast out demons. And so we see that it is entirely scriptural for all believers to lay their hands on those who are tormented by unclean spirits, and to cast them out using the mechanism of the working of miracles. However, if you read the full context of this passage you will see that the Lord is mandating this method of deliverance to be used on individuals and not multitudes, and the reason for that is simple. Not all believers have received the gift of the working of miracles and can therefore only minister to individuals by faith in this area, as and when the need arises.
Michael E.B. Maher
Comments