1 Corinthians 12:8-10 “for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, (9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, (10) to another the working of miracles.”
Just as with the gifts of healings, there are those who have received the gift of working of miracles. These are individuals who are more anointed by the Holy Spirit to operate in the area of the working of miracles. And so one who has received the gift of the working of miracles would experience far more success and be able to minister to far more people than one who performed miracles simply by faith. For example, it is self-evident that those called to the office of the evangelist are anointed to get far more people saved than normal saints witnessing one on one to the unsaved. It is also self-evident that the Lord uses certain ministry gifts, such as apostles and evangelists, to cast out demons on a far greater scale than normal saints ministering one on one to those tormented by demons. It is just as self-evident that the Lord uses certain ministry gifts such as apostles and prophets, to baptise multitudes with the Holy Spirit, whereas normal saints are only able to minister one on one to those needing to be baptised. And so we see that in all instances those who operate in the gift of the working of miracles operate in the same anointing as those who operate by simple faith, just in a far greater measure of anointing.
Acts 8:14-17 “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, (15) who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. (16) For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (17) Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”
The context of the above quoted passage of scripture is that Philip the evangelist had preached the gospel in Samaria, resulting in multitudes being saved. Nevertheless after they were saved Philip did not lay hands on them to be filled with the Spirit. So why is that? The reason is because Philip recognised that he was not anointed in that area. Unlike working miracles through the prayer of faith, which is really only effective in a one on one situation, saints who have received the spiritual gift called “working of miracles” are able to minister to multitudes at one time. That truth is confirmed to us in this passage, for in this passage we see that because Peter and John operated in the working of miracles in this area, they were able to baptise the newly saved multitudes with the Holy Spirit as they laid hands on them. The reason for that is because even though it is the same miraculous power, the amount of power made available through the operation of this gift is greatly increased. So why does the Lord want this gift to be displayed in the church? One of the main reasons is practicality, for as the above example shows us, it is far more practical for one who is anointed with this gift to minister to multitudes all at once, rather than having one individual trying to lay hands on each individual in faith to having them filled with the Holy Spirit.
Michael E.B. Maher
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