11.4 People followed Jesus when He performed miracles
11.5 The Lord Jesus gives disciples power to heal
11.6 Jesus Heals through ministry of disciples
11.7 Jesus heals through ministry of Paul and Barnabas
11.8: Hindrances to Receiving Your Total Deliverance Miracle
11.9 Miracles from the enemy bring bondage and deception but you shall know by their fruit
11.1 Summary:
Understand that The Lord Jesus Christ has an agenda for mankind.
That agenda has not changed, it is to meet the needs of people
? He is present among us
? Remember where He is He manifests
? Be a persuaded person, a persuaded generation
? Every child of God is accredited, pointed out, shown forth, commended and attested to by God and has the capacity for God to do mighty works, wonders and signs through them.
? Pray for, expect, and allow Him to do miracles in your life , church and ministry.
? He needs you to reverence and honour His presence among you,be it in a prayer meeting in a house or in a church service.
? Beware that miracles from the enemy produce bondage and deception, but you shall know them by their fruit
11.2 His agenda
His agenda is summarised in Matthew 11:1-6, Luke 7:19-23. I will quote the passage in Luke the one in Matthew is very similar.
Luke 7:19-23 “And John summoned to him a certain two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord, saying, Are You He Who is to come, or shall we [continue to] look for another? 20 So the men came to Jesus and said, John the Baptist sent us to You to ask Are You He Who is to come, or shall we [continue to] look for another? 21 In that very hour Jesus was healing many [people] of sicknesses and distressing bodily plagues and evil spirits, and to many who were blind He gave sight. 22 So He replied to them, Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the good news (the Gospel) preached to them.” (AMP)
Here the Lord Jesus defined what He does when He is present, His mission and His agenda. He heals distressing bodily conditions whatever they may be in your day, life and community: depression, ischaemic heart disease, cancer, COPD, stroke, HIV, He delivers from bondage spirits: alcoholism, illicit drugs, tobacco addiction and dependency, He raises the dead and preaches the gospel.
He said in Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there in the midst of them”. Where He is present He manifests His presence. Where He is present He is raring to show His power, He is raring to act, He is raring to meet His people at their points of need. He is raring to do His agenda.
11.3 God raises the dead
In Acts 26:8 the apostle Paul asks “ Why should it be thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?” AMP
John 5:21 says “For as the Father raises up the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whomever He wills and is pleased to give it.” AMP
Romans 4:17-As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations, in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already]existed.” AMP
Remember Lazarus, (John 11:14-43), Tabitha ( Acts 9:36-42)
So raising the dead to God- no problem!
11.4 People followed Jesus when He performed miracles
Wherever the Lord Jesus went He manifested His presence through doing that which only God can do- miracles – lets explore some of them.
In John 2:11 the word says “This, the first of His signs (miracles, wonderworks), Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory [by it He displayed His greatness and His power openly], and His disciples believed in Him[adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him].” AMP
In John 2:23 the word says “But when He was in Jerusalem, during the Passover Feast, many believed in His name[identified themselves with His party] after seeing His signs (wonders, miracles) which He was doing.”
John 3:1-2 “Now there was a certain man among the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler (a leader, an authority) among the Jews, 2 Who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know and are certain that You have come from God [as ] a Teacher; for no one can do these signs (these wonderworks, these miracles—and produce these proofs) that You do unless God is with him.”AMP
We see here that Nicodemus was sure and certain that the Lord Jesus was sent from God when the Lord manifested and produced proof of the manifestations of God in His life.
In John 6:2 the word says “And a great crowd was following Him because they had seen the signs (miracles) which He [continually] performed upon those who were sick”. AMP
Notice here the word continually.
Acts 2:22 puts it differently “You men of Israel, listen to what I have to say, Jesus of Nazareth, a Man accredited and pointed out and shown forth and commended and attested to you by God by the mighty works and [the power of performing]wonders and signs which God worked through Him [right] in your midst as you yourselves know.” AMP
Child of God by believing in the Lord Jesus you are a person accredited, commended, attested to pointed out and shown forth by God, you need to believe, expect, and ask for the manifestations of Jesus Christ in your life, family, church and ministry.
The Lord Jesus further confirms this in John 14:12 when He said “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father”. AMP
Notice here the Lord Jesus gave only one qualification for the person through whom He will perform proof producing miracles- “he who believes in Me”. The believer referred to here is the one who asks God for miracles, expects God to do miracles and believes in the God who does undeniable signs, wonders and proof producing miracles.
11.5 The Lord Jesus gives disciples power to heal
In Matthew 10:1 we read “And when he had called unto Him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal all manner of sicknesses and all manner of disease.”AMP
When you received Jesus as Lord of your life, He gave you the same power and authority to cast out unclean spirits and to heal all manner of diseases in His name. You need to ask for, believe and expect the Lord Jesus to work and accomplish miracles when you pray in His name.
In the same chapter of Matthew in verses 7-8 He said “And as you go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”
Notice here the Lord Jesus commanded and instructed them to heal the sick, cleanse lepers, raise the dead cast out devils in His name. In the same manner we have been instructed and commanded to do exactly the same in His name.
11.6 Jesus Heals through ministry of disciples
In Acts 6:2-6, the apostles appointed seven men to serve tables and to do administrative work in the early church.
“So the Twelve [apostles] convened the multitude of the disciples and said, It is not seemly or desirable or right that we should have to give up or neglect [preaching] the Word of God in order to attend to serving at tables and superintending the distribution of food. 3Therefore select out from among yourselves, brethren, seven men of good and attested character and repute, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may assign to look after this business and duty. 4 But we will continue to devote ourselves steadfastly to prayer and the ministry of the Word. And the suggestion pleased the whole assembly and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith ( a strong and welcome belief that Jesus is the Messiah) and full and controlled by the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte convert) from Antioch. 6 These they presented to the apostles, who after prayer laid their hands on them.”
In verse 8 of the same chapter 6 of the Book of Acts we read “ Now Stephen, full of grace (divine blessing and favour) and power (strength and ability) worked great wonders and signs (miracles) among the people.”AMP. This is the same Stephen who was appointed an administrator or Deacon in the earlier passage.
Philip who was another of the administrators in Acts 8:5- 7 we read: “Philip [the deacon, not the apostle] went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ (the Messiah) to them[the people]. 6 And great crowds of people with one accord listened to and heeded what was said by Philip, as they heard him and watched the miracles and wonders which he kept performing [from time to time]. 7 For foul spirits came out of many who were possessed by them, screaming and shouting with a loud voice, and many who were suffering from palsy or were crippled were restored to health.” AMP
Here we read of the proof producing miracles which the Lord Jesus performed through the hands of Deacons in the early church.
11.7 Jesus Heals through Paul and Barnabas
In Acts 15:12 we read “Then the whole assembly remained silent, and they listened [attentively] as Barnabas and Paul rehearsed what signs and wonders God had performed through them among the Gentiles”. AMP
In Acts 19:11-12 we read further:”And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 So that handkerchiefs or towels or aprons which had touched his skin were carried away and put upon the sick and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them”.
It is important to note that Apostle Paul is an apostle of our dispensation. I say this to mean he was an apostle called by God after the resurrection and ascension of Christ to heaven. He did not see the Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh.
11.8 Hindrances to Receiving Your Total Deliverance Miracle
I have written about how children of God should ask for, expect and believe in the Lord Jesus for their total deliverance.
One of the essential ingredients to receiving total deliverance and healing is honouring and reverencing the presence of the Lord Jesus.
In Matthew 13:54-58 we read “And when He was come into His own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brethren James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things. 57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour save in his own country, and in his own house. 58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”AMP
You notice that even the Lord Jesus Himself failed to do many miracles in Nazareth and the reason was He was not honoured or reverenced and there was no expectation and faith. These are therefore critical ingredients receiving your total deliverance in the name of the Lord Jesus. He needs to be reverenced, honoured and believed and there has to be an expectation and faith.
11.9 Miracles from the enemy bring bondage and deception
Remember that the enemy of God and mankind called Satan can also perform miracles to deceive people of God. In Revelations 13:13-14 we read “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast.”NKJV.
In Revelations 16:14 we also read “For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world…”NKJV
In Revelations 19:20 we read “Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image.”
Not all who do miracles do them by the power of God.
In Matthew 7:15-20 the Lord Jesus warned “Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves. 16 You will fully recognise them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration] but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit. 18 A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit [worthy of admiration]. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. 20 Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits.” AMP See also Luke 6:43-44.
In Galatians 5:22-23 we read” “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. NKJV
In 2 Timothy 1:7 the word says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.”NKJV
John 8:36 says “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” NKJV
The Spirit of God therefore sets people free and does not put people into bondage, He empowers, He liberates, He does not intimidate, He gives power not fear.
My prayer for you to receive your miracle from the Lord Jesus Christ.