30 DAYS OF MIRACLES

 

 

I.            WHAT ARE MIRACLES?

 

o   It is an occurrence at once above nature and above man.

o   It shows the intervention of a power that is not limited by the laws either of matter or of mind; a power interrupting the fixed laws, which govern their movements; a supernatural power.

o   When a man raises a weight from the ground, the law of gravity is neither suspended nor violated, but counteracted by a stronger force. The same is true as to the walking of Christ on the water and the swimming of iron at the command of the prophet. The simple and grand truth that the universe is not under the exclusive control of physical forces, but that everywhere and always there is above, separate from and superior to all else, an infinite personal will, not superseding, but directing and controlling all physical causes, acting with or without them.

 

A divine act by which God reveals himself to people.

·        The classical definition of a miracle assumes that it is contrary to natural law, but this is a misnomer for two reasons. First, many of the miracles of the Bible used nature rather than bypassed it (e.g., the wind that parted the Red Sea, Ex. 14:21).

·        Second, there no longer is a concept of “absolute natural laws”; rather, a phenomenon that is not readily explainable may reflect laws that scientists do not yet fully understand.

·        In Scripture, the element of faith is crucial; a natural approach cannot prove or disprove the presence of “miracle.” The timing and content of the process can be miraculous, even though the event may seem natural.

·        The revelatory significance is also important. In every case, God performed the miracle not merely as a “wonder” to inspire awe, but as a “sign” to draw people to himself.

 

 

II.          WHY DOES GOD DO MIRACLES?

 

1.     To Show What God Can Do.

 

John 9:1-3

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. ² And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? ³ Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

 

2.     To Produce Faith.

 

1 Kings 18:37-39

³⁷ Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. ³⁸ Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

 

John 2:23

²³ Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

 

3.     Bear _____________ Of A __________________.

 

Exodus 4:1-4

And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. ² And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. ³ And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. ⁴ And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand. ⁴ And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: ⁵ That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

4.     Token Or Pledge Of God’s __________________Over Events.

 

Matthew 14:22-33

²² And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. ²³ And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. ²⁴ But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. ²⁵ And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. ²⁷ But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. ²⁸ And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. ²⁹ And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. ³¹ And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? ³² And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. ³³ Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

 

5.     To Show Power Over Other Gods.

 

a)                      Water turned into blood. Ex. 4:9, 30.

b)                      River turned into blood. Ex. 7:20.

c)                      Frogs brought. Ex. 8:6.

d)                      Frogs removed. Ex. 8:13.

e)                      Lice brought. Ex. 8:17.

f)                       Flies brought. Ex. 8:21–24.

g)                      Flies removed. Ex. 8:31.

h)                      Murrain of beasts. Ex. 9:3–6.

i)                        Boils and blains brought. Ex. 9:10, 11.

j)                        Hail brought. Ex. 9:23.

k)                      Hail removed. Ex. 9:33.

l)                        Locusts brought. Ex. 10:13.

m)                   Locust removed. Ex. 10:19.

n)                      Darkness brought. Ex. 10:22.

o)                      The first-born destroyed. Ex. 12:29.

p)                      The red-sea divided. Ex. 14:21, 22

 

 

 

6.     To Inspire __________________ In His _____________________.

 

Exodus 14:31

³¹ And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.

 

7.     ____________________.  Genesis 6:1; Genesis 19:1-29

 

8.     To Show Forth His Glory

 

John 11:3-5

³ Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. ⁴ When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

 

John 2:7-11

⁷ Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. ⁹ When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, ¹⁰ And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. ¹¹ This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

 

 

 

 

9.     In Response To Human ____________________.

 

a.     Demonic Healed. Mark 1:23–26; Luke 4:33–36.

b.     Peter’s mother-in-law Healed. Matt. 8:14–17; Mark 1:29–31; Luke 4:38, 39.

c.     Leper Cleansed. Matt. 8:1–4; Mark 1:40–45; Luke 5:12–16.

d.     Paralytic Healed. Matt. 9:1–8; Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:17–26.

e.     Invalid Healed. John 5:1–16.

f.      Withered Hand Restored. Matt. 12:9–13; Mark 3:1–5; Luke 6:6–11.

g.     Centurions Servant Healed. Matt. 8:5–13; Luke 7:1–10.

h.     Widow’s Son Healed. Luke 7:11–16.

 

 

III.        HOW ARE MIRACLES ACTIVATED?

 

1.     Prayer

 

Luke 18:1-8

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; ² Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: ³ And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. ⁴ And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; ⁵ Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. ⁶ And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. ⁷ And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? ⁸ I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

 

2.     Faith

 

Mt. 9:28-29

²⁸ And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. ²⁹ Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

 

 

 

Matthew 13:53-58

⁵³ And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. ⁵⁴ 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.

 

Mark 9:22-28

²² And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. ²³ Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. ²⁴ And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. ²⁵ When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. ²⁶ And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

 

3.     __________________

 

Matthew 12:10-13

¹⁰ And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. ¹¹ And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? ¹² How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. ¹³ Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

 

 

 

 

4.     ___________________

 

Luke 7:12-15

¹² Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. ¹³ And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. ¹⁴ And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. ¹⁵ And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

 

5.     Activation

 

Some miracles require activation.