Why Don’t We See Miracles Like the Apostles Did?
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For those of you who don't believe that God can bring one back from the dead today. I'm typing this, yet I was pronounced dead twice in December of 2010. Total time that I was dead was over thirty minutes. Mama and our pastor and church, spent a lot of time praying for God to bring me back. The twelve days that I was in a coma drew me closer to Christ than I had ever been before.
A couple of things I want you to know. No one ever commanded God to heal me, and no one, even my doctor team, claimed that anyone other than God healed me.
Why don't we miracles like the Apostles did? We are too busy looking for an Apostle to do them. Look to God, pray to Him, He will heal you. It may be to return you to his ministry, or, as in the case of my wonderful sister in Christ who he healed during the same period that he healed me, He may take you home to be with Him.
A couple of things I want you to know. No one ever commanded God to heal me, and no one, even my doctor team, claimed that anyone other than God healed me.
Why don't we miracles like the Apostles did? We are too busy looking for an Apostle to do them. Look to God, pray to Him, He will heal you. It may be to return you to his ministry, or, as in the case of my wonderful sister in Christ who he healed during the same period that he healed me, He may take you home to be with Him.
Scripture doesn't state your name and say you are a saved, does it?The Bible says these manifestations of the Spirit are given as the Spirit wills. There is nothing in the Bible that says that God will stop healing or doing miracles through individuals through these spiritual gifts. You think you have the right to determine the Spirit's will on this matter. That is presumptuous.
It is a race of trust, as Paul said. And we know we will have tribulation and strife in this life, as Jesus said. And since it is a race of keeping trust until the end, all that is in the world, our flesh and the devil, will converge and press on us to cause us to stumble in this race of trust. It is sometimes so, so hard to endure in trust when it looks like God has abandoned us and we can't understand how He uses suffering to perfect and prove our trust.
Be honest with Him. If you're confused, admit it to Him. If you're angry at Him, admit it to Him. If you know you are stumbling in your faith and hope of any kind is far from you, don't try to muscle through, but tell Him your faith is waning. He will make you to stand if you are honest. And I think He would much rather hear how angry you are than to have you try to cover up that you are. He desires truth in the inward parts, so if the truth is you are angry, then tell Him.
Meanwhile, I have not stopped praying through the day for you and your wife and I'm not going to. He brought you to my mind again when I read Job today and then again when I read the psalm tonight that says, don't abandon me when my hair is grey. And of all my prayers for you, I will now add that He keep your foot from slipping or losing trust because He has given you hard trial upon hard trial and that is when the temptation to stop trusting hits the hardest and when we begin to doubt Him most.
Lynn will not stop praying either and don't you stop. We have so many promises about what happens if we wait and then wait some more. Cling to them and to Him and we will all keep storming heaven and He will not disappoint us if we wait for Him.
Be honest with Him. If you're confused, admit it to Him. If you're angry at Him, admit it to Him. If you know you are stumbling in your faith and hope of any kind is far from you, don't try to muscle through, but tell Him your faith is waning. He will make you to stand if you are honest. And I think He would much rather hear how angry you are than to have you try to cover up that you are. He desires truth in the inward parts, so if the truth is you are angry, then tell Him.
Meanwhile, I have not stopped praying through the day for you and your wife and I'm not going to. He brought you to my mind again when I read Job today and then again when I read the psalm tonight that says, don't abandon me when my hair is grey. And of all my prayers for you, I will now add that He keep your foot from slipping or losing trust because He has given you hard trial upon hard trial and that is when the temptation to stop trusting hits the hardest and when we begin to doubt Him most.
Lynn will not stop praying either and don't you stop. We have so many promises about what happens if we wait and then wait some more. Cling to them and to Him and we will all keep storming heaven and He will not disappoint us if we wait for Him.
Contemporary miracles do the same. The Bible teaches that manifestations of the Spirit are given to individuals in the body of Christ as the Spirit wills. There is no scripture that teaches that this has stopped. Do you believe the scriptures, or do you think you have the right to tell the Spirit what to will?
Hi Grace, This comment sounds so off to me. (please no offense intended) Maybe you can explain what you mean here.
1. Law of faith - as far as I see in scripture there is no law of faith, only the law of Christ. How can you misapply the law of faith when there's no such thing?
2. He spoke what He saw within Himself and believed. Believed? God is God. He doesn't need to believe to say, "let there be light." He's all powerful. We need to believe that God is and have faith in what He can and will do, but I don't understand this part about God believing first and then the light appeared. I don't think this is accurate.
Good questions...
1) Perhaps you are thinking about the "law" of Moses? There is "The law of faith". I get that term from this scripture. Law can mean "principle".
Romans 3:27 (NASB)
[SUP]27 [/SUP] Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Faith has a voice and it speaks. ( If you follow that scripture below it goes on to talk about what this "faith is speaking".)
Romans 10:6 (NASB)
[SUP]6 [/SUP] But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: "DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, 'WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?' (that is, to bring Christ down),
2) It stands to reason that if we are made in the "image" of God and we have the capacity to believe - God does too. I think it is just a part of His nature.
There are some scriptures that speak to this in a round about way but I agree - God is God and I believe He speaks of what comes from His very nature. It is just "natural" to Him - if I can use that term to describe Him.
Believing that something can be done comes first so it stands to reason that God believes in what He is doing. I'm not adamant about this - it's just something I believe. It has no bearing on salvation though so it's a non-issue.
My whole point was that when God looked at the earth before there was light there - He didn't look at what was NOT there - He spoke what He wanted there.
We believe with our heart. Romans 10:10 - so perhaps God believes with His heart too. I don't know for sure. It's not important to me....
1) Perhaps you are thinking about the "law" of Moses? There is "The law of faith". I get that term from this scripture. Law can mean "principle".
Romans 3:27 (NASB)
[SUP]27 [/SUP] Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Faith has a voice and it speaks. ( If you follow that scripture below it goes on to talk about what this "faith is speaking".)
Romans 10:6 (NASB)
[SUP]6 [/SUP] But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: "DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, 'WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?' (that is, to bring Christ down),
2) It stands to reason that if we are made in the "image" of God and we have the capacity to believe - God does too. I think it is just a part of His nature.
There are some scriptures that speak to this in a round about way but I agree - God is God and I believe He speaks of what comes from His very nature. It is just "natural" to Him - if I can use that term to describe Him.
Believing that something can be done comes first so it stands to reason that God believes in what He is doing. I'm not adamant about this - it's just something I believe. It has no bearing on salvation though so it's a non-issue.
My whole point was that when God looked at the earth before there was light there - He didn't look at what was NOT there - He spoke what He wanted there.
We believe with our heart. Romans 10:10 - so perhaps God believes with His heart too. I don't know for sure. It's not important to me....
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Thanks, Grace for being gentle.
Okay, thanks for that scripture. I've always heard pastors speak of the Law of Christ and have never heard that term before. I'll go and read in context a little later.
And thanks for the explanation of what you meant about believe. I just think sometimes we try to bring God down to our level instead of us reaching up to His level. Not that I'm saying that's what you're doing, but still will need to consider what you've said.
I'm just real careful because there are so many voices out there. Satan is a sly one. And he will use scripture to deceive us. I guess you can call me a Berean. I want to see what's in scripture that will confirm what the pastor says, or anyone else too. Again, thanks for being kind!
Okay, thanks for that scripture. I've always heard pastors speak of the Law of Christ and have never heard that term before. I'll go and read in context a little later.
And thanks for the explanation of what you meant about believe. I just think sometimes we try to bring God down to our level instead of us reaching up to His level. Not that I'm saying that's what you're doing, but still will need to consider what you've said.
I'm just real careful because there are so many voices out there. Satan is a sly one. And he will use scripture to deceive us. I guess you can call me a Berean. I want to see what's in scripture that will confirm what the pastor says, or anyone else too. Again, thanks for being kind!
Thanks, Grace for being gentle.
Okay, thanks for that scripture. I've always heard pastors speak of the Law of Christ and have never heard that term before. I'll go and read in context a little later.
And thanks for the explanation of what you meant about believe. I just think sometimes we try to bring God down to our level instead of us reaching up to His level. Not that I'm saying that's what you're doing, but still will need to consider what you've said.
I'm just real careful because there are so many voices out there. Satan is a sly one. And he will use scripture to deceive us. I guess you can call me a Berean. I want to see what's in scripture that will confirm what the pastor says, or anyone else too. Again, thanks for being kind!
Okay, thanks for that scripture. I've always heard pastors speak of the Law of Christ and have never heard that term before. I'll go and read in context a little later.
And thanks for the explanation of what you meant about believe. I just think sometimes we try to bring God down to our level instead of us reaching up to His level. Not that I'm saying that's what you're doing, but still will need to consider what you've said.
I'm just real careful because there are so many voices out there. Satan is a sly one. And he will use scripture to deceive us. I guess you can call me a Berean. I want to see what's in scripture that will confirm what the pastor says, or anyone else too. Again, thanks for being kind!
I do know one thing for sure. Paul said "To him that thinks he knows something - he doesn't know it as he ought to know it."
Throughout all of eternity we will be seeing new facets of our loving Father and Lord and we will be awe-struck at each revelation of Him.
This is awesome Billy and praise God for granting you extended life. But nobody here has ever said that God can't do anything that He desires. Of course He can. But your first-hand experience of God's power and mercy is a far cry from somebody who claims to be an apostle today and raising you from the dead like the apostles of old did. What gets lost on many continuationists is their erroneous belief that cessationists don't believe in God's power, miraculous or otherwise. How can any Christian not ? But there are none doing the miraculous things today that the apostles of old did in the apostolic era. That doesn't stop me from praying for others to be healed or blessed. I just don't look for the shadow of today's supposed apostles to do what I know God can do if He so chooses.
Maybe the same reason as here:
It is because they have to go where God sends & to who He sends them to.
Would you try to throw these off a cliff, too?
Luke 4
24And He said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. 25“But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; 26and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27“And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”28And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; 29and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff.30But passing through their midst, He went His way.It is because they have to go where God sends & to who He sends them to.
Would you try to throw these off a cliff, too?
F
Awakened, I'm fairly new to this forum and have not yet introduced myself but felt compelled to post. I've read different theories on this and some actually point to how we conduct ourselves as a church body today where many (certainly not all) church leaders highly praise and minister but fall short when it comes to healing; it's like they may not believe that supernatural miracles continue to occur. There is healing powers that come with true faith; this is that 100% faith in God and then miracles can happen if it is the will of God. Here's a good book to read on this exact subject, How to Walk in the Supernatural Power of God by Guillermo Maldonado. You can get the book on Amazon fairly inexpensive. Blessings, Angel Faith
The answer in the next few verses KJVHebrews13;8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever,and KJVMark9;23 Jesus said into him,If thou canst believe,all things are possible to him that believe.;Thanks the Lord for His Son Jesus Christ and best possibility in him for his Sons and Daughters.
M
Well, that's all a few of us are saying: No one today has superpowers to zap somebody back from the dead...the way Peter did in the Book of Acts (and as a few apostles did also). Or restore someone from life-long blindness or paralysis with a "gift of healing" instantaneous zap.
And while it must be an extremely harrowing experience to be brought back from the brink on an operating table as you were, I have heard such testimonies (again, not to diminish your story) dozens of times...from both Christian and non-Christian alike.
But again, it's a wonderful story. No question.
However...for as many times as I've heard this kind of story about being brought back on an operating table...not ONCE have I ever heard someone report they personally were cured instantly from life-long blindness or life-long paralysis when someone zapped them with their "gift of healing" super-powers.
And so...I think I see a bit of a strawman being repeatedly set up here in this thread -- folks trying to suggest that because folks like me believe it is rather routinely observable that there are obviously no longer people running around with superpowers who are raising people from the dead...that this means we are ALSO claiming there aren't miraculous healings resulting from the "fervent prayers of a righteous man" and from the elders anointing and praying for those who are "sick".
The more often that strawman is set up, the more it looks like folks are trying to distract from our main point...which is that no one is going around with a "gift of healing" in which they can simply declare people to be healed from the kinds of maladies Jesus was healing - profound blindness, life-long paralysis and death.
And while it must be an extremely harrowing experience to be brought back from the brink on an operating table as you were, I have heard such testimonies (again, not to diminish your story) dozens of times...from both Christian and non-Christian alike.
But again, it's a wonderful story. No question.
However...for as many times as I've heard this kind of story about being brought back on an operating table...not ONCE have I ever heard someone report they personally were cured instantly from life-long blindness or life-long paralysis when someone zapped them with their "gift of healing" super-powers.
And so...I think I see a bit of a strawman being repeatedly set up here in this thread -- folks trying to suggest that because folks like me believe it is rather routinely observable that there are obviously no longer people running around with superpowers who are raising people from the dead...that this means we are ALSO claiming there aren't miraculous healings resulting from the "fervent prayers of a righteous man" and from the elders anointing and praying for those who are "sick".
The more often that strawman is set up, the more it looks like folks are trying to distract from our main point...which is that no one is going around with a "gift of healing" in which they can simply declare people to be healed from the kinds of maladies Jesus was healing - profound blindness, life-long paralysis and death.
All born again believers have the same amount of faith - Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
And I believe that I answered you previously:
Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
And I believe that I answered you previously:
Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?