“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21 NIV)

Why don’t we see miracles happening?

In Africa millions are responding to the gospel with amazing miracles following; the blind are seeing, the lame are walking and the sick are being healed — like what we read about in the book of Acts. A visiting American, who witnessed seeing this first hand in Africa, asked the preacher there, “Why don’t we see miracles like this happening in America?” And the preacher said, “Americans are too religious and believe more in their churchy traditions than they do the Word of God. They don’t expect God to do miracles in America and they don’t have faith in it. So, miracles don’t happen in their churches. The Bible puts it this way, ‘Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.’ (Mark 7:13 KJV). In our meetings in Africa, we believe God will do miracles, people come expecting God to do miracles and, therefore, God does do miracles. It’s as simple as that.”

We are to be like Jesus in the world

“… as he is, so are we in this world.” (1John 4:17)

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12 NIV)

In Jesus’ Name these signs shall follow those who believe

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” (Mark 16:17-20 NIV)

 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1-4 ESV)

Christ redeemed you from the curse of the law!

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Gal. 3:13 ESV)

You are free indeed!

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36 ESV)

Therefore…

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 ESV)

Stand firm!

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1 ESV)

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16 ESV)

Prayer will bind and loose “whatever”

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt. 16:19 NIV)

Pray with thanksgiving about every situation

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7 NIV)

Therefore…

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 NIV)

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9 NIV)

Grace: God’s part

Grace is what God does independent of you. It’s His unmerited favor toward you. Grace comes through our Lord, Jesus Christ and was completely paid for on the cross two thousand years ago.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… (Eph. 5:1 NASB)

Faith: Our part

Faith is reaching out and appropriating what God has already done for you by His grace.

“…through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory God.” (Rom. 5:2 NASB)

Therefore…

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 ESV)

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” (Psalm 127:3 ESV)

Children are the crown & glory

“Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.” (Prov. 17:6 ESV)

To children belong the kingdom of God

“But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:16 ESV)

Receive a child in Jesus’ Name

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” (Mark 9:37 ESV)

Watch how you treat Children

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 28:10 ESV)

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Prov. 18:21 ESV)

Control what you say

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29 ESV)

Wise words bring healing

“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Prov. 12:18 ESV)

Gracious words are sweet

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” (Prov. 16:24 ESV)

Therefore…

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14 ESV)

“Give us each day our daily bread…” (Luke 13:3 ESV)

Notice the verse above, which is a part of Jesus’ instruction on how to pray, says give us our “daily” bread. Not give us “yesterday’s” bread, or give us “tomorrow’s” bread. The truth is, yesterday is already gone and tomorrow is yet to arrive. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 6, that God knows what you need and He supplies as needed.

Don’t be anxious about what you need

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” (Matt. 6:31-32 ESV)

You are valuable to God

“Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” (Luke 12:24 ESV)

Seek God first and expect Him to supply your need

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33 ESV)

Therefore…

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19 ESV)

 “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 15:16 ESV)

Make known the gospel

“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:1-2) NASB)

And the gospel will be proclaimed to all nations before the end comes

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:14 ESV)

Therefore…

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God…” (2 Tim. 1:8 ESV)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Rom. 1:16 ESV)

God’s Power and Wisdom

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:17-18)

The gospel came with power

“…because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Thess. 1:5-6 NIV)

Your faith must rests on God’s Power

“And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” (1 Cor. 2:1-5 NIV)