Do you believe in miracles? I hope
so, because it is our faith in a supernatural God that causes Christians to
believe that unexplainable events outside the natural realm do occur from time
to time. Mirriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines a “miracle” as, “an
extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs”.
Is an event that appears
inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin.
The problem we see in the world then
is not with God working miracles, but with the question, “Can we expect God to
work miracles on our behalf when we pray?” And the answer is a resounding
“YES!” Even though some Christians don’t believe that God works miracles on our
behalf, the bible is very clear on what God desires to do for those who trust
Him.
Then why is it that so many people
never receive a miracle even though they believe in it? This leads us to the
basic criteria to receive miracle from God.
1. CONSECRATE YOURSELF. (5) Joshua
told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing
things among you.” The word “consecrate” means “to be made clean or holy”. It
is wrong of us to think that just because we have been saved by God’s grace
through our faith in Jesus that we can live our lives in any fashion we desire
and expect God to respond to our prayers. Deuteronomy 23:14, You can tie your
hair up, wear long sleeved shirts or long dresses, not go to movies and be in
church every time the doors are opened, but that doesn’t mean your heart is
right before the Lord. 1. Consecration comes from a personal relationship with Christ.
2.
Consecration comes from separating yourself from the lies of the world and
from crucifying the flesh. You don’t get saved and keep on doing the same
things you always did. Ephesians 2:10, 10 “For we are God’s workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us
to do”. What do you think would have happened if Israel had not consecrated
themselves?
Would God have done amazing things among them? You want to see a
miracle in your life? Then let the fruit of a life consecrated to God flow out
of you.
Is the image of who God is clouded in your mind? Get a new picture and hold on to it. Step out into the river. 2) In John 7:37-38, Are you having a difficult time believing that God has a miracle just for you? You need to step out into the river of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to your heart and minister the truth into your life. One of the signs of a maturing Christian is that even when it doesn’t feel like it you still know that you are in the river. Your emotions aren’t being stirred, the Holy Ghost goose bumps aren’t there, you may even feel like there is a barrier between you and the Lord, but you have that internal confidence that He is still right there with you, guiding and teaching, and that in the end you will be refreshed by the river of the Spirit.
3. FOLLOW THE LORD’S PRESENCE (11) See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. You need to have the attitude that Moses had in Exodus 33:15, Lord, I’m not going anywhere that You won’t go. I know that You will never lead me into anything that isn’t good and nurturing and wholesome because You have my best interest in mind. So where you go I will follow. Why do you think that Paul’s ministry was so successful? In his own mind it seemed more cost effective and less time consuming to go into Asia and Bythinia to preach the gospel. But when the Lord spoke to him in a dream about going to Macedonia he went. Because of his obedience he then founded a church that would provide financial support for his ministry for years to come. Look at what happens in God’s presence. Leviticus 9:23-24
4. TRUST GOD’S WORD (13) And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” There is absolutely no way under natural law that this was going to happen. How would you have responded if you had been one of the priests carrying the Ark? “I don’t think so Joshua. You go on ahead and test the waters. If it’s OK then we’ll come!” That is one of the problems with the world today. We are so pragmatic. We won’t believe anything we can’t see. We have been so influenced by the world. The world says that the word cancer is a death sentence so we don’t trust God for healing. The world says that people are the products of their own doing so we don’t offer help. The world says that people will never change so we keep the gospel to ourselves.
Even though God’s word says that healing is ours, we become new creations after we are saved and that God so loved the world – everyone. Even when it does not make sense to us His word is the compass that the church must follow to lead us to the promises God has given. You can ask and keep on asking just like Jesus said we are to do but when it comes right down to it are you really trusting God to do what His word says He will do? Luke 8:19-21, That leads us to our next point
5. STEP OUT IN FAITH (15) Turn over to Luke 18 and verse 8. …when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” What do you think that Jesus was talking about? He’s not talking about saving faith because when He returns He will take the church back to heaven for a marriage supper. He is talking about the faith that it takes to know God’s word, believe God’s word, stand on God’s word and step out in God’s word in order to transform your surroundings. If the church were doing that we would be in the midst of the greatest revival the world has ever known. God is waiting for you to step out in that kind of faith to receive your miracle.
6. CROSS OVER TO THE PROMISE (16) So the people crossed over opposite Jericho… I heard a great illustration and it refers to how the closer you get to your miracle the harder the enemy will work to defend his territory. In rugby or American football the hardest yards to cover are the last twenty yards before the goal line. It’s called the Red Zone. You see the closer you get to reaching the goal the more stubborn the enemy gets to keep you from getting it. There are far more touchdowns that are scored from grinding it out on the ground on one yard plunges than 50 yard passes.
How many of you, by faith, know that you have received your miracle but you just haven’t seen the manifestation of it yet? You know God’s Word. You stand on the Word. You act on the Word, but you just haven’t realized the fullness of the promise yet. Why? We’ve tried this before and it didn’t work. Or they have become so tired from grinding out 3-4 yards at a time that they just don’t have the strength to finish. So they just give up and give out before the end zone. Or, they lose sight of the goal because they consider it a hopeless situation. Or, the enemy wants to keep them out more than they want to receive the promise. Hebrews 12:1-3,
7. STAND FIRM (17) The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. As the priests stood there waiting for Israel to cross on a dry riverbed, they were aware of what was happening upstream from them. The waters were piling up higher and higher. You could see it from where they were. Yet they never wavered. They knew that the One who had promised was able to see it through to the end. I have heard testimonies of people who received complete healing only to be fooled again by the father of all lies who told them that nothing had changed. People have lost their healing, their blessing, and even their testimony because they failed to stand firm in the Lord. Ephesians 6:10-13. So once you have received your promise, your healing, your miracle, don’t just see it but abide in it; live in it. Take possession of it and stay there. Don’t let the devil force you out. He cannot unless you allow it.
1. Consecrate yourself
2. Stand in the river
3. Follow God’s presence
4. Trust God’s word
5. Step out in faith
6. Cross over into the promise
7. Stand firm.
In conclusion read Mark 5:25-34,
This woman did everything she needed to do in order to receive her miracle and Jesus told her to Go in peace…
Is that what you need in your life today?
PST. YINKA ANIBABA
Beloved Pastor
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