This is an important message to rightly divide the word of truth.

But just so you know, what is being discussed here are the holy things of God. They are precious to God, and sacred. When we approach them, we will do our best not to be flippant, nor carnal, but to walk is the Fear of the Lord, that may we neither exhibit the mindset, nor the tongue of the faithless. It is vastly important that we bring honor to whom honor is due, when approaching the Holy Things of God.

Therefore:  Let all our discussion be seasoned with salt, and with light, and may it be deeply anchored in the Word of Truth which is our Salvation. Let us not provoke one another, by man’s spirit of dissension, that causes strife and division in the body of Christ. It is right, and proper, to test each doctrine, to see if it be rooted in the Truth, or the figment of a man’s imagination, but even as we look intently into the Law of Liberty, we need challenge one another to walk in the Truth, let us do so with gentleness and respect. 

1 Peter 3:15-17 (KJV)
5 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

This is not a discussion to get into a debate with carnal christians or worldly non-believers, who know not the holy things of God. Unless there is a real openness of spirit, and a readiness of mind, to investigate the Holy Things of God.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 (KJV)
4 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

 

Here’s our first Big Question:

Why no miracles today?

 

Why do we see so few healings, and so few: signs, wonders, and miracles, deliverances, and the like in our modern christian fellowship, when Jesus said, these things were given to the children of God as “the Children’s Bread“? Are we longer able to receive the Children’s Bread?  (More on that further down.)

• Some people truly believe that the miracles are done and over with. Why? Because we have the scriptures, and we don’t need them anymore. (Where does it say that in God’s Word?)
• Some preachers teach that the miracles, signs, wonders, and healings stopped with the time of the apostles.
• Some people follow after every person who claims to be a faith healer, an apostle, a prophet, or a miracle worker.
• Some are not sure what to believe.

But, what does the Bible say? What does God’s Holy, unchanging, eternal, reliable Word teach us on this subject?

Let’s dive into the Scriptures as is Our Right, and Our Light, Our Guide, Our Glory, and Our Salvation, to see what they have to say to us about this most important question.

Mark this down: If God is done doing miracles for his people, then there should be an abundance of scriptures that say that exact thing, and they must be clear, reliable, and in fact, unequivocal (without variance and unambiguous).

Why do I say that? Because there is an abundance, (actually hundreds of scriptures in both old and New Testament) that teach each believer: if he will put his faith in God, and in His Word, he shall see the Glory of God. This includes, deliverance, healings, signs, wonders, and the miracles of God. Not only that, but in the New Testament, God promises that if the believer will fully put his faith in God, that he will do the same mighty works in the name of Jesus that Jesus did, if only he will have faith and believe. Not only that, but Jesus promises that the one who believes in him will do even greater works than him. Does that sound like Jesus wants us to quit doing his mighty works?

Let’s find out exactly what Jesus said, did, taught, and prophesied about this topic

 

Who can do the greater works?

Did not God say, If you believe in God, you will do greater works than Jesus?

John 14:12-14 (KJV)  (example one)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Can you see the wide-open, open-ended (without end) promise here?

If you can can: Can you see to whom this promise is addressed?

• Can you see the required conditions necessary to fulfill the promise?
• Can you see the reason God gives us for the giving of the promise?

 

Why Give such an incredible promise?

If Jesus intended to remove the promise from his disciples, why would he give us such an incredible promise in the first place?

Now ask yourself this question: Is there any preconceived, officially limited, expiration date on the promises of God?

Or are they rather not the eternal, immovable, reliable promises that are never changing?

If the promises of God, are real, and the believer meets the unwavering conditions, and walks in full and complete obedience to the word of God, then he should expect God to deliver on His promises. If you understand the Covenant Nature of our relationship with God, it is not based on feelings, it is not based on emotions, it is not based on personalized (faulty, fake, human) belief systems. Our Blood Covenant with God is an Eternal and unchanging clearly defined, and legally binding contract between God and Man. And the bottomline is this: we either meet the conditions of the covenant and walk in them, or we don’t.

There is no middle ground when it comes to operating in faith and obedience to the Word of God.

As you can clearly see above, Jesus sets the bar high: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.”

That is an unequivocal statement. If I meet the condition, I will experience the Promise. Not only that, but Jesus up’s the stakes.

Jesus says, that even “greater works than these shall he do.”  As you can clearly see, Jesus is not backing down, or in any way diminishing the degree of the promise, but rather increasing it.

In no way, does Jesus, back away from giving us his Word and his promise for future mighty works from the Father. In fact, just the opposite, he sets us up to believe him for even greater works, simply on the one condition that we fully believe in him (even with the faith of a mustard seed).

Mark this down: There is no indication of any kind that Jesus intends to remove this promise from future generations of believers. No indication whatsoever. But what is the stated requirement Jesus gives? Here it is: that the Father may be glorified in the Son. That’s it. Do you see it? 

Two Conditions are laid out for doing the works of Jesus and for doing even greater works: What are they?

1. That he that believeth on me
2. That the Father may be glorified in the Son

Then Jesus tells us the reason for the Promise. Do you know what the reason is? If you don’t grasp this you won’t grasp the Big Picture of what Jesus is declaring, and promising in this covenant relationship that he is calling all of his children into. 

Here is the reason for the promise:

“Because I go unto my Father.” 

The reason for the promise begins with the word, because. “Because” answers the question, “Why?”

Why will Jesus’s believers do the works that Jesus was doing, and why will they do even greater works?

Because Jesus is returning to the Father. He will no longer be here (physically) to do his mighty works. Therefore, Jesus is passing the baton of the ministry of teaching and preaching, and he is leaving his ministry of “doing his mighty miracles” to the Body of Christ. That is now our responsibility. It is our calling. Our domain. He is passing it on to us. Can you see that?  

Why? Because He is no longer going to be here, physically. His is going away, but he in no way intended the Work of the Ministry of Faith and Power, Salvation and Healing, Blessing and Grace to End! He clearly intended this ministry to continue through the lives of those who would believe in Him! Those who would follow Him. Those who would dare to walk in his footsteps.

 

Is God done with His Ministry?

No way. No how. No. Not at all. His ministry was born to continue and mature in the life of all those who would follow HIM!

We are all called to walk and to mature into the Likeness of Christ. To Mature into the True Nature and Stature of Christ. We are to grow into the Fullness of Christ … see below:

Ephesians 4:11-16 (KJV) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Can you see it? We are called to be just like Christ. To bear witness to His Complete and Full and Perfect Image, in the same spirit of humility and grace, as well as his unstoppable boldness, and power, and authority to represent the Kingdom of God to men.

I can say that unequivocally, because I am just stating what he has already clearly presented. True? Yes, True.

Now if this ministry and promise is true, we have to meet two conditions to participate in said ministry. What are those conditions?

1. That we believeth on Jesus,
2. That the Father may be glorified in the Son.

And WHY should we not want to walk in God’s promises? Why should we not want to glorify the Father? Why should we not want to be conformed into the image of Christ? What is the Big Picture that we should be interested in fulfilling?

When abiding in Christ, our joy, our purpose, and life should be about wanting to be fully and completely, righteously representing Jesus in all of His Fullness, Power, Blessing, Freedom, and Grace. BECAUSE as believers WE ARE HERE TO REPRESENT HIM.

That bears repeating: We are here to represent Him in all of his fullness. We are not here to represent ourselves, our own ministries, our own agendas, our own self centered, man centered, humanistic goals, dreams and visions. If we are true citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, we are here to live and to die representing His Kingdom in all of its Fullness, even in our own weakness and brokenness. 

Again, if we are to represent Christ, we are not here to represent ourselves, and our own personal, diluted, deluded, confused, mealy-mouthed, cowardly, complacent, complaining, complicit, compromising, corrupted faith, that doesn’t believe in the Son of God, doesn’t believe in the Majesty of His Name: Doesn’t want to be stretched and conformed into His Image, to Bear the Same Fruits, and do the same Works, that He Himself commanded and commissioned us to do.

Wow, that was a mouthful:

And I have no right to say it. I also have an obligation to tell the truth: Am I doing it? No.

• Let me be clear: Am I doing the mighty works of Jesus? No.
• Am I doing the greater works? No.  

That is the honest truth. But I am not an unbeliever. I truly believe if the requirements were all met, and all the conditions were all met, and the time and place was right, and ordained by God, and all the Glory would go to the Father, that I would see the glory of God in the land of the Living, and I would be a participant in the mighty works of God, and even in the greater works, if I would become a worthy vessel to share in his ministry.

Do I believe that is possible? Yes. Am I doing it? No. I do believe I have some maturing to do? Yes. Do I have some unfaithfulness, some double-mindedness, some worldiness, some disobedience to repent of and fully cleanse and remove? Yes.

I also believe it is important to be in fellowship with other like minded believers, like minded disciples in the Body of Christ who also believe, who also desire to enter into the fullness of Christ, who also want to lay down their lives for the word of God’s Ministry. Who also want to fully submit, fully trust, fully rely upon the workings of God, to lead, empower, direct, and fulfill them, and to enter into full maturity into the Fullness of Christ. 

Suffice it to say: Jesus’ Promise was given for a reason. The Work of the Ministry is just that. It’s Work. The laborers of the harvest are just that! They are laborers! They do work and labor together in a coordinated way? Why to bring in the harvest.

Jesus said,

Matthew 9:37-38 (KJV)
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

I also believe it is important to be “IN PRAYER” with other disciples working together for the Glory and Majesty of God to be present in their midst. Wherever God is … there is His Power, Faith, His Faithfulness, Holiness, Purity, and Love!

Matthew 18:18-20 (KJV) 8 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

In other words, the Kingdom of God comes in the midst of the agreement of the saints. He wants to see his servants working together, being of one accord, one mind, one spirit. Not a spirit of control or manipulation of man, but one of complete freedom, complete honesty, and complete faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Our Messiah, the Holy One of God, the Promise Keeper of Heaven, who cannot lie!

 

So why write about this, why not just do it?

[That is one of my wife’s main criticisms.]

And that is a good question that needs to be answered.

Before I can take a trip to a desired destination, it would be very helpful to have a sound, secure, reliable up-to-date road map that I can reliably follow, that will lead me to my destination. Right? Of course, right.

Now, I could have a very detailed, accurate map that have many instructions, warnings, and detailed guidelines on how to get to my desired destination, but if I don’t study the map, if I don’t the map, and I don’t remember its directions, again, I could fail in not getting to my desired destination.

Now, I know I have tried to make this journey before, but I have failed several times. Should I just quit, and delete the promise of God out of my life, out of my spirit, out of my church? No! Failure due to past unfaithful attempts is no predictor of future faith filled righteous attempts. In fact, those past attempts are part of the refining fire sent to purify the passage of faith, the walk of believing, the work of the ministry is designed by God to be continually refined.

The truth be told: in my failed attempts I learned some vitally important lessons. I learned what not to do. What not to believe. And who not to trust. I learned how to test the words, ways, and faith of the false preachers, and false proclaimers. I learned how not to believe every faults prophet. I learned that my faith and my walk with God needed to be refined. All these things will become assets in my future attempts to journey to the promised land.

Now, Before I can take the first step on my new journey, I would be wise to throw away a lot of the baggage I have taken on my past journeys, that never got me to my rightful destination. If I want to go to a heavenly land and walk in heavenly promises, I need to lay aside the earthly baggage that will block my way.

Mark 10:25 (KJV)
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

I learned that to trust in worldly wealth will block your entrance into the Glory Land. 

That only makes sense right? So equipped with new faith, new hope, a new spirit of perseverance, I am willing, eager and ready to start my journey all over again. Then as I receive the heavenly directions, I can walk them out, one step at a time. 

Moses didn’t need a backpack full of MacDonald Hamburgers to spend forty days and forty nights on the Mountain of God alone in the presence of God. The Power and Presence of God sustained him completely. If he took that backpack, he would have been tempted to trust in the provision of men. Thankfully, Moses didn’t put his trust in the provision of men, for he never would have made it out of Egypt alive had he done so.

The First Step into the Kingdom of God is always the same: Repent. The second step is also always to the same: Believe.

In order to receive God’s Word and receive God’s Counsel we all need to know How to REPENT, and how to BELIEVE, I need to go to His Word, and do everything according to God’s Wisdom, so that I may enter into the fullness of his Promise: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.”

And I admit, personally, it helps me to write things down. It helps me to examine my thoughts against the Word of God. It helps me to sharpen my mind, my heart and my ways, to see if they align up with the Word of God. And all that helps me to believe in the Word of God more and more. Writing also helps me to share the word of God to this generation.

One of the first steps of repentance, is to admit I have been living, and believing wrong things, and also to eradicate those false doctrines of men, and the false motivations of men, that I have believed and followed in the past. And this repentance must be thorough and mature.

So again, repentance is the first step to doing the ministry of Jesus. Next, I need lay ahold of Christ. I need to truly believe (after I have repented of going my own way, and doing our things apart from the Holy Spirit of God. I need to stop trusting in the ways and the words, and the traditions of men).

Next, I need to get busy doing the work of the kingdom, and ask him to direct every step. As I become obedient, and as I grow in obedience with other like minded believers, I believe we can expect to see him to show up in our midst. We can expect to see him begin to lead us all in the way of the Holy Spirit of God. Filling us with His Wisdom, His Will, and His immediate steps of direction in the proclamation of His Word, taking the Gospel of Christ to the Lost, and as He directs to walk in the workings of God through the Power of the Holy Spirit.

 

What is the Wide Margin?

Mark this down: There is a wide margin (a huge distance), between the humanistic intellectual preaching of the Bible (taught in most seminaries across the world), and the personal testimony of the Power of God confirming the Word of God with signs and wonders following the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. This work is performed through personal obedience to the Spirit of God and submission to the Will of God, fulfilling the Purposes of God. Check out below the 5 examples of exposing the difference between human effort preaching and Holy Spirit Power confirmed preaching:

1. Romans 15:18-19 (KJV)
   For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me [in other words Paul will only speak the truth about the mighty work God did …] to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum (a Roman province between Greece and Rome), I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
     
2. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (KJV)
   4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
    
3. 1 Corinthians 4:20 (KJV)
   20 For the “Kingdom of God” is not in word, but in power.
    
4. 2 Corinthians 12:12 (KJV) Truly [I persevered in that] the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds [miracles].  [This is how Paul labored among the people, seeking the fullness of the Gospel by Faith.]
    
5. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 (KJV)
   For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

 

 

As you can see God is able and God is willing to pour the power of his Holy Spirit, and to pass out the gifts of His Holy Spirit to the body of obedient followers of Christ, and then we will be in the position to Glorify the Father, to believe in the Son, and do the works of the Spirit. (read carefully the chapters of 1 Corinthians 12:1, 13:1, and 14:1.)

 

As I see it. We have no good reason to deny Jesus His Right to be Glorified Here on Earth in our Day, just as He was glorified on Earth in his Day as he walked among his people, and just as He was glorified in his apostles days, just as he has been glorified throughout Christ history in small pockets of faithful believers who took his word seriously, and walked it out by faith performing many miracles and bringing Glory to the Father.

Now remember, much of this blessing, power, authority, grace and miracle working happened, after Jesus left the earth to enter into Heaven, and sit down at the right hand of the Father on his throne, and to intercede for us, so that we could rightfully, and faithfully, and accurately, and powerfully represent Him, and Glorify Him as we should be doing, as a simple matter of faith and obedience to his word.

If we choose not to pick up the baton and follow in his footsteps, woe, unto us for not representing him according to the will of God, and to the fullness of God, clearly and unequivocally expressed through John 14:12-14.

 

Overcoming Strongholds

Please note: Strongholds existed in Jesus day, they existed in Peter and Paul’s day, and they continue to exist in our day. And it is the faith of God, and the Word of God, that leads a man to become one who will tear down the strongholds of unbelief for the glory of the Father.

As we should know: the Devil has many strongholds on the earth, wherever his lies and his powers (his sins, and his promises) have been accepted by men, and grown and taken root in our culture. And we know if we have been in the Word of God for a minute, that we are in a continual state of warfare. We are called to fight this war with weapons of mass destruction (weapons that are mighty through God to the tearing down of strongholds of the enemy).

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds😉 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Mark this down: If we are going to do the same mighty work that Jesus Did, glorifying His Father in Heaven, we are going to need to use the same mighty tools that Jesus used, and the same tools that the Apostles used, and the same tools the Jesus has commanded us to use, so that we can be as fruitful as Jesus was, and as fruitful as the Apostles were, and as fruitful as other believers throughout the church age have been in fulfilling the ministry calling to Glorify the Father in their day, as we are called to do so in our day. Does that not make perfect sense?

The question is:  Will we walk in the same obedience and faith as the early church, or will we make excuses, create false doctrines, to support our own systems of unbelief: the teachings and theologies of unbelieving men? Or will we reject the modern models of infidel faith and truly connect to and abide in the Vine of God? Will we allow His Power, His Grace, His Glory, and His Life to flow through us, or not? The freedom of choice is completely and fully up to us? 

That is the question we must ask ourselves. We will or will we not believe God, obey God, represent God, above and beyond humanistic religion?

And then we must ask the question: What are we willing to pay to enter into the Fullness of Christ?

Are we willing to abstain from worldly entertainment?  Stop serving Worldly idols? Stop entertaining vain imaginations? Stop serving Mammon? Stop making religious excuses? Stop following and believing the doctrines and the traditions of men? Stop putting all our faith in human doctors, human pharmaceutical companies, human based medical practices designed to make money, before going to the King of Heaven? And there are indeed a large number of areas that will need to be evaluated and where we will need to come into full repentance and faith. (See the longer list below.)

 

What is stopping the Mighty Miracles of Jesus today (and what stopped him back in his day here on earth)?

This is an Important question to address: What is the primary reason given that Jesus could not do many miracles (or mighty works) in certain places and certain situations?

In other words, what is the number one hinderance to the miracle working power of Jesus?

Answer: Lack of Faith (or rather UNBELIEF).

Scriptural Support:

Matthew 13:55-58 (KJV) [example two]
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.

There it is: Plain as day. The reason Jesus could not and did not do many mighty works (did not perform many signs, wonders, miracles, healings, casting out of devils) was due to the audience’s unbelief–“because of their unbelief”.

Can we get a second witness to the above scripture?

Yes. Check this out:

Matthew 17:15-21 (KJV) [example three]
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Again, it is plain as day. The disciples could not perform the request of deliverance of the man’s son, why? Because of UNBELIEF. And Jesus also added, they needed to do fasting and prayer in order to perform the work, apparently this demon was stronger and more determined to stay than the others they had dealt with.

If Jesus called his own generation of faithless and perverse generation, what would he call our generation? Can you see that what Jesus is looking for is a faithful generation? Can you see that is what Jesus is trying to build up? The purpose Jesus came was to produce a faithful generation. One that would believe his work, one that would perform his work, and do so faithfully. One that would bring glory to God. Would you not like to be a part of that generation? Would you not like to participate in that generation?

Here, we see the apostles were in the process of becoming a faithful generation, but they were not there yet. The apostles were experiencing a learning curve. They were the process of learning faith through obedience. As they worked at doing the works of God, they were in a continual growth pattern, just as we should be today! Can you see that?

Can we get a third witness? (Let every testimony, and fact, and doctrine be confirmed by two or three witnesses.)

Mark 6:4-6 (KJV)
But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

As you can see, this is a repeat of Matthew 13:58, with a little extra detail added. Jesus was actually able to heal a few sick people. So that tells us that the unbelief of the people did not completely stifle ALL the work of healing in Jesus ministry to the people, but as the testimony records, it did hinder all that God wanted to do, and all that God was able to do. And Jesus marveled at their UNBELIEF.

This tells me that the Spirit of Unbelief is not a passive animal. It appears to be aggressive. It appears to create a wall, set up a blockade, run interference even to the point that Jesus was hindered in performing his mighty works, how much more will it hinder the average simple child of God, from doing the mighty works of God, especially if the child is full of unbelief himself?

Especially if the child of God is told that the mighty works of God are not for today! I have a challenge for such a system of belief. Show me the scripture that teaches securely, clearly, openly, and righteously–that God has ceased to do his mighty works, and his children should not want them, expect them, believe them or do them. Give me chapter and verse … 

And I say, it needs to be clear as day, and backed up by two or three (or 10 or 20) witnesses in scripture as it needs to powerfully override, all the existing scriptures that are already laid down for the believer to trust in, believe in, follow, and obey. We will be getting to those in just a bit.

Below is an added detail to the testimony of Matthew 17:15

Mark 9:23-24 (KJV)
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.

Apparently, Jesus did help his unbelief and healed his son, casting the stubborn devil out of him.

 

How did Martha overcome her UNBELIEF?

Below again the condition on seeing the mighty works (miracles) of God is dependent upon the belief (faith) of those present. “If thou wouldst believe, thou shouldest see the Glory of God!” This is the clear and stated position coming from Jesus’ own testimony. Jesus spoke that in direct opposition to the testimony of unbelief: “Lord, by this time he stinketh.”

John 11:39-46 (KJV).         [example four]
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

Above is an excellent treatise on the two responses to the mighty works of God.

1. One response is to believe in the Son of God.
2. The other response is to run to your spiritual clique, and report the damage done to your crumbling false faith/religion.

Which testimony do you want to carry in your heart? I know which one I want!

 

Now let’s see what happened when men and women chose to believe in the Son of God and what results they received from their stated faith, as it is recorded in the testimony of God.

 

Believers who received their miracle
because they believed (and doubted not)

A Woman’s Faith made her body well 

This is an example of a person receiving a miracle for themselves.

The first one that comes to mind is the woman with the issue of bleeding.

Mark 5:24-34 (KJV)       [example five]
24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. 25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

As you can see the very reason for the healing is given plainly and clearly by Jesus Himself, even a child can understand it: thy faith hath made thee whole!

Instead of unbelief, that heals nothing, she had faith, and received an instant supernatural healing that poured out through Jesus Body (He being the Vine) and then into her body (she being a vine branch, see John 15:1-15) and instantly that virtue healed her. Should it be any different today?  I say no.

We have the same covenant. We share the same promises. We have access to the same faith, and the Same Holy Spirit they had. We have an obligation to serve the same Lord who is the same yesterday, today, and forever,  in the same obedience and under the same blessing.

Another beautiful follow up testimony, to the woman’s healing, is recorded below:

Matthew 14:34-36 (KJV)               [example six]
34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; 36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

 

His daughter rises from the dead

This is the example of a father receiving a miracle for his own daughter.

Below again you can see the exhortation by Jesus to doubt not, only believe. Now, if Jairus, believed not, he could have told Jesus it is too late, my daughter is dead. He could have easily listened to those who said, Why bother the master?  but he didn’t, he listened to and believed in Jesus word. Be not afraid, only believe. That was the needed requirement for him to receive the miracle and the Glory of God, the returning of his daughter from the dead. How or why should it be any different for believers today? 

Mark 5:22-43 (KJV)       [example seven]
And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. 24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
         35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain [men] which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

 

A gentile woman gets her daughter healed by her faith

Jesus in essence told this woman, you have a righteous faith, even though you come from an unrighteous culture.

Matthew 15:21-28 (KJV)             [example eight]
21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Once again, Jesus honors the faith of a person. He even tested and pushed the woman to test her faith. And then he complimented her, which is a very rare thing in Jesus’ ministry, very few people ever get a compliment from Jesus, even his own disciples received more rebukes than compliments. But in this case, Jesus didn’t hold back. “Woman, your faith is great.”  That is on par with the highest compliment Jesus gives anyone.

Can you again see that Faith again is the glue or the agent or the virtue, that kept the healing power alive, and caused it to flow out of Jesus into another?

 

The Children’s Bread

One more important Comment:  Jesus said plainly that the ministry of healing, (and by extension the ministry of signs, wonders, and miracles) is what?  He calls it: The Children’s Bread. 

If we don’t believe, receive, partake of, or serve the Children’s Bread to the Body of Christ and the World at Large, what are we doing?

Are we not playing into the hand of the devil?

Does God not want to give His bread to His Children? Does he not care about the needs of his children? Are His ears turned away? Is his heart hardened to no longer want His Children to receive his bread? Or is He in fact, waiting for the children to throw off the lies of the enemy? Is He calling out to his holy ones to repent of their unbelief? To repent of their false doctrines. To repent of their hardened hearts, and their broken infidel human based dead theology?

If you ask me, the Gospel has not changed from the first day Jesus proclaimed it.

Mark 1:14-15 (KJV) 14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

The same conditions apply today: We must repent, and we must believe the gospel, all of it, not just pick and choose the parts we like and throw out the parts we don’t like. It’s an all or nothing deal.

The Bread, the children’s bread, the ministry healing and deliverance have not changed since day one. (That has only changed in the mind of the infidel that believes not in the Kingdom of God.) Either the Kingdom of God is at hand or it isn’t. And we all receive it by faith. Yes? True? Yes, of course True! Nothing has changed.

We are even called to pray for it:

Matthew 6:10 (KJV)
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

The question is who will answer the call and by faith walk out the obedience of the Gospel delivered once unto the saints.

Matthew 10:5-10 (KJV)
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye 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. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

Notice that the disciples were thrust into a position in which they had to totally trust in God’s provision they had none of their own money and none of their own provisions, therefore they had to depend on God to provide. And they trusted God to provide while they themselves faithfully did the work of the kingdom. Which was preaching the gospel and doing the mighty works of healing and deliverance.

In other words, the 12 apostles of Jesus were commanded by Jesus to give the children of God, the children’s Bread in their day. Shouldn’t we be giving the children’s Bread to the Children of God in our Day?

 

Jesus Compliments a Gentile Soldier

This will be the last example in this article. I think it is important that we see both male and female, both believing Jew and believing Gentile, both wealthy and powerful, and also the poor and financially broken, they all received gifts of healing, gifts of deliverance, gifts of resurrection from the dead, simply by believing in the Son of God (and yet they all were also needing to overcome doubt, fear, lies, pride, self-importance, human traditions, peer pressure, religious false indoctrination, and more, in their own lives, in order to come to Jesus in a spirit of humility and grace and receive all that Jesus would give to them, often exactly what they asked from him.) Can you see this? Why should it be any different today?

Again, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. That is … if God’s Word is Faithful … If God’s Word is Trustworthy … If God’s Words is Eternal and Unchanging … then we should set ourselves up to receive the Children’s bread every bit as much as our earlier predecessor’s set themselves up to receive the children’s bread, even by the same faith and obedience they walked in, right? 

If that is true … Then we have the same access to faith and healing and signs and wonders and miracles as our brothers and sisters who have walked before us. Nothing has changed. We serve the Same God, receive the Same Promises, and believe in the same power that they did. And for the record, we haven’t even skimmed the tip of the iceberg. There are plenty more testimonies in the Word, and in the Church, far too many to present. We are only highlighting a few key testimonies.

Here we will see, Jesus gives the highest compliment to any male person in his ministry, not to a scholar, not to a rabbi, not to even a Jewish disciple, but to a hated Roman Soldier, a centurion, the captain of 100 soldiers (or more) in the Roman legion. Jesus is always full of surprises and doing and saying the unexpected:

Matthew 8:5-13 (KJV)                    [example nine]
5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Once again we see the condition met: “as thou hast believed”  which received the commendation of Jesus: so be it done unto thee.

And Jesus also understood that this healing would bring Glory to His Father in Heaven! And it has stood fast in the minds of men for 20 centuries, that God is able to heal by the faith of the believer, that he can receive from God exactly what he believed God to do for him.

Why should it be any different today? Why should modern Christians get a pass on the miracles, healings, signs, and wonders of God today that would bring Glory to the Father and to the Son?

Why should we not receive the Children’s bread that comes from God’s Heavenly Throne? Who would be behind such a plan to steal the Bread of the Children out of the mouths of the children of God? Think about that. Would God want it so? I, for one, don’t think so!

I think the answer to the question of unbelief is simple. It does not come from God. It comes from the evil one. It comes from the liar, thief, the murderer, the one who wants to steal kill and destroy. The one who would steal the bread of the children from the lives of God’s children. The one behind the spirit of unbelief is Satan himself. End of story.

Why would men make excuses and build theological colleges and that support and turn out infidel pastors, teachers, preachers, evangelists, that believe not the pure and perfect, timeless and powerful, unchanging Word of God? Who would be the master mind behind such a sultry suffocating plan? The King of Heaven? Again, No. I for one, don’t think so! Only Satan would concoct such a plan. 

So what is our duty? And what is our loyalty? Our duty is to proclaim the word of God, not the word of man, nor the word of Satan. Our loyalty is to follow the son of God, the one who rose from the dead, the now who ascended into heaven. We are not to follow the one who who will be sent to hell, and spend eternity in the lake of fire. For a true believer in Christ: That would be just plain stupid.

Please do me a favor, read your Bible and go through it with a fine tooth comb, and catalog every scripture that says God doesn’t want to heal today because _____ and then give the reason. Then mount up every promise, every healing, every miracle, every sign, and wonder in both old and new Testaments, and ask yourself this Question: If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, why on earth would he allow the devil to do fake healings, but he himself would close the door on true healings and true miracles?

Final Note:

Does that even make any sense? That God would offer us to partake of the children’s bread, but then deny to the next generation?

It doesn’t to me. 

I hope it doesn’t to you.

God himself said, if you ask Him for a fish, will he give you a serpent? Of course not.

How much more will he give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?

God has planned for centuries to give you the good gifts of heaven. Therefore, if I being “evil, know how to give good gifts unto my children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

Did you know that one of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, is Healing. Another is the Gift of Faith, both which are at the root of the Mighty Works of God. Should God offer these gifts, and then deny them? What kind of God would do that, but that is exactly what many modern theologies and theologians espouse. I would rightfully call those the doctrines of demons, and those who teach them the teachers of doctrines of demons.

Luke 11:5-15 (KJV) And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? 14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. 15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

Can you see how unbelief destroys the working and faith of God? 

Those calling Jesus Beelzebub would be the theologians of today: “But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.”

In the above message God is practically begging us to petition him for the Kingdom of Heaven’s gifts and bread. If we don’t seek them, if we don’t desire them, if we don’t believe in them, why should we ask for them? Why should he give them? But if we truly do believe in them, truly do desire them, truly do seek them, and ask for them, why would God deny us access to them? Except for our disobedience and our unbelief.

 

Why do we not receive the Gifts of God?

Now, here comes the rub: Why do we not receive the Gifts of God freely offered to us in his word?

Some of us proclaim that Jesus is Lord. But we do it in word only. In reality Jesus is just an add-on to our lives that are full and busy with our own pursuits, and our own agendas. Below is a short list of things that could possibly need to be repented of in order to believe and receive the mighty works of God. This is just a list of suggestions, take it or leave it at your own discernment.

1. Because of Pride.
2. Because of Unbelief.
3. Because of false indoctrination.
4. Because of false beliefs.
5. Because we don’t ask for them.
6. Because we ask with wrong motives.
7. Because we have not yet fully repented of our sins.
8. Because we have not yet truly made Jesus Lord of our Lives.
9. Because we still serve Mammon.
10. Because we still love the world and the things in the world.
11. Because we are double-minded.
12. Because we still love our addictions.
13. Because we have yet to break all our agreements with the Devil.
14. Because we still refuse to abide in the Vine, 100%.
15. Because we only dabble with religion.
16. Because we love the praise of men.
17. Because we compromise our faith.
18. Because we want to control our future.
19. Because we want to keep control over our worldly goods.
20. Because we love to keep and control our own schedules.
21. Because we put our own needs and wants before God’s and before others.
22. Because we are greedy, lustful, gluttonous, addicted to worldly entertainment.
23. Because we like to be in control spiritually.
24. Because we have the fear of men (and don’t possess the Fear of God).
25. Because we lack the Fear of God.
26. Because we don’t share the Gospel.
27. Because we don’t make disciples.
28. Because we don’t do the will of God.
29. Because we listen to false prophets.
30. Because we don’t really study the Word of God without prejudice.
31. Because we love our comfort.
32. Because we love our fellowship and don’t want outsiders to mess it up.
33. Because we don’t labor in the Harvest.
34. Because we don’t call men and women to repent of their sins.
35. Because we don’t want to be persecuted, and have men say all kinds of evil about us falsely.
36. Because we are afraid of being harmed physically.
37. Because our theology blocks us, our doctrines block us, our denomination blocks us, our people block us, our leaders block us, the sheep block us due to their unbelief, on top of our own unbelief. Because of all this …  It would be a miracle to see the healing of a broken fingernail. 

These are just a few of the reasons (excuses/self justifications) that we do not receive all the Gifts of God, that we do not walk in the all the Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and use them to minister healing to others, because we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to have 100% control over the ministry of the Church (as such we block signs, wonders, healing, and miracles in our midst). We block him. Our unbelief is aggressive it is not just passive. It actually fights against the moving of God’s Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of Unbelief impersonates and hides behind the excuse of “Sound Doctrine” but is anything but sound. It.aggressively forbids the speaking of tongues, or the interpretation of tongues, or the speaking of prophecies, or the other gifts of the spirit, because it is fearful of what it does not understand. The Holy Spirit is not blocking us! He may be waiting for us to clean up our act, but the original promises stand as good today, as they did in the early church, nothing has changed but the infidelity of men in the church, and the infidelity of preachers in the pulpit.

Dear Friends,

The Spirit of Unbelief is an Anti-Christ Spirit. Do we really want it to run our church government and have sovereignty over our spiritual lives in service to Christ? How can we serve two masters?

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little background on what a Roman Centurion Soldier was all about, it is interesting and adds a bit of depth to the humility, character, and faith of the Roman Centurion described above.