Now I realize that most individuals that have a belief in God to some extent, believe that Jesus doing miracles is expected since He was considered to be God working in the flesh. However, when it comes to seeing you or I commanding such feats of power, it can seem a bit far fetched when we consider ourselves to be only human. In addition, even as the Scripture referenced above speaks of the apostles doing these marvelous things, there are many denominations that teach such power ended when the apostles died. However, this could not be further from the truth. Jesus is recorded as saying that we would do the same works that He did and even greater works, because of the Holy Spirit who would dwell within us. Therefore, the disciples in the upper-room were instructed by Jesus to wait there until they received the promise of the Father. That promise being the baptism of the Holy Spirit accompanied with power.

 

When this had taken place and men received that power from on high, they became bold witnesses and went about doing mighty miracles throughout the regions of the world. They were clothed with the garment of great power and with great grace (the ability of God). Now, if you and I are wearing something that is wonderful, shouldn't everyone be able to see it? Of course! Faith therefore, is a garment that you and I wear which will enable others to see the benefits of what it can do. It's sad to hear of those who profess as being Christians who cannot say what they have on the inside of them. In other words, they cannot seem comfortable or confident to tell others that they have healing, miracles, and wonders in them. They feel that if they did this, they would be taking something away from God, and He would destroy them for such false representation.

 

Yet, if we look at this truthfully as a true believer in Christ, how can we have this same Jesus in our life and not do the same things that He did? The Scriptures point to this very fact: that once we are endued with power from on high, then we would be filled with the same wonder working power of God that Jesus operated through. God's intentions for giving men such a gracious impartation of His divine Holy Spirit is that they may go throughout this world doing exploits in His name, reconciling all things unto Christ. We need the functioning of God's undeniable power within this unbelieving world in which we live, in order that it will listen to our message and be saved. It is the heavenly Father who commissioned us to go as His representatives in all the world. He has therefore, graced us with the ability to do god stuff that captures the attention of an otherwise, uninterested people concerning spiritual matters. When we preach the good news of Jesus Christ with signs and wonders following, there will be tentativeness and sincere hearts because of what they are witnessing through God's power in us. They will go and tell it to everyone they meet.

 

Acts 4:20 (KJV)
20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 

Think about the effect that Jesus had on the Samaritan woman at the well. Once Jesus revealed some personal things to her that no man could have known, and she could not dispute it, she ran off back to her city and told everyone to come see a man that told all her heart, is this not the Messiah? When Jesus speaks into a life they receive a miraculous mission that they must go and tell it to others. They must prophesy the Words of life. It's as if it were  fire shut up in their bones. There is a real divine transference of supernatural power and grace that fills every believer for service when they receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, there are many doubters that profess to be experts in the area of the accesses of faith and will always dispute it and deny its availability in the here and now. I have even heard that there are classes in seminaries that teach against the accessive displays of faith, and therefore, they want to enlighten their students to beware of such false doctrines that lead people astray with their demonic hype and activities. I have to say that these ill-advised folks who teach this kind of stuff, are much like the mummy who lectures on the downside of the resurrection. It's ridiculous! These who teach such nonsense have had little, if any power manifested in their life or ministry, and then they go around and indoctrinate people in a powerless gospel that can never bring true healing and deliverance to them.

 

Now I want us to tackle this subject that has been promoted by so many denominations and teachers that informs us that all displays of miracles and power ended with the apostles when they died. Therefore, we will look at two particular people recorded in the Bible, that were not apostles, and yet they moved in the miraculous. Our first disciple of Christ that we will look at in this teaching, is a man named Stephen. He was not one of the apostles, but he was a man who served tables and whatever else may have been needed or done within the church. Stephen along with a few others were assigned as deacons to serve and wait on tables while the apostles devoted themselves to prayer and reading of the Word. The Bible describes these deacons as men full of faith and the Holy Ghost.

 

Acts 6:2-6 (KJV)
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 

 

When I think about that description: being full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, it makes me think on this truth. We will do exactly what we are full of, and that isn't always a positive thing either in some folks. Men and women ought to give their tongues over to divine inspiration instead of all the doubt and unbelief that is so often spoken out loud which dispels the manifestations of God's miracles in our midst. As we continue to look at Stephen and his life, you will notice that he was just an ordinary individual like you and me that loved the Lord, and would serve wherever he was needed. Stephen was a candidate for the great power and great grace of God. Why? Because he was faithful, available and not in doubt and unbelief. Look at our next verse and watch how things unfold, which will support unreservedly, that you and I have this same power and grace available to us in the Holy Ghost.

 

Acts 6:8 (KJV)
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 

Notice that the key to doing miracles is to be full of faith and power. There are so many misinformed believers today, who have been building wrong foundations over the years because of the wrong teachings that they have continued to sit under. I must reiterate something that the Word points out clearly, and that is, that my people perish for lack of knowledge. Look with me at this passage we just read in verse eight. I want you for just a moment, to do something that I don't recommend to ever be done in order to make the Word of God say what you want it to. But in this case we will do it so that you might capture the full meaning of something that you probably just read right over without ever getting it. I promise we will put it right back. In this passage remove the words, "full of faith and power." Now read this passage by skipping those words mentioned. Did you happen to see who was doing the great wonders and miracles upon the people? (Stephen, did great wonders and miracles among the people). I wanted you to see this clearly, so that you may fully understand that we are commissioned, appointed, anointed, empowered, endued with the Holy Ghost to do exploits in the name of our God. However, you will be the one who does it, if it is to be done at all. If you don't think you have something, then you cannot operate in it, and its impossible to please God without faith.

 

Now, I grant you we all understand who it is in us that produces the power to perform miracles. But don't separate yourself from Him, as that would be opposite of what Jesus taught. Scriptures teach us that we are to put on the same mind which Christ had. Again. the Scriptures teach us that we are co-laborers together with Christ. Let me press the point further, "let this mind which was in Christ Jesus be in you also, who thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Did you see the comparison of you and Christ that the Word has promoted that we should see ourselves as? If your eyes have not been blinded by the paralyzing teachings of those that have deluded the truth of the gospel with doubt and unbelief, then you will be able to discover all through Scripture that it reinforces the divine aspects of your nature and what you are capable of doing through Christ which strengthens you.

 

Let me pose a question for the sake of thought here. How does God get glory when you deny what He says He has given you? In other words, why would you go around and tell people you are sick, broke, worried, afraid, and every other kind of diminishing curse over your life? But people do this all the time. Again, why would you go around as a professing Bible believing Christian and fail to acknowledge what the Word teaches you have? 

People who do either of these have not discerned the Scriptures properly and therefore, they are suffering under the consequences of what it could be doing for them, if they would only believe it, and act on what it says. The Bible tells us that life and death is in the power of the tongue. We either speak in connection to what the Word of God says we have, or we out right deny it with our words and actions, and the damage therefore, infiltrates every area of our life. Stephen was a faithful man who believed what he had received from His Lord. Therefore, he could not but speak the things which he had seen and heard. Stephen is an example of a man who was not an apostle, but yet, he too had received this great power and great grace. Before we close let's look at one more person from the Bible who was not considered an apostle which could do the same miraculous works that the apostles and Jesus Christ did.

 

Acts 8:5-8 (KJV)
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.

Again, we have here in Philip, a disciple of Christ who was full of faith and the Holy Ghost, and he was going about doing miracles among the people. He was not one of the chosen apostles that everyone agrees had been specially endowed with gifts, but he was chosen just the same as you and me, which is to do the same works that Christ did. I think it is a sad observation, that so many believers in Christ, will just accept being saved is enough, and refuse to walk out into great waters for fear of failing and being made a spectacle before the people. When I look into the Word of God, I see and hear the expressions of the Lord saying, this is the way, come over here, and do my works among my people whom I love. What you have freely received of me, freely give to others and hold nothing back. I have apportioned you the ability to work the works of God. Don't look at their faces and become afraid, but look to Me, from where your help comes from, as I have empowered you with great power and great grace: it is the miracle that I have placed within you!