Signs & Wonders

Signs & Wonders

The first time I see these words used in the Bible it is during the deliverance of God's people out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 7:3) In these verses it is talking about all of the mighty Miracles that God did as Moses announced each coming plague. Then later Daniel mentions that it was God that delivered Him with mighty signs and wonders out of the mouths of the lions. And many more miracles, signs and wonders are recorded in the Old Testament which God did on behalf of His people.

Then in the New Testament in the Gospels this phrase is mentioned a few times but only with a warning as it appears that False prophet's and False Christ's will arise and try to deceive people doing mighty signs and wonders(Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:2). There are some people that would begin to form a anti signs and wonders doctrine with these phrases. However signs and wonders do not only occur in the Bible when it is mentioned under signs and wonders, sometimes the Bible calls signs and wonders healings and or maybe miracles. Jesus Healed thousands of people and set thousands loose from the possessions and oppression of the Devil. Acts 10:38 states God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. These were mighty signs and wonders also. So as there are those false prophets and False Christ's who perform signs and wonders to deceive, we cannot judge everyone that is doing signs and wonders as false because even Jesus did many signs and wonders(Acts 2:22).

In John 3 Nicodemus even declares that these mighty works that Jesus was doing proved that he was from God.

Signs, wonders and miracles appear very commonly among the people of God throughout the Bible. After the Gospels signs and wonders begin to appear as the Apostles and the early church take up the commission to go and preach the Gospel to the whole planet. Jesus told the disciples that the signs and wonders would continue to follow those who believe in the Gospel of Mark 16:17-18).

When the day of Pentecost came there where great signs and wonders manifested on those in the upper room and Peter declared that these signs and wonders were prophesied by the prophet Joel (Acts 2:18-20)

The reason these signs and wonders are with the early Church is because Jesus is with them. He promised that He would be with them always even to the end of the age Matthew 28:20. If Jesus is going to keep this promise then as we read the Bible, the miracles, signs and wonders should still be happening in the book of Acts just like they did in the Gospels because Jesus will still be there. And that is indeed what we find. In Acts chapter 3:1-16 John and Peter are used by God to heal a man in Jerusalem and no small stir begins and Peter gives al the credit to Jesus for the man being healed. This healing is proof that Jesus was keeping his promise to be with them always.

After this incident they had some real problems with the city officials. The city Priest and Sadducees really came down hard on them for preaching the Gospel and healing this man. When they were finally released they prayed (Acts 4:23-31) to God to give them Boldness and asked for God to continue to do miracles, signs and wonders among them.

29 "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants
that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 "by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and
wonders may be done through the name of Your holy
Servant Jesus."

This is a prayer I believe we the Church in the 21st century need to pray.

In Acts chapter 5 we see that signs and wonders are still being manifested and Jesus is still keeping His promise to be with them because he is the one doing the signs, wonders and miracles.

Acts 5:12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs
and wonders were done among the people. And they
were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.

There is more to this subject, I will continue this thought in a later Blog. I want to rejoice that our miracle working God has not left us but He is with us in the POWER of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).
God is God and He does not change Jesus is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever. Praise the Lord!!