The Basics Series - The Spirit Part 3 (Aug 11, 2013)

The Spirit – Part 3 “Faith, Healings, Miracles”

1 Cor 12:9-10

Last week:

1.         The word of wisdom, which is a gift of the Spirit that provides insight, guidance and counsel in a supernatural way. (Beyond your natural wisdom)

2.         Word of Knowledge is the ability to know something that could only be revealed supernaturally.

3.         Often work together:  Often when a word of knowledge is given, wisdom is needed to know how to proceed with that knowledge.

4.         Another gift that has a strong interworking aspect is FAITH:

Faith

9 to another faith by the same Spirit,

5.         FAITH:  confidence or trust in a person or thing, belief that is based on something that may not be validated in the physical sense.

a.    Greek peitho (pi-tho) meaning to be persuaded, or urged.

6.         Parallel:  Similar to knowledge and wisdom, faith has a natural application we would call confidence.

a.    Whereas faith in the spiritual context would be confidence in that which is NOT in the natural realm, but in the spiritual realm.

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. - Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

Different Kinds of Faith

7.         There are different kinds of faith:  “Saving faith”

8.         The faith to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Messiah:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God... – Eph 2:8-9

a.    That’s why when Jesus asked Peter “who do you say that I am?” and Peter replied “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus replied:

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. – Matt 16:16-17

9.         There is also the faith is an essential part of every Christian’s life,

a.    That is the faith we are given by God to operate and trust the truth and promises of God:

...God has dealt to each one a measure of faith - Romans 12:3

10.     Faith is powerful, Jesus said:

I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. - Matt 17:20

11.     But what is presented here is different:  The gift of faith: The unique supernatural ability to trust God in all circumstances,

a.    It could be described as the ability to envision what needs to be done, and to trust God to accomplish it, even though it seems impossible to most people.

12.     Example: Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (Luke 8)

a.    It required supernatural faith for Jesus to walk into Lazarus’ tomb and call his spirit back after it has left his body!

b.    Well we might say, “yes, but Jesus was the Son of God.”

c.    Remember that Jesus never did anything except by the power of the Holy Spirit, He ministered as a man anointed by the Holy Spirit.

d.    If Jesus had worked miracles, or operated in faith through some natural power in Him as the Son of God, then He could not have told us that we could do the same, even greater things!

13.     There are examples of people with the gift of faith are those listed in Hebrews chapter 11.

14.     This chapter, often called "the hall of faith," describes those whose faith was extraordinary, enabling them to do extraordinary, superhuman things.

a.    By faith Noah spent 120 years building a huge boat when, up to that time, it has never rained.

b.    By faith Abraham believed he would father a child, and a nation, when his and Sarah's natural ability to do so had ended.

c.    By Faith Rahab the prostitute offered safe haven to the Israelites when they were scouting out the city of Jericho, trusting that God would protect her and her family.

15.     These were men and women who believed the unbelievable, trusted the unseen.  They took hold of God’s promises, and aligned their lives with those promises.

a.    They believed based on God’s word, God’s character and nature, and God’s ability – not their own.

16.     Another example of the gift of faith was George Mueller, The accomplishments in the life of George Mueller were significant, but the one he was known for around the world in his own lifetime, and still today, was the orphan ministry.

a.    When he started in 1834 there were accommodations for 3,600 orphans in all of England – not enough!

b.    Through faith, Mueller prayed in over 2 millions of dollars, over $90M in today’s currency, and never asked anyone directly for money. He never took out a loan or went into debt.

c.    Through faith, he built five large orphanages and cared for 10,024 orphans.

d.    He never took a salary, but trusted God to put in people’s hearts to send him what he needed, and neither he nor the orphans were ever hungry.

e.    On one well-documented occasion, they gave thanks for breakfast when all the children were sitting at the table, even though there was nothing to eat in the house.

f.      As they finished praying, a local baker knocked on the door with sufficient fresh bread to feed everyone.

17.     The Spirit may give this gift for a season:  I recall one couple that went through a long and difficult struggle in their marriage, and looking at the situation through human eyes, anyone would have said (and many did say) “your marriage is over.”

a.    But they held on to God’s truth and God’s promises (interestingly, we just happened to be teaching through Hebrews hall of faith at that time, go figure!)

b.    God did the impossible in their marriage!

Our Values:

We act in faith

In order to reach this city with the gospel of Jesus, we can't think small, Jesus never did! We must take bold steps when God leads, do what might seem impossible to others, and expect God to move in a great way.  (Matt 7:7)

We plant seeds expecting rain

We will move forward when God leads, trusting that where God guides, God provides.  (2 Cor 9:6)

What does it look like?

18.     Someone who has been given the gift of faith will trust God in difficult, even impossible situations when others are ready to give up.

a.    They are often the people that God has given a great calling or a big vision that will require great trust and unwavering belief.

b.    They could be the prayer warriors behind a great callings or huge vision.

i.      Many who have had great impact, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, Greg Laurie, have prayer warriors that believe God is going to do great things, and they pray accordingly.

c.    It might be a specific season in your life when you need an extraordinary amount of faith, you can simply ask the Holy Spirit to give you the gift of faith.

19.     Summary: God gives all Christians faith, but the spiritual gift of faith is given to some who will be called to have extraordinary amounts of faith.

Healings

to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

20.     The gift of healings (in the Greek it is plural) is the ability to call on God to heal a person through supernatural means, for the purpose of bringing glory to God.

21.     There is a natural parallel:  Our human bodies (as well as all mammals) were designed with a built-in system of fault and intrusion detection, coupled with the ability to self diagnose and self-heal -

a.    That is miraculous!  

b.    Science & Tech: We’ve also developed medical and pharmaceutical technology and practices to where many of the diseases and injuries we might experience can be corrected medically.

22.     But this gift a way that a person can be healed supernaturally, outside our own ability.

The Charismatic Gifts

23.     I need to address something: With this gift we begin moving into what some would call the “charismatic” or “supernatural” gifts:

a.    Healing, miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues...

24.     Now, biblically speaking, this gift is no more supernatural than any of the others, all operate in supernatural realm

a.    But because its manifestation is viewed as a wide departure from the natural (wisdom or knowledge are closer to the natural) – Christians often have a more difficult time accepting these gifts.

25.     Some are skeptical of this gift because there have been people who have misused this gift as a way to fleece or manipulate people:

a.    A person who is beyond medical help may be susceptible to being manipulated by someone who claims they can heal them.

b.    One such man, Peter Popoff, held huge healing events in the 80’s all around the country. Many people attended these services seeking a healing.

c.    In 1986 James Randi and Steve Shaw brought a radio scanner into several of Popoff’s events, and recorded his wife feeding information they had gathered from the attendees to her husband via a small in-ear receiver.

d.    He subsequently went bankrupt.

26.     FACT:  Just because there are hustlers and charlatans out there does not change the fact that God is real, and God can and does still move in our lives today!

a.    just because some cops are crooked, that doesn't mean all cops are crooked; just because some politicians are liars… never mind!

b.    Many who were healed have testified - God can heal despite a corrupt man.

Interworking Aspect

27.     This is another gift that has an interworking with the gift of faith, not only the person praying for the healing, but the person that is receiving the healing.

a.    In Mark 4 we are told Jesus went to His hometown, He was hindered by their lack of faith:

And because of their unbelief, He couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place His hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their unbelief. – Mark 6:5-6 (NLT)

Our Values at CCW

We expect the miraculous

We expect marriages to be restored, addictions to be broken, the sick to be healed, and for God to do the unexplainable. When no one else expects it to happen, we do. (Matt 10:8)

Healing in the bible:

28.     Old Testament:

a.    Hannah, mother of Samuel, was healed of her barrenness when she prayed to God (1 Sam 1)

b.    Naaman, commander of the King of Aram’s army, was healed of leprosy after following Elisha’s counsel (2 Kings 5)

29.     New Testament:

a.    Matthew 4:23-24 and 9:35 speak of Jesus' many healings.

b.    The Twelve had the gift of healing (Matt. 10:1), as did the Seventy (Luke 10:8-9),

c.    Peter (Acts 5:14-16), and Paul (Acts 3:1-8).

30.     Additionally, scripture instructs church elders to pray for the sick so that God might heal them

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. – James 5:14-15

a.    Note “prayer of faith” – the inter-working of these two gifts.

Healing Today:

31.     One might say; "I don’t see as many healings as there were in the bible today."

a.    The Acts - Rev covers 60 years, it didn't happen every day.

32.     Second, here in our country, our first response to a medical issue is to go to the doctor.  Now there’s nothing wrong with seeking medical assistance,

a.    But it stands to reason if we never ask God to heal us, then we won’t see many healings.

33.     I would also say: there ARE as many healings today, we just don’t hear about them.

a.    I can think of at least four examples in the past few months, here in our church, where we have prayed for healing, and God healed.

b.    One person recently shared with us that during the worship God healed them of something they were suffering from.

c.    This week my wife prayed for a lady, and God healed her.

d.    Harmony’s story

34.     Ask:  Has anyone here experienced, witnessed, or been part of God healing someone?

35.     Perhaps we should share those stories more - careful, people can get really excited about the gifts, we want to be excited about Jesus!

Common misconceptions

36.     Some say that the more supernatural gifts, such as healing, ceased to operate at the end of the first century, or once we received the word of God...

a.    This position is based on what I believe is an incorrect interpretation of 1 Cor 13:8-10:

But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. - 1 Cor 13:8-10

b.    If we say the gifts ceased once we had our bible, then we have to say the word “perfect” is referring to the bible:

c.    But if look at the Greek word for perfect, teleios, considering the way the New Testament uses telos in other passages  (1 Corinthians 1:8; 15:24; James 5:11; Revelation 20:5, 7; 21:6; 22:13),

d.    The word described being made complete, perfected in Christ.

e.    There is no correlation that can be made to the word describing the bible.

37.     Some say the gifts ceased after the first century, noting that they were no longer needed.

a.    They will assert that the Greek verb “will cease” is not in the passive, but in the middle voice, so it could be translated, “tongues will stop by themselves.“

b.    This analysis is disputed by most Greek scholars.

c.    Even if one were to assume this translation to be correct, “tongues will stop by themselves,”

d.    it creates a conflict with the rest of the verse “that which is perfect has come.” Meaning the timing of when those gifts would cease.

38.     Further, Paul is referencing only three gifts - prophecies, tongues, and knowledge, healing or miracles are not included in the list, why would God cease some, but not others?

a.    These are gifts that would have great use in the natural world as a believer, but little use once Jesus returns, as Paul notes in the next few verses...

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. - 1 Cor 13:12

39.     The stance that the gifts ceased after the apostles also goes against what Jesus Himself promised:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. - John 14:12

a.    When Jesus says “he who believes in me” He wasn’t indicating that only the apostles would do greater works, but anyone who believed in Him

b.    AND - after making this statement, with the point “because I go to My Father,” He then goes on to describe the coming and the ministry of...  The Holy Spirit!

40.     Saying the gifts ceased is taking a subject which is taught extensively, the gifts of the Spirit, and negating them with one verse, using a bit of exegetical gymnastics to come to that conclusion.

41.     Caveat:  That’s not to say that we at CCW would want to get into a debate over this issue, we trust and know that the Spirit of God will lead each believer into the truth and knowledge of Christ.

a.    We're not going to get caught up in our differences, as Paul noted last week,

b.    But as St Augustine noted:  “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity”

42.     Another error, When it comes to such things as healings, some people say that God must heal if we ask,

a.    But that doesn’t align with Paul’s personal situation, as he had some type of ailment that he asked three times for the Lord to heal, and God’s response to him was “my grace is sufficient” (2 Cor 12:9)

43.     Some say that healing should always be done in a church service, but scriptural examples of healings occurred mostly in everyday situations.

a.    The scripture in James could be applied during a service, or at another time.

b.    In other words: You don't have to go to a "healing service"

44.     Some believe that since God can heal, Christians should not use a doctor,

a.    Yet the Bible does not speak against doctors at all, and we have the example of Luke who used his medical ability as part of his pastoral ministry to help people (Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 1:24).

45.     Some believe that by walking in faith and not sinning, Christians should ever be sick,

a.    But Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25-27), Timothy (1 Tim. 5:23), Trophimus (2 Tim. 4:20), and Paul (1 Cor. 2:3; 2 Cor. 11:30; 12:5, 7-10; Gal. 4:13) each had sickness that were not healed supernaturally, despite the fact they deeply loved God and walked with Jesus faithfully.

What does it look like?

46.     Those with the gift of healing trust that God can heal the sick and pray in faith for the physical restoration of those in need.

47.     These people see healing as a sign that God uses to reveal his power to people so that many will come to believe in Jesus.

48.     People with this gift may not have a 100% success rate, since healing is something that God alone decides to do (e.g., Gal. 4:13-14; Phil. 2:27; 1 Tim. 5:23; 2 Tim. 4:20).

49.     I do not sense that I have this gift, although I have prayed for people, and they have been healed, simply because I was acting in obedience to James 5.

Do you have this gift?

50.     Do you have a deep compassion for people who are sick?

51.     Do you have a deep faith that God can heal anyone He chooses?

52.     Do you enjoy praying for people who are sick?

53.     Have you experienced God heal someone that you prayed for?

54.     When God heals someone, are you excited because it helps to reveal His power to others?

Miracles

10 to another the working of miracles,

55.     What is a miracle? “An event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin.”

a.    When a person survives a car accident, or walks away from a plane crash.

56.     Natural parallel - Everyday miracles:

a.    The water cycle:  Rain falls, runs into streams, rivers, ocean; then evaporates (being distilled / purified in the process); vapor gathers into clouds and repeats the cycle.

b.    Fetal circulation: when a human baby is in the womb, its circulation system is tied to the mother; all oxygen and nutrients are delivered through the umbilical cord (parasite)

c.    A small valve in the baby’s heart allows blood from the mother to flow to area’s of its developing body that are most needed

d.    But once a baby exits the womb, the veins in the umbilical cord constrict, shutting off blood flow from the mother, the venus ductus closes, and the baby’s circulatory system completely shifts from being parasitic, to a self sustaining closed system.

57.     But miracles described here, the Greek word is dynameis, or “acts of power,”

a.    It describes when  .

58.     Note: All healings are miracles, but not all miracles are headings.

Miracles in the bible:

59.     In the Old Testament

a.    All of the miracles when God brought the Israelites out of Egypt:

i.      Water turned to blood, plagues of frogs, lice, flies, parting the Red Sea (Exodus 7-14)

b.    The walls of Jericho coming down (Jos 6),; The sun standing still (Joshua 10)

c.    Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the furnace (Dan 3), Daniel in the lions den (Dan 6)

60.     New Testament:

a.    Acts 2:22 says Jesus performed many miracles, and John 20:20-31 says that Jesus' many miracles were to prove he was God.

b.    Some examples:

i.      Jesus commanded nature (Mark 4:35-41),

ii.     Jesus cast out demons (Mark 5:1-13; Matt. 12: 22),

iii.   Walked on water (Mark 6:45-51),

iv.   Turned water into wine (John 2:1-11),

v.     and fed over 5,000 people with one boy's lunch (John 6:1-14).

c.    The apostles did "many miraculous signs" (Acts 2:43), Stephen did "great" miracles (Acts 6:8),

d.    and Paul did "extraordinary" miracles at Ephesus (Acts 19:11).

61.     In Acts 13 Paul blinded a sorcerer named Elymas who was trying to prevent Paul from witnessing to the proconsul.

Interworking with Faith

62.     Gifts of healing and working of miracles often operate in conjunction with the gift of faith, as it takes faith to ask for a miracle!

Miracles today:

63.     Our first child Carmen was born with low red-cell blood count, blood loss during last term.

a.    Babies cannot make new red blood cells quickly enough until to replace the lost ones until they are 1 month of age, so she needed a transfusion.

b.    We were very worried, mom’s blood wasn’t compatible, due to a medical condition couldn’t donate, and frankly we were worried about going to the blood supply (early HIV days)

c.    We got everyone praying, and within a few days, her red blood cell count went up - there was no explanation, other than God!

64.     One of our good friends mother was tragically shot in the head –

a.    Made a miraculous recovery.

65.     Praying for a friend’s truck to start.  

a.    The only reason I thought of that was because several years earlier, a friend and his family were on vacation in Florida,

b.    their van broke down, they had no money, called me, and the only thing I could think of was “lets pray for your van.”

c.    Sounds crazy, but we prayed, he called me back in a few minutes and said “you’re not gonna believe this, it started...” and they drove back from Florida.

d.    soon as they got to Wilmy, it conked out and they had to get it fixed.

Common misconceptions:

66.     Some people who claim to have this gift use it to exalt themselves, but the gift exists to exalt God and spread the name of Jesus.

67.     Some say that the all godly people will have this gift, but even John the Baptizer never performed a miracle (John 10:41).

68.     Some Christians get excited and chase signs and wonders, but Jesus said that it is a wicked and evil thing to seek a sign (Luke 11:29).

69.     Some people think that a sign or miracle is guaranteed to prove to a non-Christian that Jesus is real, but Jesus said that some people would never believe in him even if they saw a miracle (John 4:48).

70.     Some denominations say a miracle (or two) validates that a person is a “saint”

Do you have this gift?

71.     Those with the spiritual gift of miracles often have a heightened sensitivity to the presence and power of God through His Holy Spirit.

72.     They have a special measure of faith and desire for God to reveal Himself and draw many to faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

73.     They will take care not to draw attention to themselves or have a following of people, but are constantly pointing others to Jesus.

74.     Those with this gift understand that God is Sovereign and He can work when and how He desires, but they make sure they are available and listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

75.     They do not claim power themselves, but always give credit and glory to God for His mighty works.

76.     This gift is often accompanied by prayer and strong petition by these individuals for God to reveal His glory to people.

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