A Climate For The Miraculous
Tonight, I wanted to talk to you about setting the tone for the miraculous. God desires that the church in America hunger and thirst for the things of Him, and this includes us expecting the miraculous to happen.
One of the problems in the church is that we don’t expect God to do it. We don’t expect to see the power of God work in a service. We don’t expect the glory of God to fall as we sing praises unto Him, and we have got to change our thinking. Changing our thinking, changing our expectations, changing our believing.
What would happen if we ran a 2 week add in every newspaper in central IL, we ran adds on the radio, on tv, and announced in the pulpit that God was going to be in this building 2 weeks from now, and that everyone who was sick would be healed, everyone who was bound would be free, everyone who ever doubted God’s existence would know without a shadow of a doubt that God is real. What would our church service look like 2 weeks from now?
We wouldn’t have enough pews for the amount of people that would show up. We would have to turn people away because this church could not hold them.
Can I say here tonight that God is real all of the time, God will heal all of the time, God wants to perform miracles all of time. Look how many is in here tonight. If people knew that God would show up, this church would be packed out. But what people don’t realize is that at any given point and time God can do the unthinkable. At any point there could be a rushing mighty wind. At any point a church service could be transformed so much to where nobody preaches, nobody sings, because we are all laid out under the power of God.
But you see, there is no expectation. We will start to see things once we are expecting to see things.
People usually don’t want to come to a prayer meeting because they don’t think that anything will happen, but can I just say that on the day of Pentecost, what were they doing? They were praying.
Heb 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
I Ways To Set A Climate For The Miraculous
A) God’s word doesn’t lie, ever..
1. Kathryn Kuhlman said “I knew that if I lived and died and never saw a single miracle like the apostles experienced in the book of Acts, it would not change God’s Word.. God said it.
2. Miracles are a part of God’s plan. No matter what disappointments we may have experienced in the past, it does not change the word of God.
3. Smith Wigglesworth used to say, “I would rather die trusting God than live in unbelief.”
4. God will use the realm of the miraculous to defeat the devil and draw the lost.
5. Transition times only serve to purify a vessel for a greater outpouring.
6. All this means that just because you don’t see a manifestation of the miraculous today, doesn’t mean that it will not happen tomorrow. Some of you who have been struggling for a long time, never give up.
B) We must hunger for that which is real
1. The absence of miracles should create hunger, not disappointment.
2. The last thing we need to do in life is settle for anything that is less than God’s best.
3. God’s people being content without the miraculous will work right into the devil’s plan.
4. John 14:12- he who believes, greater works he will do
5. That is a promise that says to me that I have always got to be hungry for the things of God. When I hunger for Him, believe Him, the things that Jesus did, I can do also.
6. Exodus 33: 12-18- Moses refuses to go anywhere without the presence of God
7. We don’t want to go and sit in a dead church service, we want the presence of God to be there, more than just knowing that God is Omnipresent, we want to see a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
C) We must choose a life of holiness
1. The Bible says that we live in this world, but we are not of it.
2. Holiness is an honor given to God, not a meaningless requirement of skirt or hair lengths. Holiness isn’t about a rule book, it’s a lifestyle. Holiness is doing things God’s way.
3. Hebrews 12:14
Without holiness no one will see the Lord.
4. If we do not do things God’s way, it will be impossible for us to discern what God is doing or saying.
5. 2 Chron 16:9 (p 576) Holiness is a cornerstone to the miraculous
D) We must be moved with compassion
1. One common bond which linked every great revivalist’s ministry was compassion for the hurting.
2. John G. Lake saw half of his family members die, and as a result, was a man filled with love and concern for suffering humanity.
3. Maria Woodworth-Etter grew up with such a tragedy in her early life that her heart was moved toward those in misery & pain.
4. John Alexander Dowie witnessed first hand misery and sorrow of life. The result was a hatred toward evil, and a heartfelt desire to see the masses delivered.
5. Compassion is a powerful spiritual force that unlocks the miraculous.
6. Matthew 9: 36-38
7. Mark 1: 40-42
E) We must hear a clear word from God.
1. To have the miraculous working in your life, you must hear from God.
2. Sometimes you will hear a Rhema word from God. A Rhema word from God is when you know that you know that the word spoken is directly for you. It’s not just information, but it’s a word from the Lord. It can be a prophetic word, you could of gotten it through reading the word, the Lord could just drop it right into your spirit.
3. Eccles 3:1
To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.
4. Proverbs 15:23
A word spoken in die season, how good it is!
CLOSE!
As we set the atmosphere for God with our praise & worship, and we set the climate for the miraculous, we will see some powerful things take place.
Now is the time to expect a miracle. Now is the time for miracles, for the miraculous. Expect, believe, and watch the hand of the Lord move. Watch the rushing mighty wind, watch the fire of the Holy Spirit, watch the outpouring, watch the lost run to the alters, watch healings take place like never before.
