The Manifestation of God’s Power – Part 1, Signs and Wonders

Central Thought:  God’s will is that believers in Him will manifest His power to bring glory to His Name.

Text:  Acts 3:1-16; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 10:19

 

God has always been interested in man’s welfare.  Hence at the conclusion of creation, He handed over the entire ecreation to man and delegated to him authority (power) over creation, commanding him to have dominion over the earth and to subdue and replenish it, Genesis 1:26-28.

When man sinned and lost that authority, GOD put in place an arrangement whereby the lost authority will be restored to man.  Through the birth, death, resurrection and ascension of the LORD JESUS, man’s redemption was accomplished.  Anyone therefore who believes in the LORD JESUS experiences salvation from sin and its consequences and they are restored into fellowship with GOD who delegates His authority (power) to him again as His representative on earth.

GOD’s plan therefore is to manifest His power through the believer in many ways for the erring world to see and repent.  GOD’S power can be manifested by the believer through signs and wonders.  His power can also be manifested in the expression of love and unity by believers towards each other.  GOD’s power can also be expressed or manifested by the believer in holy living.

This first part of this series of lessons on “Manifestation of GOD’s power” (drawn from Acts chapters 3 to 5) focuses on manifesting His power in signs, wonders and miracles.

 

1. What do you understand by power in this context and who is to manifest it?

Power as used in the context of this lesson refers to supernatural power, that is the power that comes from GOD.  We read in Matthew 10:1, “And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”  Also it is recorded in Luke 10:19, “Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”  Mark 16:17-18 declares expressly, “And these signs shall follow them that believe, In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.”  The LORD JESUS while on earth demonstrated GOD’s power for all to see, He healed the sick, cast out devils, raised the dead, fed the hungry, opened the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf, etc.  He also empowered His followers to exercise the same power and authority from GOD as revealed in the Scriptures above.  Thus GOD has delegated to the believer power, authority, and dominion over nature.  By that power, the believer can change the course of nature and by that God-given authority, ha can bring out supernatural intervention in the affairs of men.  This has always been God’s desire for His children.

It is to be emphasized that we are talking about God’s power and only believers (His children) can exercise this power on His behalf.  God’s children are those who have had conversion experience; those who are “born-again”.  Such persons have left the old sinful life and are living as new creatures in Christ.  You cannot manifest God’s power unless you are His child.

 

2. What do you understand by signs, wonders and miracles?

Signs, wonders and miracles collectively constitute/represent supernatural manifestations revealing GOD’s power over nature and the affairs of men in general.  Such signs, wonders and miracles usually will bring changes in human situations and the course of nature.  GOD uses these manifestations (signs, wonders and miracles) and the gifts of the HOLY SPIRIT to attract men to Himself and to confirm the truth of His Word.

There are several examples of the manifestations of GOD’s power revealed in signs, wonders and miracles in both Testaments of the Bible.  GOD used Moses to demonstrate HIS power before Pharaoh and in the wilderness.  Joshua, also using GOD’s power, command the sun and the moon to “stand still” and both obeyed, Joshua 10:12-14.  Elijah and Elisha manifested GOD’s power in many notable miracles, 1 Kings 17:8-16; 2 Kings 4:1-7.

In the New Testament, the LORD JESUS demonstrated the power of GOD in “signs, wonders and miracles”, when He was physically on the earth.  This is certainly not surprising because He is GOD indeed.  He delegated this authority of manifesting GOD’s power to His followers when He was leaving the world.  It is written in John 14:12, “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”, see also Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15-18.  There are several instances in the New Testament when GOD used believers to perform signs, wonders and miracles.

 

3. Examine the healing of “the lame man”. What lessons can we draw from it? Acts 3:1-16

In Acts 3, we read the story of a man who was “lame from his mother’s womb”, he was born a cripple.  He was carried and laid daily at the gate of the temple to ask alms of those that entered the temple, Acts 3:2.  The day of visitation came for him.  Peter and John came to the temple “at the hour of prayer” and the man in his usual custom asked them for alms.  These two disciples knew that what the man need was more than money.  The man needed healing, deliverance.  Peter and John knew that only through the Name of the LORD JESUS will the power of GOD be released upon the lame man to bring healing to his body.  In the Name of JESUS they commanded him to rise and walk; and he did, Acts 3:1-9.

As believers, some of the lessons we can learn from this incidence include:

-Peter and John had a steady prayer life.

They attended prayer meetings in the temple.  (The Jews had three hours of prayer a day: at 9:00 am morning; 12:00 at noon and 3:00 pm.  Dake’s commentary.)  The ninth hour referred to 3:00 pm (afternoon).  These two disciples came to the Temple at the ninth hour.

Apart from going to the Temple to pray, they must also have maintained private prayer lives.  It was at such a private time of prayers that GOD revealed to Peter the journey to Cornelius house for the purpose of preaching to him, Acts 10:9-17.

The early disciples and indeed the early church believed strongly in communion with GOD and no wonder GOD’s power was manifested through them.

-They were not distracted.

Unlike many church leaders and believers today, silver and gold was not their pursuit.  They served GOD with “singleness of heart”, Acts 3:6, 2:46, 4:32.  Although they didn’t have silver and gold, they had the Name of JESUS.  It is interesting to note that through that Name, the lame man was healed, Acts 3:6-9, and through the Name the disciples never lacked anything, Acts 4:34a.

-They had faith in the Name of the LORD JESUS.  Acts 3:6-7, 4:10-12

They walked by faith and not by sight.  Therefore Peter spoke and took the man by the right hand and lifted him up.

-Their desire was to glorify GOD and not self, Acts 3:12-16, 4:23-30.

Their singular aim was to lift up the Name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  They had no banners, bill boards or fliers carrying their names and photographs.  They lifted up high the Name of the LORD JESUS; and our GOD, who said, “…If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Myself” honored His Name and His Word.

-They understood the manifestation of GOD’s power as opportunity to preach CHRIST.  Acts 3:17-26

When the people saw what happened and beheld the man clinging to Peter and John, they gathered around them.  For many preachers today, it would have been an opportunity to “market” themselves and their denominations to the people; but it was certainly not so with Peter and John.  They immediately drew the people’s attention away from themselves and pointed them to CHRIST.  They preached CHRIST to the people and many of them (five thousand men) believed, Acts 4:4.

-They were consecrated deeply to the LORD JESUS and His cause on earth. Acts 4:13-20

Although this miracle brought them persecution from the Jewish religious leaders, Acts 4:1-3, they did not yield to their threats.  Their consecration meant total obedience to CHRIST and not man, Acts 4:19-20.

-They were bold, Acts 4:13.

Boldness was revealed in the word of command to the lame man, the message to the people and their response to the Jewish leaders, Acts 3:4-7, 12-26, Acts 5:12-16, 19:11-12.

It is to be noted again that believers today are expected to manifest GOD’s power in signs, wonders and miracles as the early believers did.  We need to meditate on the lessons enumerated above.

 

4. What are some of the things that hinder us from manifesting God’s power?

The enemy uses many devices to hinder the believer from manifesting GOD’s power.  Some of them are:

-Absence of constant communion with GOD.

It does not appear that the believer in contemporary times chokes his heart with so many things and is involved in so many pursuits.  Some believers spend hours “gisting”; complaining/grumbling about leaders, government, etc.  A lot of time is dissipated by many in talking and arguing rather than praying about them.

The implication of the absence of constant communion with GOD is that the believer will not hear from GOD.  Such persons may neither experience GOD’s leading nor the manifestation of HIS power in their lives.

-Paying lip service to the Name of JESUS.

Many have believed the LORD JESUS for salvation but how many genuinely believe that the Name of JESUS can wrought signs, wonders and miracles.  We can only use the Name of JESUS if we sincerely believe in His Name.  The seven sons of Sceva attempted using the Name of Jesus without genuinely believing in that Name; but they had to run for their lives when the demon-possessed man pounced on them, Acts 19:13-17.

-Worldly pursuit.

The denominations today are so enmeshed in worldly pursuits of materialism.  The result is that they have become so rich in silver and gold but devoid of GOD’s power.  The Laodicean church typifies today’s average denomination, Revelation 3:14-22.  If we are to manifest GOD’s power in signs, wonders and miracles, our emphasis and focus must be the Lord Jesus and His ways.

-Timidity and fear.

The enemy often uses fear and timidity to stop us from manifesting GOD’s power.  Sometimes believers are afraid to pray when confronted with dome “difficult” situations.  Let us follow the example of Peter and John who were not afraid to pray for a man born cripple but rather believed that the Name of JESUS will bring healing to him.

-Self glorification.

This is a big problem today.  Some persons build ministries around themselves and their families.  Let us remember that GOD will not give HIS glory to another. Read Isaiah 48:11, 42:8 Jeremiah 9:23

-Lack of HOLY SPIRIT baptism.

The experience of the baptism of the HOLY SPIRIT by every believer is vital in the manifestation of GOD’s power.  The early believers waited for the promise of the HOLY SPIRIT, Acts 1:8.  They did not rush into ministry; they waited to be empowered.  Everyone that shared in that experience manifested GOD’s power in one way or the other.

-Absence of consecration.

When consecration is absent or minimal, the believer easily compromises.  This hinders manifestation of GOD’s power.

The way to overcome these hindrances is for us to return to the Biblical pattern of doing things.  When we do GOD’s work GOD’s own way, GOD-ordained results will be achieved.

 

5. Benefits of manifesting God’s power in signs, wonders and miracles.

There are several benefits when the power of GOD is manifested through the believer in signs, wonders and miracles.  The believer, the family, the church and the society benefit.  The one being used of GOD experiences deep satisfaction for being and instrument in GOD’s Hands.  The recipient of the miracle experiences permanent deliverance which brings them joy, Acts 3:8.  Souls are save, Acts 4:4.  The believer is promised eternal rewards, Luke 10:20.  GOD’s Name is glorified, Acts 3:8-16.

 

Daily Living Application

The world today is full of problems (insurgency, terrorism, piracy, kidnapping, diseases, wars, famines, etc.)   The only hope for today’s world is CHRIST JESUS.  The church (that is, the Body of CHRIST) remains the means through which the LORD reached the world today.  Therefore, we must be willing and ready to be used of HIM to manifest HIS power in signs, wonders and miracles for the world to see, believe, repent and glorify GOD, Romans 8:19-22.

 

Memory Verse:

Mark 16:17-18 – “And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my Name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink and deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”