Spiritual Gifts ~ what the bible says about Signs and Wonders

.. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.   John 5:20

I have heard of people that did unwise things believing that God was telling them to, like walking into the sea to prove that they could walk on water only to drown, or picking up rattlesnakes to prove that they had all power:

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.   Luke 10:19

Jesus was asked by satan to do this very thing- to manifest His power apart from His Fathers will:

And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:  For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:  And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.  And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.   Luke 4:9-12

We do have all power over the enemy, the power is in Jesus.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matt 28:18

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:4-5

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.    Prov 9:10

…And the way of peace have they not known:  There is no fear of God before their eyes.    Romans 3:17-18

Even in the new testament we are instructed to fear God. Six or seven times by different disciples it says to fear God. By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:   Heb 12:28

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God…   1 Peter 2:17

I wanted my children to fear me when they were young. I wanted them to fear me more than the scruffy man trying to lure them away. I wanted them to think, I will be in so much trouble if I leave the yard with a stranger that I am going to stay here. I didn’t want them to live in fear of strangers, I wanted them to fear me and only leave the yard when I said to, and not unless i said so. I didnt have to use violence against them, they just knew i was in charge and they were children. They might occasionally not get desert or lose their extra privileges like television time or have time outs in their rooms when they disobeyed, i am not suggesting using violence against children for them to obey parents.

That is for children you say, yes it is, but Jesus also said we must enter the kingdom of heaven as children. I love my children, I am fierce for them, but I want them to obey me also. God loves us incredibly, but if we want to rebel against Him then we should fear Him. Jesus said not to fear our adversary, but to fear Him.

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.    Luke 12:4-5

Jesus separates the sheep from the goats, He is the one that determines who goes to hell, the devil doesnt have that authority.

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:   Matt 25:31-32

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:     Matt 25:41

Jesus said not to be boasting of our power over our adversary, we are also not to speak arrogantly of them, or mock them or revile them.

Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.            Jude 1:8-9

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.  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.  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.    Luke 10:17-20

That doesn’t mean we should be afraid of them:

And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.     Phil 1:28

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.  For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.     Prov 3:25-26

I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;     Isaiah 42:6

Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.    Isaiah 54:16-17

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.   Prov 9:10

Peter began to realize the power of Jesus and stepped out in faith, and when he got frightened Jesus was immediately there with an outstretched arm. Jesus promised He will never leave us nor forsake us.

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him… Matt 14:30-31

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;  In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Col 2:2-3

All the wisdom is in Jesus:

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:   1 Cor 1:30

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:       Col 1:14-16

When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:  When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:  When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;  Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.    Prov 8:27-31

Lets have a brief lesson in natural laws. Jesus made them, the law of gravity, the law of physics, all those laws. He created them, He can suspend them whenever He wants to. Abide in Him, He is awesome!

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,    Eph 1:18-19

Lets start with the laws of the earth:

For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.      2 Peter 3:5-7

The world, by His Word is kept in store. The world will not fly off one day willy-nilly. It will not be destroyed by some aberrant asteroid. (Unless He wants to use that on the day of judgement, I suppose.)

Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?  Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?  Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?     Job 38:33-35

There is the law of heavy metal things :

But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.    2 Kings 6:5-6

(Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7)

There is that law that says horses are faster than old men:

And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.  And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.                          1 Kings 18:45-46

The law that says men can’t fly:

And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.  But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.     Acts 8:39-40

The law that says it is impossible, we already tried it:

They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.      John 21:3

And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.   John 21:6

Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.    John 21:11

didn’t even break the net!

The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.     Prov 10:22

There is the law of angry mobs:

For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. Psalms 18:29

the people tried to throw Jesus off a hill:

And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.  But he passing through the midst of them went his way.     Luke 4:28-30

There is the law that time always moves on:

And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.  And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.  2 Kings 20:9-11

Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.  And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.   Josh 10:12-13

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.   Luke 23:44-45

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:     Matt 24:29

Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.   Jer 10:2

And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.    Exodus 14:19-20

It was dark and scary to the Egyptians but to the children of Israel it was Light.

Moses learned that magicians can often duplicate some of God’s miracles, God isn’t intimidated, He always out does them in the end. At first the miracles that Moses did were able to be duplicated by the magicians:

And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.  Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.  For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.    Ex 7:10-12

And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.  And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.  And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.  And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said.     Ex 7:19-22

And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.  And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.     Ex 8:6-7

And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.  Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.   Ex 8:18-19

And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.           1 Kings 18:24

they said of Jesus:

Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.      John 9:32

And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.      Luke 5:17

People came to Him that had tried everything else:

And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,  And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,  When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.      Mark 5:25-27

And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.   Mark 5:34

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matt 28:18

…Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 1 Cor 1:24