The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity

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THE GIFT OF MIRACLES (I Cor. 12:10,28)
Purpose: Special Signs
Definition: “The special ability that God gives to certain members of the Body of Christ to
serve as human intermediaries through whom it pleases God to perform
powerful acts that are perceived by observers to have altered the ordinary
course of nature.” 33
“An observable phenomenon accomplished by the direct operation of God’s
power in a way that differs from the phenomenon we observe and experience in
nature.” 34
“An extraordinary act of God that displays His power in unusual or even
unprecedented ways.” 35
Description: The capacity to be God’s instrument in accomplishing the supernatural (literally
“powers”).
Contemporary as well as New Testament miracles are mostly healings or exorcisms.
(Mt. 10:1,5-8; Heb. 2:4)
KINDS OF MIRACLES
1. MIRACLES OF JUDGMENT—The deaths of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:5,10).
The blindness of Elymas (Acts 13:11).
2. MIRACLES OF DELIVERANCE—On three occasions apostles were miraculously
liberated from prison, twice by an angel of the Lord (Acts 5:19; 12:7) and once by an
earthquake (Acts 16:26).
3. MIRACLES OF EXORCISM—Of the seven deacons, both Stephen and Philip performed
great wonders and signs (Acts 6:8; 8:6), some of them being healings and some exorcisms
(Acts 8:7). Later Paul and Barnabus performed signs and wonders in Iconium (Acts 14:3),
and on his 2 nd missionary journey Paul cast out the evil spirit of clairvoyance from the
slave girl (Acts 16:16-18). “The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders
among the people . . . and they brought their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and
all of them were healed” (Acts 5:12,16). “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul.
Handkerchiefs and aprons that touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were
cured and the evil spirits left them (Acts 19:11-12).