MIRACLES IN CHRIST
Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.
How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit…(Jos.3:1; Heb.2:3-4)
After hearing the words of Rahab and the two spies, Israel set out to cross the Jordan. Crossing the Jordan is one of the most remarkable miracles of the Bible. From this miracle, the Holy Spirit wants to challenge you to step into the miracle realm and ministry.
Old Covenant miracles:
Under the Old Covenant, God did special and unusual miracles in the lives of His people. Everything He did for His Old Covenant saints were continuous miracles. He delivered them miraculously. He protected them miraculously (Ac.7:36; Ex.3:20-22). He provided their needs miraculously(Ex.16). He fought their battles and judged His enemies miraculously (Ex.Ch.14,17). He raised up His servants and did exploits miraculously (Ex. Ch. 3,7). He guided them miraculously (Ex.13:21,22). He gave His laws and statues miraculously (Ex. Ch.19,20). He changed the course of nature miraculously - sun and moon stopped, hailstone judged the enemies, the Red Sea and the Jordan opened up, Manna from heaven, multiplication of food, water from the rock, insects, snakes - all are miraculous, wow! How many miracles! If people under the Old Covenant could do and experience such mighty miracles, how much more should we who live under a better covenant experience (Heb.8:6)
Jesus and Apostles miracle:
Our Lord Jesus Christ gloriously inaugurated the miracle ministry in the New Testament (Jn.2:11). Every moment of Jesus Christ was a miracle. In three years, He did so many miracles that if all were recorded, the entire world could not contain the books about them (Jn.21:25)Through the hands of the apostles God did great and mighty miracles (Ac.2:43; 5:12).
New Covenant miracles:
Life in Christ is from beginning to end a life of miracles. Salvation is nothing but a miracle. Our dead spirit was literally resurrected through the seed of God, the Word (Eph.2:1-3). It is an invisible miracle. We who were under the power of darkness were delivered and transferred into the Kingdom of His Son Jesus Christ (Col.1:13). We came from death to life, from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of light, from satan to God (Ac.26:18). Truly, your great salvation is the greatest miracle in the spirit realm (Heb.2:3-4).
Our baptism in water is also a miracle. Our dead old man is buried with Christ in baptism. Crossing the Jordan symbolizes our water baptism. As the Israelites came out of the Jordan into the Promised Land, we were resurrected with Christ and became a new man to walk in newness of life (Ro.6:1-10).
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is another great miracle. The very Creator of heaven and earth comes to dwell in His little creature, the new creation. It opens the flood gates of supernatural power (Jn.14:16-21). Whenever the Spirit of God manifested through His people, prophetic utterances and mighty miracles happened (Gal.3:5). When Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan, the heavens opened and His spiritual eyes and ears were also opened (Jn.3:16-17). The same Holy Spirit that was upon the Lord Jesus Christ is resting upon you now. All the fountains of heaven are within you, releasing the rivers of living waters in you (Jn.7:37-39; Ps.87:7).
Beloved, now you can live a life of miracles all the days of your life. You can cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, save people from hell and bring them on their way to heaven, multiply bread, bring judgmental miracles, control the nature just like your Jesus (Mt.10:7-8; Ac.13:8-12). He Himself said that you would do what He did and even greater things than that (Jn.14:12). Wow! Really, life in Christ is a life of wonders, signs and miracles.
Thank You, Lord, I am for signs and wonders in this world from the Lord of hosts who dwells in me. I believe in You, and I will do the works You did, and greater works than those You did, because I am in Christ. Isa.8:18; Jn.14:12
NEED FOR MIRACLES IN CHRIST
And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites” .
This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him
(Jos.3:10; Jn.2:11)
From the miracle of the Jordan-crossing we can derive many reasons why we should covet miracles. Life in Christ is a life of miracles and supernatural experiences. God desperately desires to show His supernatural power to the heathen world and even to His own people (Rom.15:18-21; Jn.2:11). The Bible is our miracle manual. When there were no miracles, even His own people backslid and the enemies prevailed against them.
Miracles prove His presence in us:
The very purpose of God’s indwelling presence in you is to manifest His power and wisdom to the world. God’s purpose in dividing the river Jordan was to prove His presence among His people. Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you…” (Jos.3:10).
The miracles of Jesus proved His Father’s indwelling in Him. He Himself said to Philip, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? ... Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves” (Jn.14:10a, 11). You are in no way different from Jesus. The Trinitarian God has made you His home (Jn.14:23).
Christin you is the hope of glory. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb.13:8). Make sure that Christ is not imprisoned in you. Give Him freedom to show His miracle power to win this world. The Holy Spirit, the Author of all miracles, is desperate to manifest all His gifts through you (Gal.3:3,5; 1.Co.12:7-11).
Miracles exalt and make us great:
Another reason for God to dry up the river Jordan was to exalt His servant Joshua before all the people of God. On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life (Jos.3:7; 4:14). Miracles are God’s credentials for His believers and His ministers. God hasgreat ambitions concerning you. He wants to exalt you and make you high above all others (Jn.12:26). If He has called you as a leader for any group, He wants to prove your leadership to your people through signs and wonders. Seeing the miracles, the people will recognize you, honor you and obey you all the days of your life. When the Red Sea was opened, the Israelites saw the great work of the Lord and feared the Lord and His servant Moses (Ex.14:31). When the Church of God begins to manifest the miracle power of God, the world will highly esteem and fear the Church (Ac.5:12-13). The reason the Church is despised and ignored by the heathen world is the lack of miracles.
Beloved, in Christ, miracles are God’s sign board for all His believers. Jesus enumerated at least five signs of a believer, like healing the sick, casting out demons, etc (Mk.16:17-18). Imagine a new believer beginning to manifest these signs and wonders. What will happen to the world! If you start manifesting these signs, the world will come to you in search of their miracles. This is the Gospel way for you to reach this world.
Thank You, Lord, the manifestation of Your Spirit is given to me for the profit of all... the word of wisdom through the Spirit... the word of knowledge... faith... gifts of healings... the working of miracles... prophecy... discerning of spirits... different kinds of tongues... the interpretation of tongues, because I am in Christ.
1.Co.12:7-11