If there is something everyone needs in the body of Christ, it's a miracle, and one of the most important questions that everyone asks it’s how to receive God’s miracle? Because there is room for everyone to receive God’s miracle in every single aspect of life.
What is a miracle?
According to Britannica: a miracle is a miracle, an extraordinary happening that is attributed to the presence and action of ultimate or divine power. A miracle is generally defined, according to the etymology of the word—it comes from the Greek "thaumasion" and the Latin "miraculum"—as that which causes wonder and astonishment, being extraordinary in itself and amazing or inexplicable by normal standards.
The miracle is God's intervention in human life that proves a supernatural power. We only talk about miracles when our issue is beyond humanity's abilities and still we find a solution by God's intervention.
In this message, we will look at 5 keys to activate God's miracles. We will look at some examples in the Bible that are clear when it comes to how to behave when receiving God’s miracle. Note that God has a different way of operating and these may not be the only ways to receive God's miracles but they cover more meaning in God's ways of intervening in man's issues. Remember that we operate in a new covenant and God's grace is bestowed on anyone who receives it. Therefore, God will never force his intervention in your life.
1. Preparing for a room for the miracle
Our God is eternal and operates outside of time. He is neither affected by time nor space. He is a loving father and always takes the best plans for our good. Man is limited by time and knows it, hence rushing after anything that can make him happy in the little time he has. Seeking happiness and miracles is normal but once we accept Jesus, our economy changes and we are moved into a spiritual realm where faith takes a decisive place.
The Bible gives us an interesting story on how to make a room for a miracle in 2 Kings 4:8-37. This is the story of the prophet Elisha and the Shunamite woman. This woman was barren and she never had a child in her life, even when she was contended by what she had. See the verse below
And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king or the captain of the host? And she answered I dwell among mine own people. 2 Kings 4:13 KJV
God will never wish you to receive a miracle that will not work out a holy character in you. The time you spend praying, giving, praising, and worshipping is a time
2. Expect a miracle
Many people come to Jesus but few are those who expect miracles from him. We are blindfolded by the routines in church and our negative thinking and we are contended by salvation. Please hear me out, the greatest miracle that we can ever expect it’s salvation but that’s not all God has to offer. God has got a lot in his store and there is nothing better than asking for more. God is always please when we take more from him.
The woman of the issue of blood in the Bible never came to Jesus like everyone else. Among the multitude of people who were following Jesus, only her understood that there is a power behind everything that we do with purpose. On his way, Jesus was being escorted to heal the daughter of Jairus but this woman saw a miracle opportunity. Imagine how many people had issues in this crown, how many people had conditions that needed Jesus' intervention but yet only this woman received a miracle, before even the person to whom the miracle was destined.
I believe that we have plenty of people like this in church. People who are satisfied by seeing Jesus performing miracles for others, people who are satisfied by witnessing the move of the Holy Spirit to others while they remain the same. Indeed they are saved but that's all.
3. Higher your expectations
Expecting something from God is good but expecting more is better because it displays our trust in his ability to do anything. God is omnipotent and asking for whatever we need does not challenge his ability it delights Him. You will understand that God wants you good and giving the best is his desire. Matthew 7:9-11, Jesus points out how our parents do what is good for us even though man is evil and this underlines the fact that God who is good and able will surely do what is better for us.
Many places in the Bible we hear Jesus giving this answer: "let it be done unto according to your faith". This shows that some miracles are as great as our faith is. If you believe that your faith can move mountains, then it will be granted unto you.
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:20
Many people come to Jesus knowing that Jesus is able of anything but still aim for less. God w to ask for big because the power is in us. The Apostle Paul knew this and that's why he reassures us of the power we have (Ephesians 3:20)
The power is on our reach, let's expect an extraordinary manifestation of God in our life.
Gone is the time when we were fearful to ask for big thing things because in Jesus we have access to everything. Seen Hebrews 4:16 and 1Corithians 12:31.
4. Be Persistent and Patient
This is a critical step. Many people prepare a room for their miracles, they expect a miracle from God, they expect and ask for greater things but they fail to be patient. Patience comes from the Latin word “PatiorPatio” and this means suffering.
If there is something that God wants to work out in us, it’s patience and the very idea of patience means time and sometimes challenges. It’s okay that we long for
immediate miracles, it’s okay that we pray for God to operate immediately but we need to understand that God knows what is good for us and when is relevant. As a good parent, he will never endanger your life. Just like you will a good parent will never let a toddler play with sharp tools, so can't God endanger your life.
One of the best ways to be patient and persistent I know is to surrender to the sovereignty of God. Allowing him to decide what’s best for us and when it should come.
Patience is also a way of surrendering to God's sovereignty. God will never God if he can bend to any prayer we make. God is surely our father and hears our prayers, he understands our craving for miracles but that does not make him less God. He is sovereign and decides what happens even without being influenced by our passions.
When weepersiste, we prove our level of faith. Look at these stories:
Mark 10:46-52 -The story of Bartimaeus
Luke 18:1-8 - The story of the Widow and the wicked judge
2 Kings 2:9-10, The story Elisha and Elijah
Note this: God is our father but yet he is a Sovereign God. Whatever he doesn't provide now, there is surely a reason. You keep your faith and expect a miracle. He understands you more than you can imagine.
5. Don’t try to earn it or deserve it
This is the most important part of this teaching. Not trying to deserve God’s miracles. You will agree with me that not all people who received miracles from Christ were saved. These same people were acclaimed as Jesus was being crucified.
If there is a challenge in the body of Christ today from receiving God's miracles; it's the desire to try to earn it. Many Christians think they don't deserve God's miracle because they think they are not holy enough, righteous enough or they have not fasted enough. While holiness is important for a Christian, it is not a condition for a miracle. God doesn't perform miracles because we deserve them but for his name to be praised.
In Luke 7, there is an interesting story here of a centurion who, whose servant was sick.
When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly [to come], saying, “He is worthy for You to do this for him, because he loves our nation and he built us our synagogue [at his own expense]. Luke 7:4-5
The Jews here are giving a point that is relevant to them being under the law. The centurion is a good man, loves the nation of Israel and he built a synagogue; what more could we expect if not advocating for him to get this miracle done. He is "worthy" they said. In their economy that's enough to receive a miracle but notice what happens.
This is a man of authority and he understands and he takes advantage of that. Despite having a good reputation among Jews, he really knew that was not enough to receive from Jesus. He calls upon Jesus to have mercy on him. And Jesus reaction makes without doubt about what faith really is? Faith is when you know you do not have all it together but still expect a miracle from God.
Jesus says that he has never seen a man in Israel with such great faith. Why? Because this man understood grace, him not being a Jew was still qualified to receive from God.
Beloved, there is no case harder for God to handle, and sometimes we labor for what is provided free. Miracle is a free gift and we have to rely on Jesus for that. Being a christian opens up doors for miracles.