Acts 3:1-7. Study that. Look what they said. “Such as I have”. You need to know what you have. You need to know you have power and authority, and you need to give it away for it to work and increase.
Mark 2:1. And again He entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that He was in the house.
Let me tell you that people will hear about where the power of God is being revealed. They’ll hear about where the truth is being taught. They’ll hear about where Grace is being revealed. They’ll hear about where the powerful teaching of believing on Him who He has sent is resulting in signs and wonders and miracles.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press,
Oh Oh. Couldn’t get to the truth because of things and people that were in the way of the truth. What did they do. THEY GAVE UP………NO, THEY KEPT PRESSING……..LOOK. They uncovered the roof where He was: and when they had broken it up - Sometimes you gotta break things up. You gotta move some things out of the way. You gotta tear up the old religious shelters in your life. So, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
You notice that Jesus saw their faith. I’ve said it before, faith is not something you believe, it’s action. Acting and stepping into the promises of God. In each of the previous stories, the person stepped into faith. One threw away the garment that defined him as blind, and the other broke all the laws of the day to get to Him and touch Him. They believed on Him whom He hath sent. In this instance, Jesus saw their faith by their actions to get the lame man to Him.
6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
Well, the prayer of faith does (James 5:15), love does (1 Peter 4:8).
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, He said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
What a great question. The answer is the same today. Neither one is easier. Both take the very same sacrifice. The one Jesus completed and said was finished at the cross.
You see, religion will always want to argue about things. They are what Paul called vain disputations. Here’s one of the big ones. Water baptism. Let’s just keep arguing about things like water baptism vs sprinkling and split the church over it. Who cares…let them be wrong if they want to be. Besides, water baptism doesn’t save you so move on. If they don’t want to be like Jesus, who is our example, let them get sprinkled instead of dunked. Then there are those who go to extremes and think that holding them under the water longer will make them more holy. If that’s the case, I know some people that need to be staked out in deep water…overnight.
Here’s another one. Speaking in tongues. Hey, you don’t have to, but I get to. If you don’t want to enjoy all that God has for you here on earth, then miss out by being antagonistic. I’ll still love you in your ignorance.
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
Look what happened here. When the man was let down from the roof, his back was on the mat. But when he met the Truth, when he met the anointed one and the anointing, when he met the Master – Jesus, he left and the mat was on his back. Why – because he believed on him whom he hath sent.
Finally. Acts 19.
8 And he (PAUL) went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. 9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, (BE CAREFUL) he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. 10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. 11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:” I’m ready for special, extraordinary, explosive miracles to be realized in the body. 12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? (THERE’S A LOT OF PHONIES OUT THERE) 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Better be careful. If you’re not saved, you best stay away from fighting with demons. They’ll send you out beaten and naked looking for a new ministry. Besides, without the Holy Spirit there is no power and you can’t have the Holy Spirit until Jesus is Lord in your life. Even Jesus knew He needed the power of the Spirit before He began His ministry.
1 Corinthians 12:3 says the following – So I tell you that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, “Jesus be cursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” without the help of the Holy Spirit.
So we see that the demons knew who Paul and Jesus were, because they had an opposing spirit. That being the Holy Spirit. However, the seven sons of Sceva had the wrong spirit.
17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
So the key to receiving a miracle is not some grand faith formula. JUST believe on him whom he hath sent.
Grace and Peace.
