The quest for normal Christianity Part 2: The need for the miraculous

As a young youth pastor in the mid-1980s while reading the scriptures, I came across a prayer prayed by the Disciples. It is found in the book of Acts 4:29-31; “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your Holy Servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

It is important to point out that this prayer was prayed after receiving great threats from the religious leaders of the day. They were threatened for preaching the name of Jesus that resulted in the healing of a man who had been crippled from birth. (See Acts Chapter 3). I am profoundly impressed by the fact that they prayed for more of what got them in trouble in the first place. They were not going to allow the fear of man to keep them from their Kingdom mandate. This passage has been branded in my heart and I have continued to pray it for nearly 30 years. Jesus is the example of normal Christianity. Jesus is not just a part of my life, He is my life, and I want to be like HIM, I want to be a normal Christian. The Bible says when He walked this earth, He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, healed the sick, the blind, the deaf, delivered the tormented and commanded demons to flee. He did this with love and compassion for those who were afflicted and always gave the Father the Glory. Then, He told us that we would be able to do what He did and even greater. See Matthew 4:23 & John 14:12.

Jesus didn’t say; “Come ya’ll;” rather, “Go Ye!” He wants us to go out of our church meetings filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit to proclaim and demonstrate the greater reality of His Kingdom on the earth.

“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’.” — Matthew 4:17

The word repent in this passage means to change the way you think. In Romans12:2, God calls us to renew our minds that we might prove His good, acceptable and perfect will. It is His will for you to walk in love and power, representing His Divine and miraculous nature.

For me, there is no other way to live this Christian life, or minister into the lives of others, other then the way it was done when Jesus and the apostles walked the earth. Anything else is empty religion and the traditions of men. When a person or a ministry is built on the presence and heart of the Father, the mind of Christ and the power, gifts and leading of The Holy Ghost. We will not fail, and God is sure to get the glory.

Paul put it best when he said; “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” — 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

There is not a day that goes by that I don’t here of someone who is in need of a miracle, a healing from a sickness and disease or a young person who has died of a drug overdose here in our county.

Beloved family of God, you and I carry the cure: “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” — Luke 17:20–21

I am convinced that Jesus placed His Kingdom in every believer, so every believer would be Heaven on earth.

I am thankful I have experienced countless miracles and healings with increased frequency in our church meetings, out in the community both wrought through the lives of many of our members as well as myself. But I have a fierce hunger for more, for more precious lives to be touched and to come to Jesus.

Our Go- given goal here at Kingdom Life Christian Church, is to contend for a culture that manifests the atmosphere of Heaven and perpetually demonstrates the love, wisdom and miraculous power of God The Father, Jesus The Christ and The Holy Spirit.

If you do not have a home church, have a need only God can meet, or desire to learn to walk in the power of God so to help others. Please join us this Sunday at 11 a.m. at 3700 26th St. W., Bradenton.

This story was originally published October 28, 2016 at 4:07 PM with the headline "The quest for normal Christianity Part 2: The need for the miraculous."