Post by Zac Loh on Dec 10, 2008 3:35:21 GMT -5
The key word is `creative’ or `unusual’ miracles (other gifts are all miracles but this has `creative’ or `unusual’ method)
Jesus: spit on the eyes (Mark 8:23-25)
Peter: shadow (Acts 5:15-16)
Paul: handkerchiefs or aprons - `unusual’ miracles (Acts 19:11-12)
Contemporary examples: slain in the Spirit; laughter (Rodney Howard-Browne); blowing, waving of hand (Benny Hinn); extension of the limbs – shoe, plugging of hole in the body, letting a person fall until the tumor fall off, punching in the stomach (Smith Wigglesworth)
Creative means creative, unusual means unusual – don’t try to ape – that’s a problem with some
EIGHT HINDRANCES
These hindrances apply not only to the gift of The Working Of Miracles, but also generally apply to all supernatural works of God, and to the move of God.
1. Tradition
A 1-week old tradition is still a tradition. “This is how we do it.”
Repent: Don’t worship our works – like the building of the tower of Babel. Worship God. What we do is not as important as what God does. You and I cannot save nor give life nor heal. Without God, we are only a show, a pretense – deceiving ourselves and deceiving others.
2. Methodology
Chronic need to have a proper structure, and a step-by-step know-how before doing something. Hooked to methods.
Correct Way: Be led by the Holy Spirit, be opened to Him. Sometimes He gives us methods, sometimes not. Just obey the thing He leads you to do even if it is the only clear leading you have.
3. Perfectionism
Always the need to be trim, proper and complete. Cannot tolerate loose ends. Everything has to be tidy. Cannot stand messy or chaotic situations.
Fact: Sometimes God uses chaos to create order – a new order, His own divine order.
4. Fear Of The People Around
“What other people will do if they don’t like it: they might scold, they might walk out, they might not come again, they might talk bad and spread bad news, they might go against me.”
Scripture: If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
5. Fear Of Bad Image
“I have carved-up this image of myself to others for a long time. What will they think of me because of this thing? How will I serve without their respect?”
Truth: We serve God, and HE is in control. Our final ultimate responsibility and accountability is to God. It doesn’t stop or end with people, but with God.
6. Fear Of Consequences
“The church reputation will be tainted. My ministry will be stopped. I will be asked to step down. Somebody might lodge a complaint with the religious authority or government authority. Church finances will be in shambles and I will be liable (when people stop coming, offerings is less and less).”
Conclusion: Should everything be finished and wiped out, there is God. Can we come to a place in our heart and soul, where only HE matters?
The church cannot exist without God. The church needs God. And God will always have His people like a remnant in Elijah’s time, even if they have to meet under a coconut tree!
7. Ignorance
Not willing to pay the price to learn the things of the Spirit: “too much, too deep, too hard to understand.” Want to walk in the shallow water; don’t want to swim in the deeper water. Want on-the-surface teachings; want milk and not meat.
Solution: To handle the spiritual power of God, we need to be
spiritually strong. To discern the spiritual things of God, we need to be spiritually mature.
To go deep into the spiritual realm, we need to understand the deep things of God.
Walking comes naturally, but we need to learn how to swim.
8. Play Safe
Do not want to venture. Do not want to take risks. No heart for growth and expansion of God’s kingdom.
Heart Of The Matter: Can we grow and not having to venture out? Can we expand and not having to take chances? Can we move ahead and not having to take risks? The answer is, obviously, no.
EIGHT is the number of “new beginning”. This is the year 2008. This is the message of hope: we can re-do, we can re-start and we can re-learn!
Jesus: spit on the eyes (Mark 8:23-25)
Peter: shadow (Acts 5:15-16)
Paul: handkerchiefs or aprons - `unusual’ miracles (Acts 19:11-12)
Contemporary examples: slain in the Spirit; laughter (Rodney Howard-Browne); blowing, waving of hand (Benny Hinn); extension of the limbs – shoe, plugging of hole in the body, letting a person fall until the tumor fall off, punching in the stomach (Smith Wigglesworth)
Creative means creative, unusual means unusual – don’t try to ape – that’s a problem with some
EIGHT HINDRANCES
These hindrances apply not only to the gift of The Working Of Miracles, but also generally apply to all supernatural works of God, and to the move of God.
1. Tradition
A 1-week old tradition is still a tradition. “This is how we do it.”
Repent: Don’t worship our works – like the building of the tower of Babel. Worship God. What we do is not as important as what God does. You and I cannot save nor give life nor heal. Without God, we are only a show, a pretense – deceiving ourselves and deceiving others.
2. Methodology
Chronic need to have a proper structure, and a step-by-step know-how before doing something. Hooked to methods.
Correct Way: Be led by the Holy Spirit, be opened to Him. Sometimes He gives us methods, sometimes not. Just obey the thing He leads you to do even if it is the only clear leading you have.
3. Perfectionism
Always the need to be trim, proper and complete. Cannot tolerate loose ends. Everything has to be tidy. Cannot stand messy or chaotic situations.
Fact: Sometimes God uses chaos to create order – a new order, His own divine order.
4. Fear Of The People Around
“What other people will do if they don’t like it: they might scold, they might walk out, they might not come again, they might talk bad and spread bad news, they might go against me.”
Scripture: If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
5. Fear Of Bad Image
“I have carved-up this image of myself to others for a long time. What will they think of me because of this thing? How will I serve without their respect?”
Truth: We serve God, and HE is in control. Our final ultimate responsibility and accountability is to God. It doesn’t stop or end with people, but with God.
6. Fear Of Consequences
“The church reputation will be tainted. My ministry will be stopped. I will be asked to step down. Somebody might lodge a complaint with the religious authority or government authority. Church finances will be in shambles and I will be liable (when people stop coming, offerings is less and less).”
Conclusion: Should everything be finished and wiped out, there is God. Can we come to a place in our heart and soul, where only HE matters?
The church cannot exist without God. The church needs God. And God will always have His people like a remnant in Elijah’s time, even if they have to meet under a coconut tree!
7. Ignorance
Not willing to pay the price to learn the things of the Spirit: “too much, too deep, too hard to understand.” Want to walk in the shallow water; don’t want to swim in the deeper water. Want on-the-surface teachings; want milk and not meat.
Solution: To handle the spiritual power of God, we need to be
spiritually strong. To discern the spiritual things of God, we need to be spiritually mature.
To go deep into the spiritual realm, we need to understand the deep things of God.
Walking comes naturally, but we need to learn how to swim.
8. Play Safe
Do not want to venture. Do not want to take risks. No heart for growth and expansion of God’s kingdom.
Heart Of The Matter: Can we grow and not having to venture out? Can we expand and not having to take chances? Can we move ahead and not having to take risks? The answer is, obviously, no.
EIGHT is the number of “new beginning”. This is the year 2008. This is the message of hope: we can re-do, we can re-start and we can re-learn!