[Special 1] Extraordinary Miracles Recorded in the Bible
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February 20, 2011 |
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"God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out" (Acts 19:11-12).
The city of Ephesus was one of the centers of politics and culture of the Roman Empire. Evangelizing the city would have great influence and it became imminently necessary to manifest amazing miracles that could confirm the gospel of the Lord in the city. Many Ephesians worshiped all kinds of idols including the goddess Artemis. Rituals of idol-worshiping were rampant in that city. As recorded in Romans 15:18-19, Paul states, "For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." It was for this reason the apostle Paul had to manifest an even higher level of powerful miracles than sorcery, trickery and deceits by the works of evil spirits. During his third missionary journey, the apostle Paul preached the gospel at a synagogue of Jews in Ephesus for 3 months. But because some were hardened in their hearts and spoke ill of the teachings of the Lord that he was spreading, Paul went to Tyrannus and taught the Word of the Lord in the school of Tyrannus for 2 years. While performing his ministry there, God performed extraordinary miracles through him. When handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. Those extraordinary miracles and many other powerful works took place not only in Ephesus but also in other areas of Asia, and then many Jews and Greeks came to believe in Jesus Christ.
How Could the Apostle Paul Manifest Those Extraordinary Miracles?
Among the many verses the Bible tells us in Leviticus 11:45, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, and Matthew 5:48 that sanctification is the will of God for us in Christ. Those true children of God who have become sanctified receive a gift of love, the gift of the power of God. As recorded in Psalm 62:11, "Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God." God's powerful miracles are never performed by the enemy devil. Manifestations of powerful works belong only to God. When those miraculous works take place through God-loving men, many souls can gain salvation and God's name is magnified. As stated in Acts 2:22, the reason for Jesus' manifestation of great power, wonders and signs was to testify Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior. Many people will be lead to reach salvation by believing in Him. As prophesied in Deuteronomy 18:17-19, God appointed such proper servants as Moses in order to proclaim the will of God, reveal the love and power of God and to testify to the existence of the living God. The servants of God who are worthy to receive God's power must have no evil in their heart at all and they must also be obedient to the Word of God saying "Amen." Even such deacons as Philip and Stephen received the power of God because they had sanctified their hearts and prepared proper vessels of the heart. In New Testament times, the apostle Paul was the foremost man of God after Jesus. He performed wonders and signs with great power. In the same way, anyone who becomes sanctified and obeys the Word only with saying "Amen" will be accompanied with miraculous signs, wonders and extraordinary miracles demonstrating that God confirms him. To manifest the greatest powers of God requires the possession of the faith of Christ. This is the faith that pleases God exceedingly. Among those who have accomplished sanctification but are yet to attain to that very level of spirit, those who have unchanging hearts, they are the ones who can receive the power of God. Those servants of God who have already received God's power can manifest greater works to the extent they build on the amount of their fervent prayers.
The Same Wonders, Miraculous Signs and Extraordinary Miracles Are Happening even Today!
We can receive higher levels of power to the extent to which we become united with God in heart and the level of manifestations of God's power becomes different according to the level of power we have received. The first level of power is best explained as the power of healing. This level scorches all kinds of infectious diseases caused by germs, viruses and bacteria by the fire of the Holy Spirit. The second level of power drives out forces of darkness and brings those souls who have just left their body back to life according to the providence of God. The third level of power performs all sorts of signs, and also the power to manifest works of God's creative power. The fourth level of power controls wonders, such as atmospheric phenomena including change of weather, and it also subjects nonliving entities to the obedience of the commands of those who have the power. Thus, we can receive a higher level of power to the extent that we have prepared the vessels of our hearts. However, we can manifest greater works only according to the measure of our spirit and within the limitations of our spiritual preparation. Higher than the four levels of power is the level of the Original Power of Creation in which there is no limitation in performing miracles at all and amazing works that transcend the abilities and knowledge of men. For example, when we pray for the sick from the pulpit without laying the hand on each of them, thousands of or tens of thousands of people can receive healing. Besides, numerous wonders can take place and many people can be healed of their diseases when we lay our hand on their pictures and pray for them transcending space and time.
Christian Medical Doctors Who Believe in God the Almighty Healer and Proclamation of Miraculous Healings
In our time, even among Christians there are not many who believe that miraculous healing works still are occurring. Medical doctors seldom believe or accept the fact that divine healing of diseases can happen by the power of God, because they tend to rely on medicinal knowledge and experience more than divine healing and testimony. Despite this trend of the world, Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee, Founder & Board Chairman of The World Christian Doctors' Network (WCDN), is proclaiming God is the almighty Healer and emphasizing the significance of the ministry of divine healing. He is always proclaiming, "God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and He still works for those who are asking for His healing works by faith. By the power of God, everything impossible can be made possible transcending human limitations." Just as he has proclaimed, countless divine healing works and amazing miracles have occurred at his crusades and in individual homes both in Korea and worldwide. Countless people have been released from afflictions and healed of various diseases in spirit and body through Dr. Lee's prayer in the name of Jesus Christ and they glorified God. He has performed a very influential ministry of divine healing with the great power of God he received and many fruits have been borne through WCDN. The organization was developed by Christian medical doctors and medical professionals who had the desire to confirm and proclaim that God the Creator is alive and still manifesting amazing miracles. It was founded in 2004 through the fervent prayer and enthusiastic support of Dr. Jaerock Lee. The ministry of WCDN is aimed to collect, analyze and confirm various divine healing cases taking place through prayers in the name of Jesus Christ and to testify to the living God. WCDN has hosted many international Christian medical conferences and its members made presentations of various divine healing cases that have taken place all over the world. Many of the doctors and medical professionals have been touched by the presentations of God's powerful healing works supported by medical documentation and scientific data. They glorified God with adoration and acclamations of surprise at the medical and scientific data attesting to the power of God the Creator in the cases of divine healing. Hundreds of doctors in attendance have professed openly that God is the Healer and they are merely instruments of God's healing.
The annual international Christian medical conference hosted by WCDN has been held in Seoul of Korea, Chennai of India, Cebu of the Philippines, Miami of USA, Trondheim of Norway, Kiev of Ukraine, and Rome of Italy and attended by many doctors and medical professionals from more than 40 nations.
The Enemy Devil Cannot Imitate God's Powerful Works
If anyone is able to perform miracles and manifest God's powerful works, then that person evidently demonstrates that he is a man of God. There are some people who may show similar appearing miracles through trickery, deception or sorcery. But, eventually the truth is revealed. Those miracles performed in the name of Jesus Christ by the power of God bring fruits of goodness and enable people to gain salvation and glorify God. However, those who performed what appeared to be miracles through trickery and sorcery deceive people and it will lead them to eternal death because of the selfish desire for personal benefits and self-glory. Some believers say the enemy devil performs miracles, signs and wonders and some verses of the Bible record it. For example, they quote the recording of Matthew 23:24, "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect." In this verse, 'great signs and wonders' refer to the works forfeited in sorcery and trickery through the works of the evil spirits. They never refer to real miracles that can heal people of their diseases. The devil is a spiritual being, and his level of authority and power is even higher than that of men. With that spiritual power and authority, the devil can tempt men and cause them stand against God and commit sins. However, the devil can never imitate the same works as God. The devil does not rule over the death, life, woe and the blessings of mankind and is not able to create anything out of nothing.
- Abstracted from Extraordinary Miracles published at Manmin Central Church -
God performed extraordinary miracles through the apostle Paul. Through the manifestations of those extraordinary miracles people were healed of their various diseases and evil spirits were driven from them so that Paul could boldly testify to the living God and the Savior Jesus Christ. In the same way, God gives His power to proper servants of God and enables them to manifest signs and wonders, and also lets them perform extraordinary miracles and marvelous works. In order to receive the power of God and manifest those amazing works, they have to cast off all forms of evils, accomplish complete sanctification, and pile up countless and fervent prayers.
Biblical Terminology
Wonder: When atmospheric/meteorological phenomena are controlled and the weather changes by the power of God, it is referred to as 'wonders.' For example, God's power makes clouds move to another spaces and precipitation start or stop. By His power, a typhoon changes its course or dies out in the middle, and a rainbow appears on a clear sky.
Sign: When the blind come to see, the mute speak, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and one leg that is shorter is lengthened, and people make full recoveries from polio, cerebral palsy, deformity, and disability, we call such amazing works of God 'signs'. Additionally, when, by God's power, deformed, disabled, and degenerated parts of the body are made whole, the pieces of a shattered bone are set as normal, missing bones are created, and severed tendons are reconnected, it is called a 'sign'
Extraordinary Miracles: When the handkerchiefs or the aprons were carried from the body of Paul to the sick, diseases left them and the evil spirits departed from them. This is an extraordinary miracle God performed through the apostle Paul (Acts 19:11-12).
Marvelous Things: By Elijah's prayer a three and one half year's drought stopped and it began to rain as recorded in 1 Kings 18:41-45, and when Moses struck a rock with his staff, water came forth. These works are examples of 'marvelous things'.
Works of Creation: Jesus changed water into wine (John 2), a widow in Zarephath received amazing blessing by obeying Elijah's word (1 Kings 17), and the bitter water of Marah turned into sweet water by Moses' faith and obedience (Exodus 15:22-25). All these works are 'works of creation'.
Works Ruling over Life and Death: Those who are dying of infectious diseases caused by germs, viruses, or bacteria including cancers, tuberculosis and AIDS can be healed by the scorching fire of the Holy Spirit. Paralyzed nerves, damaged tissues, and destroyed cells due to accidents or disease can be regenerated by the power of God.
Works Transcending Space and Time: A record in the 8th chapter of Matthew describes the faith of a centurion who received a marvelous answer after making the profession of faith saying that just 'the command alone of Jesus would be able to heal one of his servants who was lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented'. Because the centurion showed Jesus his complete faith, the servant was completely healed transcending space and time at that very moment Jesus had commanded.
Works through Spiritual Spaces: God can extend, shorten, or stop the passage of time as He harbors anything. In the spiritual spaces where those differences of the passage of time happen, the weather conditions can be changed and natural disasters such as droughts, floods, volcanic eruption, and earthquakes can be prevented.
The site of occurrence of the same kind of miracle recorded in the Bible
In March of 2000, the same biblical miracle as the bitter water of Marah being turned into sweet water occurred at Muan Manmin Church. Through Dr. Jaerock Lee's space-and-time-transcending prayer, the salty seawater was transformed into sweet water. Seven years later, in October, 2007 a sample of Muan sweet water was sent to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for analytical testing. The organization confirmed it as good quality water abounding in minerals. What is more amazing is that those who have drunk and sprayed Muan sweet water by faith have been healed of their diseases, dead trees and plants have been revived, and many believers fulfill their heart's desires.
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