LORD, I Need A Miracle!

By Tom Brown

ARE YOU IN DESPERATE NEED FOR GOD'S HELP?

Perhaps you are facing a divorce that you don't want. Or maybe your children have left God, are on drugs, and won't listen to reason. You might be facing a business failure, and there seems to be no way to keep your business afloat. Perhaps sickness and disease are ravishing your body, and the doctors can't help you.

You may have already realized that no one can help you but God. Your prayer may be something like this: "Lord, I need a miracle!"

You may be like the man who heard the bad news from his doctor. The doctor broke the news by saying, "I feel that I should tell you: You are a very sick man. I'm sure you would want to know the facts. I don't think you have much time left. Now, is there anyone you would like to see?"

Bending down toward his patient, the doctor heard his feeble answer, "Yes."

"Who is it?" the doctor asked.

In a slightly stronger tone, the sufferer said, "Another doctor."

You have another doctor you can go to. His name is God!

WHATEVER YOUR NEED, I HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU!

Moses said of God, "You are the God who performs miracles" (Psalm 77:14). It is God's nature to perform miracles. Just as it is the nature of a carpenter to work on wood, just as it is the nature of a mechanic to work with machines, so it is with God. It is his nature to ®)2¯work miracles.

Miracles are as natural to God as breathing is to us.

MIRACULOUS CHRISTIANITY

Christianity is founded on miracles. The Bible speaks of the virgin birth, Christ's miracles, the fulfillment of prophecies, the resurrection of the dead, the coming of the Holy Spirit and much more. Christianity is a miraculous religion.

Yet many who call themselves Christians deny miracles. Numerous religious leaders deny the virgin birth, the inspiration of the scriptures, miracles and even the resurrection of Christ. How can they call themselves Christians and deny these truths?

Then there are those who accept the miracles of the Bible, but deny them for today. Why do they deny miracles for today? One reason: TRADITION. Tradition has robbed Christianity of the miraculous. To take away the supernatural from Christianity is to rob God of His testimony.

Hebrews chapter 2 verses 3 and 4 tells us three reasons why we must accept the great salvation that God offers through Jesus Christ. First, because it was "announced by the Lord." Second, because is was "confirmed...by those (apostles) who heard him." And third, because "God also testifies to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit." Jesus, the apostles and God all testify to the gospel. Miracles are God's present witness of the validity of the gospel.

There is no logical or scriptural reason for people to reject miracles for today.

Since Jesus is the Son of God, we would expect him to act like God by performing miracles, and He did. The predominant characteristic in Christ's life was His miracles. Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever." The miracles Jesus did nearly 2,000 years ago, He can do today.

LIMITING GOD

There is an interesting verse of scripture in the book of Psalms. It says, "Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and LIMITED the Holy One of Israel." (ch 78, v 41, KJV)

God wanted to do so much more for Israel than they allowed Him. Notice, they "LIMITED" God. God is all powerful. There is nothing too difficult for God to do. God wants to help you in every way. There is only one reason why God will not help you, and that is if you limit Him.

Jesus says, "All things are possible to him who believes." Your faith releases God to work on your behalf. The opposite is also true; your doubt can limit God.

Jesus entered His own town and preached the gospel. While there, the people doubted Christ's ability to perform miracles. In Matthew chapter 13 verse 58, it says, "And Jesus did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith." Jesus wanted to do miracles, but the people limited Him. The same can happen today!

The most important condition that you must meet for miracles is faith. Faith begins by being sure that God wants to help you.

In Matthew chapter eight we find a touching story of a man with leprosy coming to Jesus for healing. In biblical times, a leper was considered an outcast. He was shunned by society and religion. He was considered unclean both physically and spiritually. You need to understand this in order to appreciate this story.

After Jesus finished His famous sermon on the mount, this leper came and knelt before Him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Notice that the man began his prayer with an "if." Remember this, to begin a prayer with an "if" is usually a sign of doubt, unless of course you are praying a prayer of dedication like Jesus did in the garden of Gethesemane. But when you are praying for a miracle, you must be assured that God wants to help you. Therefore, using an "if" in your prayers is unscriptural and is a sign of doubt.

Jesus, knowing the need for faith, removed all "ifs" from this man. He answered the man, "I am willing. Be clean!" Once the man knew that it was God's will for him to be healed, he was cured.

I'm glad this leper doubted, because if he didn't we might never have known for sure that it is God's will to heal us. In this sense, the leper doubted for all of us, so that we, like him, can know that it is God's will for us to be healed.

GOD HAS NO FAVORITES

You might be thinking, "Yes, it was God's will for the leper to be healed, but it may not be God's will for me to be healed."

If you believe this, then please show me one New Testament example of Jesus telling anyone that it wasn't God's will for him to be healed. You can't find one example, because it was and is still God's will to heal everyone, just as it is His will for everyone to be saved.

"Well," someone might ask, "if it's God's will for everyone to be healed, then why are some still sick?"

You'll have your answer when you answer this question, "Since it is God's will for all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), why are many people unsaved?" The answer is simple, because they do not accept the gospel. The same is true concerning healing. Many sincere Christians remain sick because they do not accept the gospel of healing as taught in the Bible.

Peter said something very interesting when the subject came up as to whether or not everyone, including Gentiles, could be saved. Peter said, "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism" (Acts 10:34). God is not prejudiced. What He has done for one, He will do for another, so long as they both meet the same conditions.

It is written in Psalm 103:2-3: "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." Forgiveness of sins and healing of diseases have all been purchased through the Substitutionary sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

You have just as much right for healing as you do for forgiveness. Claim them both!

Cry out to God in faith. He won't let you down.