From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A miracle is a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature, such that can be attempted to be explained by divine intervention, and is sometimes associated with a miracle-worker. Many folktales, religious texts, and people claim various events they refer to as “miraculous”. People in different cultures have substantially different definitions of the word “miracle”. Even within a specific religion there is often more than one of the term. Sometimes the term “miracle” may refer to the action of a supernatural being that is not a god. Thus, the term “divine intervention”, by contrast, would refer specifically to the direct involvement of a deity.
On August 13th, 2009, Dairy Queen® and Blizzard® treat lovers across North America will make miracles happen for sick and injured kids in their communities. Purchase of a Blizzard treat at participating DQ stores will benefit local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. Thank you for helping us make miracles happen.
In this commercial you see three different miracles take place, they are a:
- Boy with hair-lip
- Girl with face and neck burns
- Boy with braces
My first impression of this commercial was how excited I was for those in the dramatization getting well, the second thought I had was, ‘where are the miracles we need to see in the church, through the church’?
I believe there are three types of healings that can take place at anytime in anyone’s life. I have personally experienced all three.
1. Natural
2. Medical
3. Miraculous
Luke 3:15: The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.”
Luke 4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
Luke 4: 14-20 “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him,
In Luke 4 we see five different and decisive areas that Jesus was called to do on earth and to bring healing to those suffering. He was to:
- Preach the Gospel to the poor
- Proclaim release to the captives
- Recovery of sight to the blind
- To set free those who are bruised
- To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
“We are a product of our total life experience; our reactions to present situations are determined by past experiences. Our perceptions of the present time can be distorted by our past hurts. To the extent that we react violently to a simple problem, we must conclude that we are bound to the past and cannot respond normally to the present situation.” Karol Thompson
With everything that is legitimate, there will always be the false, the phony, and the liars. In Acts 8:9-24, Simon the sorcerer is one of these false deceivers, even though he went through many of the steps to freedom in Christ, however, something from his past, something deep in his heart, kept him from yielding fully to God and as a result, he was willing to attempt to take the pure and make it pitiful. Look at the text closely.
9Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; 10and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” 11And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts. 12But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. 13Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed. 14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. 18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21“You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22“Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23“For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” 24But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
~ There can be no God-power when you don’t operate under God-authority ~
Vr. 23 “you are full of bitterness,
People love Jesus but have issues not dealt with, causing them to want control…thought you could buy. Verse 21
Hebrews talks about a root of bitterness
Hebrews 12:15 “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;
- Bitterness begins with unforgiveness,
- unforgiveness
- resentment
- retaliation
- anger
- hatred
- violence
- murder
Bruised (release the oppressed) in the Greek is Thrao and means to smite through, shatter, eg: broken by tragedy, great distress or misfortunate, an event causing great harm or loss and affliction.
The Bruises of Satan
Adam: “What you became, we are. What you originally were, we would like to be.”
At first Adam was dirt shaped form created by the finger of God, with head and body, with hand and feet, with heart and veins, with muscle and tissue, with digestive and nervous system, but no soul, no life…
Then God breathed into his nostrils the “Breath of Life” and Adam became a living soul.
Adam you were the first man, the first laborer, the first husband, the first Father, the first Sinner!
Cain:
No doubt his conscience shouted to him: “Don’t do it” – His envy argued, “Kill Him”
Cain Kills Abel – Both were sons of Adam and Eve. Both were taught the same. Whatever was within Cain’s heart, which led him to make a wrong offering, also led him to resent God’s rejecting of it.
What a disappointment to Adam and Eve, What a reminder of their own failure
Joseph:
Joseph’s brothers piled hate upon him; the son of Rachel was going to receive the birthright honor.
His brother’s hated him for this, he tells them of the dream of the 12 sheaves
After a long journey from Hebron to Shechem and d from there towards Dothan, he is tired and looking for a friendly face. He finds his brothers, only to find out that they had engaged in a conspiracy to murder the dreamer who had his father’s affection and wore a coat of distinction. Reuben intervened and suggested they put him in a pit
Now he’s sold into slavery
Moses:
It was a hard political age for the Egyptians. Fear so gripped their national leadership that a decree was published to destroy all male babies of the Hebrews lest they join the enemies of the nation in a time of war. Mass murder was underway.
Moses is hid for 3 months, placed in the water and discovered by Pharaohs daughter. The child’s life was divided into three equal periods of 40 years.
In Egypt learning
In Midian in discipline
In leading and training the nation
Jesus Christ:
Born in a manger, betrayed by a friend, Rejected –
Isa. 53:3 “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Falsely accused
Matt. 12:24 “But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebub,the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
Gen. 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Imprisoned through the Bruises, Released by the Blood of Jesus
Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
- Sin produced Hurt
- Hurt produced pain
- Pain is a bruise
- Bruises produce bitterness
- Bitterness can bind us to our hurt and pain
Don’t give Satan the ground he wants in your life, don’t give him the right of way or the use of your mind.
We need to learn to forgive others and ourselves
When you hate yourself, your immune system turns on you and destroys you
If you give up on yourself so will your body
Perfect love casts out fear
Let God heal you today however He chooses, keep away from all demonic activity and trust the Bible and all it says about Jesus Christ’s desire to set you free, Spirit, Soul and Body!