The Important of Signs and Wonders

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. (Hab 2:14 ESV)

The knowledge of the Glory of God is important in equipping the end time army of saint, full of Holy Spirit, bringing the testimony of Jesus Christ, releasing His power in transforming the nation.

Many fear signs and wonders because of the possibility of deception. Many christian activities, programme, man made agenda or even religious study become a substitute of the manifest power of God. Many often satisfied with knowledge. But, when this happens, who is deceive? When miracles are absent, so is the glory of God, which is the manifested presence of Jesus. When glory is released, it displaces the power of darkness and replaces it with the presence of God

Many uses Mat 7:22-23 to against those operating in miracle and said they are false prophet without knowing the fruit of their ministries.

When the Judgment Day comes, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God's message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!' Then I will say to them, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!' (Mat 7:22-23 GNB)

What's categories of people Jesus was refering to? It's imposible for those who do not have relationship with Holy Spirit to cast out demon, in fact, it's dangerous to do so.

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus, whom Paul proclaims." Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. (Act 19:14-16 ESV)

The Lord revealed to me these group of people through the verses below:

For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they then fall away, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Heb 6:4-6 ESV)

Below is a summary of important of signs and wonders, taken from Bill Johnson's book, when Heaven Invades Earth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Revival is the atmosphere in which Christ's power is most likely to be manifested. It touches every part of human life, breaking into society with sparks of revolution. During revival, hell is plundered and heaven is populated. Without revival, hell is populated

The necessity of signs and wonders in our quest to see our cities transformed and the glory of God fill the earth

1. Signs and Wonders Reveal the Nature of God

o It is impossible to give an adequate witness of God without demonstrating His supernatural power. The supernatural is His natural realm. Our God is supernatural God and Jesus was an exact representation of the Father's nature (Heb 1:3). Jesus become model for us.

2. Signs and Wonders Expose Sin and Bring People to a decision

o Luke 5:5-8 recorded Simon Peter miraculously catch of fish after obey the command of Jesus . When he saw the miracle, he confessed that he was a sinner.

o Who told that he was sinner? No record of sermons, rebukes. It was miracle. Power exposes. It draw a line in the sand and forces people to a decision. Power often causes people to decide what they're for or against. Power removes the middle ground. Miracle make us can't stand in neutral, but in decision to draw us to Jesus or NOT.

3. Signs and wonders bring courage, call forth faith, raises our faith level to believe God .

o In Jewish Culture was shaped by the command to keep the testimonies of the Lord. To ensure they didn't forget, they were to build monuments to remember. Joshua 3:14-17, Joshua 4:4-7 They piled stones to mark the place where Israel crossed the Jordan River.

o The testimony stir faith. Expectation Grows, Miracles Increase. When miracle increase, testimonies increase

4. The Supernatural is the Key to the Sin Cities of the World

o Mat 11:20-24 The Cities that Jesus addresses here saw more signs and wonders than all the rest combined. Tyre, Sidon and Sodom would have been repented had they been exposed to the same dimention of outpouring. Miracles in the streets of the sin cities of the world will cause them to repent!

5. Miracle Reveal His Glory

o Jesus performed this first miracle in Cana in Galilee; there he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. ( Read Joh 2:11 GNB)

6. Signs Direct people to give Glory to God

o But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. (Read Mat 9:8 KJVR)

7. Signs themselves give Him Glory

o All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you! (Psa 145:10 ESV)

8. Miracles are unifying force for the Generation (Help us to connect generationally)

o One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. (Psa 145:4 ESV)

9. Signs and Wonders affirm who Jesus is

o John 10:37-38 If the Jews struggled with believing in Jesus as their Messiah, he simply told them to look at the miracles and believe them.

10. Miracles help people hear from God

o And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. (Act 8:6 ESV)

11. Miracles help people obey God

o Roman 15:18-19 here the apostle Paul demonstrates how the Gentiles were brought into obedience through the power of the spirit of God. This was what he considered as FULLY preaching the gospel. It's wasn't complete the message without a demonstration of the power of God!

12. Miracle Validate the Identity of Both The Son of God and His Church

o John 3:2 no one can do these signs unless God is with him. It was understood by the Jews that if God is with you there should be miracles. His presence is the assurance of His intent to use us in the miraculous