EVANGELISM BY MIRACLES

READ: ACTS 1:8-11

The major purpose for giving us power through the baptism of Holy Ghost is to make us effective witness for Christ. What is the place of signs and wonders in evangelism? Jesus himself said that people are seeking for signs and wonders and without them, they will refuse to believe. One reason for Christ’s outstanding success in his three and a half years of ministry was the presence of the miraculous. He was able to affect many people, towns, villages and cities in a dramatic way by the power of the Holy Ghost. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38).
A look through the Acts shows the fact that whenever there were miracles; people gave their lives to Christ or feared and served God more. On the day of Pentecost, when strangers from other lands gathered for the feast in Israel and heard the disciples speaking in their own native tongues, the result was the salvation of 3000 souls. In Acts 3:6-9, a man lame from birth and well-known to the community was miraculously healed – and a crowd gathered. When Peter preached a short sermon to them, 5000 souls were harvested into God’s kingdom.
At another time the disciples preached Jesus and arrested. Yet at least 5000 men gave their lives to Christ (Acts 4:3-4). A miracle of judgement also took place in the Early Church, when Ananais and Sapphira lied and both dropped dead. Instead of running away, the people came in and everyone feared God the more.
You can do much by the power of the Holy Ghost. Enter into the realm of miracle evangelism today. Just one spectacular miracle that takes place in your assembly and spreads around is enough to fill your church the following Sunday. So what are you praying for? How are you praying? Ask God to arise and manifest his power as in times of old, in your life and parish. The results will not be hidden. You will know the man who has the power of the Holy Ghost. Signs and wonders follow him everywhere he goes. Do they follow you?

MEMORIZE: ACTS 10:38 –How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.  

WORLDLY REASONING

READ: ISAIAH 55:8-9

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
During the siege of Samaria, when God spoke through his prophet of abundance within 24 hours, the adviser of the king said it was not possible. He tried to reason out the impossibility of God producing so much food for Samaria. He also did not believe there were windows in heaven.
You cannot fathom the magnificence and might of God. Each time you try to explain or reason out how a miracle could happen in a hopeless situation, you get more depressed. God’s ways differ from ours in very significant ways and so do his thoughts. Even where you do not have a way to solve an issue, God has thousands. Miracles defy logic: they are essentially God’s business; do not try to teach him how to do his business.
God does not use the same methods to solve the same kind of problem. He may allow the bank to make an error and by the time it is rectified, they come and inform you they owe you several million. He may ask you to read a particular course of study, which appears presently to have no future, but by the time you are through and ready to work, that course turns into a gold and you become a hot cake, sought after in many different parts of the world.
God may ask you to cast your net at the most inappropriate time and to get your breakthrough. He may ask you to go and fish with a line and bring out the first fish containing the gold. I will not concern myself over how God can solve my problem. Any way he chooses to do it, is fine with me. From today, do not ask, ‘How can this situation change?’ Simply ask him to change it. Believe in him. You doubt can hinder your breakthrough, so believe in his ability.

MEMORIZE: LUKE 1:37 –For with God nothing will be impossible.  

FINANCIAL BREAKTHROUGH

READ: 2 KINGS 4:1-7

No matter what the devil has done to your finances, God can undo it. He will reverse the irreversible and give you a breakthrough. Many people have suffered hardships in their finances or jobs. If you are one of them, God will visit you. A man is limited to the level of knowledge he has of God. Daniel 11:32b says “... but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” There is a level of knowledge you can have of God that will produce extraordinary breakthroughs in and through you. It is my prayer that God will take you there, in Jesus’ Name.
“I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them.” (Exodus 6:3). Abraham was so close to God that he was called a friend of God. Isaac and Jacob also had a relationship with God. But when god revealed to Moses, he told him that even though his forefathers had prospered yet their knowledge of God was limited. Then he introduced himself afresh to Moses, in a dimension his predecessors had never known. No wonder Moses was said to have seen and spoken with God face to face. That was an uncommon breakthrough. May the Lord reveal himself to you as he has never done to anyone else.
In today’s reading, a particular prophet who served the Lord but did not know him as the God of financial breakthrough, lived in abject poverty until he died and left behind his window, two sons and a huge debt that made his creditors a trouble to his family. The widow ran to the man who knew God in a dimension her late husband had not, and was introduced to the God of breakthrough. She paid her debt and never borrowed again for the rest of her life. She rebelled against the poverty her husband had accepted. Members of your family may accept poverty: please reject it!
It is possible to live a holy life and still remain in poverty. In Luke 5:1-7, Peter caught nothing on an all-night fishing expedition. Then he allowed the God of breakthrough to use his boat for a few hours and caught so many fish that his boat began to sink. You too can break that load of debt. You can get your breakthrough in your business today. Yield yourself to the God of breakthrough.   

MEMORIZE: EXODUS 6:3 –I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them.

LOVE COMPARED

READ: 1 SAMUEL 18:1-4

“I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me; your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.” (2 Samuel 1:26). After the death of Jonathan, David lamented him greatly. He recalled the fact that they had made a covenant and loved each other very much. Jonathan was king Saul’s son. One reason king Saul wanted to kill David was that he feared David might succeed him as king instead of his son, but Jonathan wanted David to rule before him (1 Samuel 20:30-34). Jonathan gave David his robe, garments, sword, bow and girdle. A robe is worn for ornament. Garments help to prevent cold. The sword is for fighting and the bow for hunting. In those days, the girdle was where you put your treasure before tying it around your waist for safety.
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1). The love between Jonathan and David was great, yet the love God has for you is far greater. It is unsurpassable! When you come to God in repentance, the first thing he does is clothe you with salvation. Even after their fall, God covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve before sending them out of Eden. Since then, no matter how bad your sins are, if you return in true repentance, God will cover your nakedness!
Jonathan gave David his sword and bow, but according to Ephesians 6:10-17, God offers you his full armour. Jonathan did not give David his shoes (Ruth 4:7). In those days, shoes were worn only by sons, not servants. Jonathan’s refusal to release his shoes to David meant that although they were friends, their friendship had a limit. But thank God that in Christ, we are made sons forever. Jesus clothes us in the Gospel boots that enable us to be a victorious over Satan. When Jonathan died, so did his love for David. But Jesus loves us to the end. He never dies. And he has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven so that we can live with him forever! (John 14:1-3). The love of Jesus for you is unsurpassable. Do you reciprocate that love?    

MEMORIZE: 2 SAMUEL 1:26 –I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me; your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.

BUILT-IN SOLUTIONS

READ: PSALM 9:13-17

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). After David brought down Goliath, his opponent, it was the sword he had intended to use on David that cut off his own head. This may be difficult to believe: the solution to your problem is inherent in that problem. The Scriptures are replete with examples to that effect.
In each test, there is a hidden testimony. Every Goliath has a weak spot. Each problem comes with a hidden solution. As the above Scripture says, in that seemingly tough and unbearable trial, there is a way out. All problems are temporary and if you can face them in the Name of Jesus, they will soon reveal their solutions.
The lions were hungry. Satan designed a scheme through his agents to feed them Daniel. God intervened and Daniel came out alive – and those same agents became the food of the lions! Until that victory, Daniel had the problem of being surrounded by several enemies. They planned to eradicate him, but only succeeded in eradicating themselves. Haman designed a gallows on which he planned to hand Mordecai. God intervened and the tables turned. Haman was hanged on his gallows. In 2 Chronicles 20:1-25, the kings who pooled their resources together to destroy Jehoshaphat ended up destroying themselves.
In Psalm 7:15-16, God says that the pit of destruction, failure or poverty that the enemy digs for you is where he will be buried. Whatsoever your enemies plan against you will return to their heads. Anyone who touches you, touches the apple of God’s eye. And God will defend his Name upon your life. Do not fear henceforth, as long as you are doing God’s will and living a holy life. Any problem that targets you will soon be history. Ask God for the way of escape. Ask God to open your eyes to see the solution in every problem.

MEMORIZE: 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 –No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.