Miracles can happen...but just love

Have you ever prayed for healing for someone and it didn't happen? Have you felt guilty or condemned that you lacked faith?

I don’t know about you, but I have grown up thinking that everything Jesus said to his disciples was for everyone. Perhaps you have too. It is a topic rarely spoken about and addressed. I am speaking as someone raised in church, I’ve regularly attended a number of different denominations and gone to Bible College. I’ve heard a lot of talks, yet this topic was rarely covered. I usually find that in most church cultures, perhaps slightly more in pentecostal/charismatic circles, that it is assumed that what was said to them, is said to me. However, upon closer inspection I have found that there are clues which indicate that Jesus meant for certain things to be just for his disciples. I mean, let’s think about it. In Acts 1 verse 3, 8 and 25 we see a clear set of unique elements. In Acts 1 verse 3 there are 40 days of teaching for the disciples of which it could be argued we only have a few snippets of in the gospels' post resurrection accounts. The vast majority of this was just for them, disciples. The second verse (8) clearly shows that their unique call started in Judea and Samaria, clearly, not every individual is called to start preaching the gospel there, or to even go into all the world. Thirdly, in verse 25, there is a clear distinct call of the apostolic ministry appointed at that time only to the 12, no one else, even though we are told that there were 120 believers. 120 believers, only 12 'sent ones'. These important indicators in Acts build a clear picture of a unique calling for the 12 apostles.

Then we are hit with a further significant dimension, a contentious issue for some, the issue of miracles also described as ‘signs and wonders’. Amazing things are recorded as happening, miracles, healings amongst other things, all of which pointed to the authority and anointing of the apostles which gave validity and authority to their unique message-their witness to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

I have often felt guilty about not seeing much of this kind of stuff, or disappointed depending on the type of teaching I was listening to at the time. Do miracles happen? Am I part of it? Do I have enough faith? Why do they seem to happen in other places? If you, like me, have been through that or are still are, then be encouraged.

Of the 120 primary believers and the extra 3000 that made a commitment early on in acts, the Bible only attributes signs and wonders to the apostles. Not even Mary, the mother of Jesus was attributed with having done any kind of miracle. Just Jesus, just his 12 disciples. Along with Mary, not even Luke was attributed with any miracles. He wrote both the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, where his travelling with Paul was recorded a number of times, yet, no mention of any miracles.

What I am saying is that Christians like you and me, need to stop worrying if we pray and people don’t get healed. Seriously, it doesn’t mean we don’t pray for people to be healed, or for God to bless them, or even that we avoid praying bold prayers in line with God's word, but that we stop bashing or condemning ourselves when things don’t happen that we want or expect (which, let’s face it, often don’t). Feeling condemned or that you lack faith when someone isn’t healed will only drag your faith down.

With careful reading of scripture, rather than relying primarily on sermons or general shared knowledge of church culture, we see that it is okay if you do not perform any miracles. It really is up to God. It also shows the unique calling of the apostles, those primary 12 decision makers and miracle doers. There are zero apostles of the same nature as that first group. They had the unique calling of witnessing Jesus' life and ministry death and resurrection and post-resurrection teachings and were privileged to teachings not even recorded in the Bible. No one has that now.

Does this mean miracles and healings don’t happen? Nope, not at all. Paul describes these things in a list of gifts that God gives, although emphasises that not all do miracles. We are also encouraged to pray for healings and, in fact, pray big prayers that use and stretch our faith generally. Biblically, there is not a specific end to signs and wonders except in heaven when all things are perfected (1 Corinthians 13 ). Also, Paul and Stephen were also recorded as walking in signs and wonders later in Acts. In addition, faith is part of healing, but faith, as I mentioned in a previous blog 'Blind Faith' faith is actually about responding to God, not just guessing.

The massive outpouring of healings and miracles were primarily attributed to the apostles. Key biblical figures in the New Testament were not attributed with having performed any signs and wonders. Gifts of healing were not for everyone. Faith plays a key part in healing, but not guilt or condemnation for either the person praying or the person being prayed for. Miracles and healing can and do happen, but we must drop the pressure and condemnation of others or ourselves if we are to walk in greater freedom in our empowered life. The world says if it goes wrong, it is your fault, if you make a mistake, be condemned, if you say one wrong thing, you should lose your job. But this is not God. Be encouraged, pray for healing, by all means, but lose the guilt and condemnation if things do not work out as you expect.

God wants our prayer to be about loving others and him (also 1 Corinthians 13). Pray in love for the person you are praying for and know that you are safe in God’s hands and how that prayer is answered is with him and not you. Pray also, knowing you are loved by God no matter what happens and pray that God's love will be revealed to that person in whatever way seems best to God. Be open to listening to his Spirit as you pray. And don’t worry, remember there are no recorded miracles for even Mary or Luke amongst others, so don't worry if you don't have any recorded in your life time. Jesus even warned that there will be people who drove out demons and performed many miracles that he would turn away from heaven. Just love.

John 15 reminds of this highest principle. Love each other, serve one another as members of his body. It is the love and unity of believers which, Jesus teaches, will be the primary way the church will be witnesses to the world of who he is, not miracles.