When Pigs Fly - Miracles of Provision

As we finish up our look at miracles, we are going to look at miracles of provision, and while God provided for His people in some pretty dramatic ways, and Jesus multiplied a few loaves and fish to feed thousands of people, perhaps the greatest miracle is that God provides for all our needs.  In simple and in dramatic ways, God provides for all our needs.  The Bible says: God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.  James 1:17

And Jesus told us that we never need to worry about what we need in life because God will provide.  Jesus said, Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Matthew 6:25-33

Perhaps the miracle we need to remember is that God will always provide for our needs.  We may not get all that we want or desire, but God will provide all that we need.  If we need clothes, God will provide.  It might not be designer labels but we will be clothed.  If we need shelter, God will provide.  It may not be the HGTV dream home at the beach or in the mountains, but it will meet our needs.  God has even said he would provide us with rest and while it might not be a Disney vacation or a Caribbean cruise, God will give us the rest we need.  God will provide.

We also need to remember that God’s provision is not a “get out of jail free card” to cover over our mistakes.  If we have gone deep into debt, God will provide but we might have to work and sacrifice to make things right.  If we have spent beyond our means and are struggling to make ends meet, God will provide but we might need to take an honest look at our spending and then learn how to reorder our lives. When we walk faithfully with God, God will provide. 

When God guides, God always provides.  Isaiah said, 

The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength.  You will be like a well watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.  Isaiah 58:11  

If we allow God to guide us, and if we walk faithfully in God’s will, God will always meet our needs.  This is what Jesus meant when he said, seek first the kingdom of God and then all the things you need will be provided for you.  When we allow God to guide us, and when we strive to faithfully follow God’s will, God will meet our needs.  Sometimes it happens in routine ways, and sometimes it happens in miraculous ways, but God always provides.   

After three years of college I took a break.  I had thought about changing schools but that was my foolish plan and not God’s, so it fell apart.  I heard God calling me to return to MSU but I wasn’t sure if that was God’s will or my own.  The deadline for registering for the spring semester was quickly approaching and I wasn’t sure I even had time to register so I said, God, if this is what you want, you have to get me readmitted.  I sent in the paperwork and was readmitted.  I then had to get housing and I was pretty specific about where I wanted to live.  It was a housing complex I had lived in before and I said again, God, if this is what you want I need to get an apartment in Spartan Village.  This was more challenging, but very quickly I heard that I had an apartment.  When God guides, God always provides.  

We can see God provide for His people in some pretty dramatic ways as He leads them out of slavery and into freedom.  It was clearly God’s plan so God provided.  God parted the waters of the Red Sea so the people could escape the Egyptian Army.  A few days later when they needed food, God provided bread from heaven.  A few days later as they complained because they had no water, God made water come forth from a rock.  If God guides, God always provides,  

God intervened in some pretty dramatic ways to provide for His people during their 40 year journey, but other miracles of provision just seemed to happen.  For example, the clothes the people wore during their journey never wore out.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t have any clothes that have lasted 40 years.  That was a miracle of provision that the people may not have even noticed.  It also said that their feet didn’t swell or blister.  They probably didn’t notice that either, but it was a miracle of provision.  When God guides, God always provides.  

One of the most dramatic miracles of provision we read about in the Old Testament comes from the life of Abraham.  Abraham was called by God and told that he would be the father of a great nation, but at the time he had no children.  Years and years went by and he still had no children. Abraham and his wife Sarah grew old and still had not had a son and they were about to give up but if God guides, God always provides. Finally Sarah and Abraham have a son, Isaac.

When Issac was a young boy, God wanted to test Abraham’s faith so God told Abraham to take Isaac up to the top of Mt. Moriah, where they would often go and offer a sacrifice to God. and there offer Issac as a sacrifice.  It is a disturbing story for us to read today because the thought of offering your child as a sacrifice is unthinkable, but it was a different culture and context, and behind the entire story God had a plan.  

So in Genesis 22, Abraham takes Isaac up to the mountain top and he is carrying the wood for the sacrifice but Isaac keeps asking, where is the lamb for the sacrifice?  Abraham just keeps saying, God will provide the lamb.  After the wood is laid out for the sacrifice, Abraham binds up Isaac and places him on the wood and raises his knife to kill him when an angel of God steps in and says, “Do not lay a hand on the boy, do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”   

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.  Genesis 22:12-14

While it can be a disturbing story to understand, the lesson is clear: when God guides, God always provides.  In fact one of the first names given to God in the Bible is Jehovah Jireh, which means God will provide.  

’s name because it is what God does.  God provides.  In dramatic ways and in simple ways, God provides, and we need to see each instance of God’s provision as a miracle.  Every time we have what we need it is a miracle.  Sometimes we see the powerful hand of God at work behind it all and sometimes we don’t, but God is faithful and keeps his promise to provide.  He is Jehovah Jireh.  

When God guides, God always provides, but there are times the miracle of provision goes deeper because what we see is that God multiplies what is given.  Miracles of provision often involve God taking what is given to HIm and multiplying it exponentially to meet the need.  The most famous story of this kind of miracle was when Jesus was given 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.  He multiplied what had been given and fed more than 5,000 people.  

In the Old Testament, however, there is another story of God multiplying what is given.  During a severe drought when people were dying of starvation, the Prophet Elijah asked a poor widow for some food.  She said that all she had was a small jar of grain and a little bit of oil and she was going to make that into a small cake for her and her son and then lay down to die.  Elijah told her to first make him a small cake and then make some for her and her son.  When she did that, when she made a meal for Elijah, he then said, from now to the end of the drought, your jar of grain and oil will never run out, and they didn’t.  When she gave what she had to God, God multiplied it and made it last for weeks. 

It’s important to understand that God didn’t need the little boy’s 5 loaves and 2 fish to feed the 5,000 people, and he didn’t need the widow to feed Elijah, God could have done it all by himself.  God rained down bread from heaven before, He could have done it again. God didn’t need anyones help providing what was needed, but sometimes God loves multiplying what is given to Him to meet the need. Sometimes God wants us to be part of His miracle.  

You might be part of God’s miracle of provision.  God can do it by Himself.  God doesn’t need our help or our gifts, but God delights in using what we have to offer and making us part of the miracle.  When Jesus multiplied the 5 loaves and 2 fish, the actual multiplication didn’t take place in Jesus' hands but the hands of the disciples.  Jesus broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples and it says that they then gave the food to the crowds and everyone ate until they were full.  The bread was multiplied in the hands of the disciples.  They were an active part of the miracle.  

Then it says they picked up 12 baskets of leftovers. 12 is a very symbolic number.  It tells us that God can provide for all of His people, the entire 12 tribes of Israel, but there were also 12 disciples and so each one got to pick up a basket of bread.  Each one was not only part of the multiplication but they saw with their own eyes the abundance of God’s provision.  Holding those baskets told them that they can be part of God’s miracles of provision.  

There is no greater feeling than being part of God’s miracle of provision.  In 2017, Faith Church was part of a miracle of provision.  We heard how the UM pastors in Sierra Leone were not going to get paid because of a lack of funding.  God told us that we could do something to help and I thought that we might step into the gap and provide some help.  I never believed that God would do a miracle of provision and raise up $30,000 to cover the needs of all the UM pastors in Sierra Leone.  Think about it, churches and pastors on the other side of the globe were praying for God to provide and God did a miracle by moving in the hearts and lives of people right here and He multiplied what we gave and met their needs.

And then there was our Vacation Bible School a few years ago when children and families and many of you donated blankets to send to Belize.  God multiplied what we gave and just a few weeks ago over 1,000 blankets were given away.  Every person in 2 villages in Belize got a blanket and while you might not think a fleece blanket is needed there, it is during the rainy season.  

And just this past Christmas, God used you to help make sure no one will go hungry in our community as over $22,500 was given by you to our local food bank.  God delights in using His people to do a miracle of provision and there is no better feeling than knowing that our gifts are being multiplied and used by God to provide a miracle in someone else's life.  As we have seen, sometimes God moves in dramatic ways like our giving to Sierra Leone or the food bank, but sometimes God does miracles as we just give what we have faithfully to God each and every week.  

Your faithful tithes and offerings provide miracles every day.  Children come to know the love of Jesus because of what you give.  Children today will be encouraged to read God’s word daily during Lent and that can lead to miracles of provision as God strengthens the faith of children and families.  Your faithful giving has allowed us to expand our mission and ministry through our online presence in worship and small groups.  

Your giving supports work in our community through the Orphan Care Alliance and Habitat for Humanity.  Your giving has helped our mission team rebuild homes and hearts and lives on mission trips, and your giving will continue to be an encouragement here at home through the tool box ministry.  Someone is going to pray for a need at their home and together God will use us to meet that need.  

God does miracles of provision every day by taking what we give  Him and using it for His purpose and His glory.   When we give to God, God not only multiples and uses what we give, but God also provides for us.  That’s the blessing that comes to us when we give.  When we give, God meets all of our needs.  And the more we give, the more God will do miracles of provision in our lives to meet all our needs.  In Malachi 3:10-12 God says, 

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty.  “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.

I love this, the more we give to God, the more miracles of provision God will do.  He will bless us and he will in turn multiply the gifts and bless others.  Please understand that I’m not just talking about money.  I’m talking about God providing a sense of meaning and purpose.  As we give, God provides us with a stronger faith, and healthier families.  As we give we find ourselves part of something BIG as God uses us to do miracles in the world.  Every time we give we are part of God’s miracle of provision and every time we give we are saying, God we trust you to do that miracle of provision in our lives.  We can be a daily part of God’s miracle of provision by simply giving what we have and then trusting God to meet all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

Next Steps

When Pigs Fly - Miracles of Provision

As the creator of the world and father of all humankind, God has promised to provide for all our needs.  

Read Philippians 4:19, James 1:17, Matthew 6:25-33

1. When God guides, God always provides.

● Where do we see this principle at work in the Bible?

○ Israel in the Wilderness. See Exodus 14-16.

● When have you seen this principle at work in your life?

● How have you seen God provide for you in routine ways? Dramatic and miraculous ways?  

● Why did Abraham call God Jehovah Jireh?  See Genesis 22:1-19

2. God multiplies what is given.

● What do we learn about God’s miracles of provision from Elijah and the widow? See 1 Kings 17:7-16

● What do we learn about God’s miracles of provision from Jesus feeding the 5,00? See Matthew 14:13-21

● When have you seen God multiply what has been given?

3. You can be part of God’s miracle of provision!

● What miracles of provision have you seen God’s people provide?  

● When have you been part of God’s miracles?

● How can your giving today bring about God’s miracle tomorrow?

For reflection:

1. What miracle of provision do you need in your life today?  How can you trust God for it?

2. What miracle of provision is needed in our world and how can you help make it happen?

When Pigs Fly - Miracles of Protection

We are in a series on miracles and when we think about miracles in the Bible, we tend to think about the miracles of Jesus.  Jesus turned water to wine.  He calmed storms and walked on water.  He healed the sick and raised the dead.  Jesus performed miracles that not only showed us the power of God at work in His life, but miracles that showed us that He was God because no one but God could do what Jesus did.  But God did miracles in the Old Testament too and the first miracle recorded was a miracle of protection.  

In Genesis 6, God gets angry at the wickedness of the people and decides to flood the earth.  God is going to wipe everything out and start over again, but there was one man who found favor with God and his name was Noah.  You know the story, Noah built an ark and two of every bird and animal, male and female, went into the ark with him and his family, and they were all saved.  So where’s the miracle?  Noah is the one who obeyed God and built the ark, but if you think about the size of this thing, we could say it was a miracle he got it done.  But that’s not the miracle.  The miracle was that God brought the animals to Noah.  We never hear about Noah going out into the world to gather the animals, it is God who brought them to Noah.  The first miracle God did was a miracle of protection.  

From this story we learn an important truth about miracles of protection: long before we face a problem - God has a plan.  Long before we might need a miracle to protect us, God has a plan.  Long before the rain started to fall, God had Noah build an ark and He began to gather the animals of the world.  Long before Jonah was tossed into the sea, God sent a fish to swallow him.  Long before the people of Israel were trapped at the Red Sea, God was gathering up a great wind to blow back the water and create a path.  

Long before we face a problem or painful situation, God has a plan.  If you are facing a problem and are asking God to protect you and provide a way out for you, know that God has a plan.  It might not be your plan, but God has a plan.  

One man who experienced several miracles of protection was Paul.  Paul was protected during storms at sea.  He was kept safe when he was shipwrecked, and several times God’s power was seen when Paul was thrown into prison. We read about one of these in Acts 16.  

The magistrates ordered [Paul and Silas] to be stripped and beaten with rods.  After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.  When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. Acts 16:22b-24

It’s important to see that Paul is doing exactly what God has asked him to do when he is thrown into prison.  He is preaching the gospel.  He is calling people to place their faith and trust in Jesus and he is telling people that they can experience the power of God’s kingdom.  Paul is being faithful and yet being faithful did not protect Paul from being stripped, beaten and thrown into prison.  

God never promised to keep us from every bad thing that can happen in life.  God has not promised to keep us from all harm and to protect us from every peril and pain we might experience.  In fact, Jesus specifically said that as long as we are in this world we will experience pain and problems, but He also said we won’t be facing them alone.  The reason we can face problems with confidence and courage and even pray for a miracle is because God loves us and Christ has overcome the world.  Paul said, 

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  

And who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?   No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:31-32, 35, 37-39

Paul knew that although problems would come and that painful situations were going to take place in his life, God was always going to be there with him and for him AND that the power of God’s love could do great things.  Because of God’s love and power, Paul looked to God to provide miracles of protection and nothing has changed.  Problems and painful situations will take place in our lives and God’s love will always be there for us AND God’s power can still do great things.  Miracles of protection can take place just as they did for Paul. 

So let’s go back and look at this miracle of protection God provides for Paul and Silas.  Notice what Paul doesn’t do.  When Paul is stripped, beaten, and thrown into prison, Paul doesn’t turn his back on God.  Paul has to feel disappointed that God didn’t protect him from these problems and pain, but Paul doesn’t give up on God.  Just because things didn’t go as planned, Paul didn’t stop praying, he didn’t stop worshiping God, and he didn’t turn his back on the church, his small group, and listening to KLove.  

When things don’t go the way we want them to and we struggle through painful times and difficult situations, it is easy to feel disappointed by God and think about turning away. God didn’t provide for me. God didn’t help me God didn’t keep these bad things from happening so obviously God doesn’t care for me or love me. It’s easy to think about turning away from God during difficult times, but look at what Paul and Silas do.  About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25

They are praying and worshiping God, not because God has kept them from pain and problems, or provided them a way out, but because they believe God is with them and worthy to be praised.  I heard someone say that Paul and Silas aren't giving an offering of praise here, they aren’t praising God for what He has done, but they are giving a sacrifice of praise.  They don’t know if God will do anything to help them but they love God, trust God and are placing their hope in what God will do next.  

And what God does next is to provide a miracle of protection. 

Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”  

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.  Acts 16:26-34

What we see here is that long before we face a problem - God has a plan.  Before the persecution Paul faced, God had a plan.  Before being sent to prison, God had a plan, and God’s plan, God’s miracle of protection, wasn’t just for Paul and Silas but the jailer and his family as well.  

The earthquake came and broke the chains of Paul and Silas so they were set free, but the miracle of protection was just beginning.  When the prison doors opened, the jailer assumed everyone escaped and he would be held responsible and killed, so he was ready to take his own life, but God protected him by having Paul tell him not to harm himself because they are all there and they would stay there until morning.  Through the night, the jailer fed and cared for Paul and Silas, and Paul and Silas shared their faith and baptize the jailer and his family. Before there was a problem, God had a plan. 

Most of us will never face a situation like Paul and Silas, but we will experience pain and problems.  Maybe right now you are feeling stripped of hope, or beaten down by the words and actions of others.  Maybe you are feeling like a prisoner in your current circumstances, or chained to a life you didn’t want.  Maybe you have been praying for a miracle of protection that hasn’t come and you are ready to give up. If that is where you are, think of Paul and Silas just before midnight.  

They are in prison and there is no sign of rescue. It’s the middle of the night and no one has come to help them.  There are no rumors of a rescue.  They are feeling the pain of their wounds and the limitations of their chains, and yet look at what they did.  They prayed.  They sang songs of praise.  They worshiped God not knowing if any miracle would come.  We have to worship God in the midst of our pain and problems, not knowing if a miracle of protection or healing or deliverance will come, but believing and trusting that God has a plan and that God has the power to do great things.   

An earthquake that breaks chains and opens prison doors is a pretty obvious miracle of protection, and while that might be the kind of miracle we are looking for and praying for, the miracles God will perform to protect us may not be as visible.  Even for Paul, some of the miracles of protection came in quiet ways.  Earlier in Acts 16 it says that Paul and Silas wanted to go to Bithynia, but the spirit of Jesus would not let them.  We don’t know why they were kept from that region, but maybe that was a miracle of protection.  Maybe there was a danger worse than the persecution and prison in Bithynia so God sent them to Philippi.  Sometimes miracles of protection come when we don’t get what we want and our plans change.  And sometimes the miracles of protection come when we get exactly what we want, but then God shows us a better way.  

When I started college I thought it was an opportunity to reinvent myself.  I was always the quiet, church kid and I decided I wanted to live more on the wild side so I asked God to put me on a party floor.  Yes, that was my prayer, and God gave me exactly what I wanted.  An all male dorm and an all freshman floor.  It was pretty wild and the opportunities to reinvent myself and live differently were all around me.  God gave me what I wanted.

The miracle of protection came when God also put me into Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship.  God literally guided me to this group and said, Andy, I have given you what you said you want and I am giving you what I know you want.  The choice is now yours.  If it had not been for IVCF and the support of God’s people working in my life during those months, I have no idea where I would have ended up, but I doubt it would have been here.  In fact, if it were not for that miracle of protection and God’s direction, the chances are good that I would have ruined my life years ago, or spent my life chasing after all the wrong things.  

Miracles of protection can come in the form of God’s guiding hand giving us what we want but showing us a better way.  They can come when God doesn’t give us what we want and leads us in new directions.  And they can come from dramatic events that keep us safe, or open new doors of opportunity.  Miracles of protection can also come from simply knowing that no matter what we are going through, we can make it through because God is with us.  

Maybe the miracle of protection God wants to do in our life is to just give us the strength to make it through the problems, trusting in Him.  Remember, God never promised to keep us from all pain and problems, but He has promised to be with us through them.  There is nothing that can keep us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Nothing!  Knowing that God is with us through the pain and problems, and that God will never forsake us in those situations, might be the only miracle of protection we need.  It might be going through those difficult times that will draw us closer to God and help others come to know the saving power of Jesus Christ.  Remember, long before those problems came, God had a plan, and God’s plan might just be to see us through to the end.  

No matter what you are going through today, God has a plan.  It might not be your plan, and the protection might not come the way you want it to, but pray and sing and trust God for a miracle.  Pray for a miracle but always remember that the miracle God provides might just be feeling God’s presence and power and love with you in the darkness.   

 

Next Steps

When Pigs Fly - Miracles of Protection

What can we learn from these miracles of protection found in the Old Testament

● Genesis 6:9-7:10 ~ Noah

● Exodus 14:10-31 ~ Parting the Red Sea

● 2 Kings 6:8-23 ~ God’s unseen army

● Jonah 1 ~ Jonah and the great fish

What bigger plan did God have in each of these situations?

Read Acts 16:16-36

Why do you think God did not protect Paul and Silas from persecution and prison?  

● What does this tell us about the problems we might face?  

● What did Jesus say about problems? John 16:33

● How do Paul and Silas handle the disappointment that God did not keep them out of prison?

What might be the difference between an offering of praise and a sacrifice of praise?  

How did God’s miracle protect both Paul and Silas as well as the jailer and his family?  

Where do you need a miracle of protection in your life?  

● In what ways do you feel stripped of hope, beaten down by life, and chained up by circumstances beyond your control?  

● What would it look like for you to offer God a sacrifice of praise?

● How can Romans 8 give you courage & confidence?  

1 Thessalonians 5:17.  Pray continually. It is always ok to pray for a miracle of deliverance, healing, and protection.   Keep Praying!

When Pigs Fly - Miracles of Deliverance

So what do you think?  Did the pig fly?  

Today we are starting a message series called, When Pigs Fly.  People use that expression to talk about something they think will never happen.  For example, someone might ask me if I think I will ever get married and I might reply, when pigs fly!  Or how about this, when will Penn State win a National Championship in men’s basketball? When pigs fly.  It would be a miracle right?  

Do you believe in miracles?  We use that term loosely.  We will say things like, it was a miracle that I found a parking spot on College Avenue right in front of the store I was going to.  That’s not a miracle, that’s a happy coincidence.  A miracle would be driving down College avenue and having every single car on the block pull out at exactly the same time leaving you the entire block empty and then finding that every meter still had 1 hour of parking.  

But seriously, do you believe in miracles?  A miracle is when God in heaven directly intervenes with things on Earth.  It's when the all-powerful, all-knowing, ever present God steps into our lives to do something specific.  The Bible is full of miracles.  God parted the waters of the Red Sea so that Moses and the people of Israel could cross over on dry ground and escape from the Egyptian Army.  God provided manna every morning for 40 years so that the people could not only eat but grow in their relationship with God.  Jesus restored sight to the blind, made the lame walk, and even raised the dead.  Are miracles just for ancient times or can they still take place in our lives?  

This month we are going to talk about miracles and the entire idea might be challenging because you might not believe that God does miracles today.  Even if you believe that miracles are still possible, you might think that they only happen in other countries or to other people.  If you are thinking that God will only do a miracle in your life when pigs fly, then I would ask you to simply remain open to the spirit and power of God through this series.  Let God speak to you this month and together let’s see that with God, pigs can fly.

Most of the miracles in the Bible can be put into 4 categories and we will be looking at these in the weeks to come.  They are: 

Miracles of Healing.  Jesus physically healed many people.  He healed people of fevers and years of bleeding.  He made the lame to walk and the blind to see.  Jesus even raised people from the dead to bring the ultimate healing.  These are all miracles of healing.   

Miracles of Protection.  Jesus silenced the wind and calmed the sea to protect His disciples during a storm.  In the Old Testament, God protected Daniel in the lion’s den, and several times God protected the army of Israel as they went into battle.  

Miracles of Provision.  God fed the people of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness, and on two occasions Jesus fed thousands of people with just a few fish and loaves of bread.  

Miracles of healing, protection and provision are acts of God we not only believe in but often pray for.  We believe God can heal people, protect loved ones, and provide for us in times of need so we pray for these things to happen.  We might be comfortable with these miracles, but there is a fourth category that might make us a little uncomfortable.  Miracles of Deliverance.  

Here we are talking specifically about seeing the power of God deliver people from demons and the spiritual forces of evil.  Jesus did this often but these miracles can make us uncomfortable because we aren't sure what we think about demons and the spiritual forces of darkness today.  Are demons real?  Is Satan real?  Jesus certainly confronted demons and He drove them out of people to restore their lives.  The Apostle Paul said, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

When it comes to believing in demons and spiritual forces of evil, the author C.S. Lewis said our two greatest mistakes are that we either do not believe in them at all, or that we have an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.  He’s right.  If we don’t believe in Satan at all and if we don’t acknowledge that there are real forces of evil at work in the world, then we will not work to stand against them.  Simon Wiesenthal said, for evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing.  If we are not willing to acknowledge that there are spiritual forces of evil at work in the world and that they come from the evil one, then evil will flourish and Satan will have free reign.  We need to acknowledge the reality of darkness, evil, and Satan.   

But over emphasizing the power of Satan can also be a problem.  If every time we fail to do what God asks us to do and simply say, the devil made me do it, we absolve ourselves of any responsibility.  If we see every problem as the work of Satan, then we are not acknowledging our own ability to step up and improve our lives.  Not all the problems we face are demonic, some are of our own making and God might be calling us to make better and faithful choices.  

What we need is to have a healthy and faithful understanding of the spiritual forces of evil and the work of demons so that we can be prepared to stand strong and fight spiritual battles.  Evil and demonic forces are real.   The first time I encountered them, I was working in Yellowstone with A Christian Ministry in the National Park.  Every Sunday we held worship services in the campgrounds and the only way we had to advertise the services was to go campground calling.  Every Saturday evening we would go into every campsite and invite people to join us for worship.    

The first few weeks we kind of honed our invitation and mine went something like this, Hi my name is Andy and I’m working with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks.  If you want to worship with us tomorrow we have services in the amphitheater at 9 and 11.  

People were always really gracious and many asked us all kinds of questions about the park.  For the most part, it was fun.  But one Saturday I walked into a site and said, Hi my name is Andy and I’m working with a Christian…  That was all I got out.  As soon as I said the word, Christian, a woman literally started yelling at me.  She screamed and ranted and raved and was almost incoherent.  I was stunned.  The word Christian sent her into a fit. . 

I was pretty shaken when I caught up with my friends and after talking for a while we decided that there was some kind of demonic force at work.  Nothing else made sense.  We prayed for the woman and we prayed for the people in her group and while I can’t say that our prayers drove out that demon and she sat in worship the next day, that incident showed me that there are spiritual forces of evil at work today and they stand against Jesus and they stand against us.

When I was a pastor in Lewisburg, two Bucknell students came to me one day and said that they would often find our church unlocked at night so would come in to play the piano.  One night when they found the church open they both said they felt a dark and evil presence.  They didn’t know what it was but they wanted me to know.  I asked them what they did and they said they left.  I said, what? You didn’t pray?  They said, we never thought about it.  

Well I thought about it, and I thought about what was going on in our congregation at that time and if it might be connected.  What was going on in our church was that a few people had become very negative and they came to worship angry every week because of some of the things we were doing to grow.  As more people came to worship, the angrier they became.  I realized that what those students felt was the spiritual force of evil that had found a home in our church.  I decided that every Sunday morning I would pray for the church, both the building and the space and the people.  I asked God to not allow any spiritual forces of evil, or any demon, to enter that place.  I have to be honest, things began to improve.

I share these stories not to make you feel uncomfortable or to make you think I’m a little crazy, but to simply say that I believe there are real forces of evil at work in the world and that demons are at work standing against the things of God.  We need to be aware that these forces are real so we can deal with them in powerful ways because just as Jesus delivered people from demonic forces in His day, we have that same power today.   Miracles of deliverance can still take place.  

Once we become aware of a demonic force, or feel the spiritual power of evil at work, we can defeat them, but not with our own strength and power.  Miracles of deliverance take place because of the authority we have in Jesus.  When Jesus sent His disciples out to work in the world, it says He gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.  Matthew 10:1  

Miracles of deliverance took place because of the authority of Jesus and they can still take place because of the authority we have in Christ.  It is in Jesus' name that we can drive out evil.  It is in Jesus' name that we can overcome darkness.  It is in Jesus’ name that deliverance for ourselves and our family and friends can be experienced.  Jesus said He came so that we could experience the fullness of life and He came to set the captives free.  That freedom and fullness comes because of the power of Jesus and the authority we are given in Him.  

So how do we put all of this into practice?  How do we live in such a way that we might experience these miracles of deliverance?  

1. Acknowledge the reality of evil and demons.  Whenever you face a problem in life, don’t assume it’s the work of the devil, but don’t assume that it’s not.  Acknowledge the power of evil and ask God to open your eyes, and the eyes of your heart, so you can see the spiritual forces around you.  It is important for us to know what is a spiritual battle and what is not.

2. Do what is smart and wise and natural in any situation.  In any situation we face, and especially when we face a problem, we first do what makes sense.  If we are sick, we need to see a doctor.  If we are struggling with depression and anxiety, we need to see a counselor.  If we are over our head in debt, we need to consult a financial planner.  If our children are out of control, we need to get some help with parenting.  If our marriage is a mess, we need to get some relational help.  

Do what is smart and wise and natural in solving problems.  It’s important to do this because not all problems are demonic in nature and many times God has already opened the door for us to experience freedom and life.  So start by doing what is natural and wise and smart.  But don’t stop there…

3. Pray.  If there is a sense that the problems we face are spiritual in nature we need to take the authority we have in Jesus’ name and pray.  It is always ok to pray for divine healing.  It is always ok to pray for deliverance from despair and depression. It is always ok to pray for God to help us in divine ways to get out of debt and to improve our relationships.  Pray in Jesus’ name for God to step into your life and deliver you from evil.  If we call upon the name of Jesus we can overcome the power of darkness.  

While not all our problems are the work of demons, there are very real spiritual battles being fought in us and around us every day.  It is only when we see those battles clearly that we can use the authority found in Jesus' name to help us overcome them and experience the miracle of deliverance.  

Let me close with the words of Paul who again not only told us about the reality of spiritual battles but how to fight them.  

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.  

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.   Ephesians 6 :10-18

Paul clearly says that there are spiritual battles all around us and that the devil is at work to tear us down and destroy us, but we are not alone.  God has given us power and authority in Jesus’ name to fight all the spiritual forces of darkness and evil and overcome the enemy.  Miracles of deliverance can still take place if we will fight the good fight and call on the name of Jesus.  

 

Next Steps

When Pigs Fly - Miracles of Deliverance

Which of the 4 categories of miracles are easiest for you to believe in & why: healing, protection, provision, deliverance.

Which miracles of Jesus can you name in each category?

What do you believe about Satan, demons, and spiritual forces of darkness and evil?  See Ephesians 6:12

Do you believe they are real today?  Why or why not.  

What danger is there when we don’t believe in Satan?

What danger is there when we attribute every bad thing to Satan?  

Read Matthew 10:1.  What does it look like for us to take up the authority there is in Jesus’ name?  Why is this the only way to overcome Satan and spiritual forces of evil?

To be open to miracles of deliverance

1. Acknowledge the reality of evil and demons.  Ask God to open your eyes and the eyes of your heart so you can see the forces of evil at work in and around you.

2. Do what is smart, wise, and natural.  Always seek out smart answers to the problems you face.  

○ If you are sick - see a doctor.  

○ If you battle depression - see a counselor.  

○ If you are in debt - get financial help.  

○ What first step do you need to take today to solve a problem you are facing?

3. Pray.  If you sense a spiritual battle in your life, pray.  Call on the name of Jesus in your spiritual battle.

Identify all the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-18.  Which one piece of armor would be the most powerful for you to learn to use today?