A List of All the Miracles of Jesus
Jesus performed miracles primarily out of deep compassion for people and a genuine concern for their well-being, both physically and spiritually. His miracles were not just displays of divine power; they were acts of love and mercy, addressing the immediate needs of those around Him.
One clear example of this is the feeding of the 5,000, where Jesus, moved by compassion, provided food for a large crowd that had been following Him and listening to His teachings. He understood their hunger and physical needs and acted to meet them, ensuring they would not go hungry. This miracle, like many others, was a tangible expression of His care for people, reflecting His desire to provide for them and to reveal God’s abundant love and provision.
Moreover, Jesus' miracles often pointed to a deeper spiritual truth: that just as He provided bread for the hungry, He also offered Himself as the "bread of life" to satisfy the spiritual hunger of the world. His miracles were signs that pointed to His identity as the Messiah, who came to bring healing, hope, and salvation to a broken and needy world. Through these acts, Jesus demonstrated that God's kingdom is one of compassion, justice, and love, where all needs are met, and no one is left wanting.
“Jesus performed miracles primarily out of deep compassion for people and a genuine concern for their well-being, both physically and spiritually. His miracles were not just displays of divine power; they were acts of love and mercy, addressing the immediate needs of those around Him.
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Miracles in the Gospel of Matthew
Turning Water into Wine at Cana (John 2:1-11) Not in Matthew
Healing of the Nobleman’s Son (John 4:46-54) Not in Matthew
Healing of a Man with an Unclean Spirit (Mark 1:23-28, Luke 4:33-37) Not in Matthew
Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:29-31, Luke 4:38-39)
The First Miraculous Catch of Fish (Luke 5:1-11) Not in Matthew
Cleansing of a Leper (Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 5:12-16)
Healing of a Centurion’s Servant (Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10)
Healing of a Paralytic (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26)
Healing of a Man’s Withered Hand (Matthew 12:9-13, Mark 3:1-5, Luke 6:6-11)
Raising of a Widow’s Son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17) Not in Matthew
Calming the Storm (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25)
Healing of the Gerasene Demoniacs (Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39)
Healing of a Woman with an Issue of Blood (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48)
Raising of Jairus’ Daughter (Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56)
Healing of Two Blind Men (Matthew 9:27-31)
Healing of a Man Unable to Speak (Matthew 9:32-34)
Feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14)
Walking on Water (Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21)
Healing of the Canaanite Woman’s Daughter (Matthew 15:21-28, Mark 7:24-30)
Feeding of the 4,000 (Matthew 15:32-39, Mark 8:1-10)
Healing of a Boy with a Demon (Matthew 17:14-21, Mark 9:14-29, Luke 9:37-43)
Temple Tax in a Fish’s Mouth (Matthew 17:24-27)
Healing of Two Blind Men near Jericho (Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43)
Cursing of the Fig Tree (Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:12-14, 20-25)
Miracles in the Gospel of Mark
Turning Water into Wine at Cana (John 2:1-11) Not in Mark
Healing of the Nobleman’s Son (John 4:46-54) Not in Mark
Healing of a Man with an Unclean Spirit (Mark 1:23-28, Luke 4:33-37)
Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:29-31, Luke 4:38-39)
The First Miraculous Catch of Fish (Luke 5:1-11) Not in Mark
Cleansing of a Leper (Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 5:12-16)
Healing of a Centurion’s Servant (Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10) Not in Mark
Healing of a Paralytic (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26)
Healing of a Man’s Withered Hand (Matthew 12:9-13, Mark 3:1-5, Luke 6:6-11)
Raising of a Widow’s Son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17) Not in Mark
Calming the Storm (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25)
Healing of the Gerasene Demoniacs (Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39)
Healing of a Woman with an Issue of Blood (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48)
Raising of Jairus’ Daughter (Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56)
Healing of Two Blind Men (Matthew 9:27-31) Not in Mark
Healing of a Man Unable to Speak (Matthew 9:32-34) Not in Mark
Feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14)
Walking on Water (Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21)
Healing of the Canaanite Woman’s Daughter (Matthew 15:21-28, Mark 7:24-30)
Feeding of the 4,000 (Matthew 15:32-39, Mark 8:1-10)
Healing of a Deaf Man (Mark 7:31-37)
Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26)
Healing of a Boy with a Demon (Matthew 17:14-21, Mark 9:14-29, Luke 9:37-43)
Temple Tax in a Fish’s Mouth (Matthew 17:24-27) Not in Mark
Healing of Two Blind Men near Jericho (Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43)
Cursing of the Fig Tree (Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:12-14, 20-25)
Miracles in the Gospel of Luke
Turning Water into Wine at Cana (John 2:1-11) Not in Luke
Healing of the Nobleman’s Son (John 4:46-54) Not in Luke
Healing of a Man with an Unclean Spirit (Mark 1:23-28, Luke 4:33-37)
Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:29-31, Luke 4:38-39)
The First Miraculous Catch of Fish (Luke 5:1-11)
Cleansing of a Leper (Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 5:12-16)
Healing of a Centurion’s Servant (Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10)
Healing of a Paralytic (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26)
Healing of a Man’s Withered Hand (Matthew 12:9-13, Mark 3:1-5, Luke 6:6-11)
Raising of a Widow’s Son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17)
Calming the Storm (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25)
Healing of the Gerasene Demoniacs (Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39)
Healing of a Woman with an Issue of Blood (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48)
Raising of Jairus’ Daughter (Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56)
Healing of Two Blind Men (Matthew 9:27-31) Not in Luke
Healing of a Man Unable to Speak (Matthew 9:32-34) Not in Luke
Feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14)
Walking on Water (Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21) Not in Luke
Healing of the Canaanite Woman’s Daughter (Matthew 15:21-28, Mark 7:24-30) Not in Luke
Feeding of the 4,000 (Matthew 15:32-39, Mark 8:1-10) Not in Luke
Healing of a Deaf Man (Mark 7:31-37) Not in Luke
Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26) Not in Luke
Healing of a Boy with a Demon (Matthew 17:14-21, Mark 9:14-29, Luke 9:37-43)
Temple Tax in a Fish’s Mouth (Matthew 17:24-27) Not in Luke
Healing of Two Blind Men near Jericho (Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43)
Cursing of the Fig Tree (Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:12-14, 20-25) Not in Luke
Miracles in the Gospel of John
Turning Water into Wine at Cana (John 2:1-11)
Healing of the Nobleman’s Son (John 4:46-54)
Healing of a Man with an Unclean Spirit (Mark 1:23-28, Luke 4:33-37) Not in John
Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:29-31, Luke 4:38-39) Not in John
The First Miraculous Catch of Fish (Luke 5:1-11) Not in John
Cleansing of a Leper (Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 5:12-16) Not in John
Healing of a Centurion’s Servant (Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10) Not in John
Healing of a Paralytic (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26, John 5:1-18)
Healing of a Man’s Withered Hand (Matthew 12:9-13, Mark 3:1-5, Luke 6:6-11) Not in John
Raising of a Widow’s Son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17) Not in John
Calming the Storm (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25) Not in John
Healing of the Gerasene Demoniacs (Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39) Not in John
Healing of a Woman with an Issue of Blood (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48) Not in John
Raising of Jairus’ Daughter (Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56) Not in John
Healing of Two Blind Men (Matthew 9:27-31) Not in John
Healing of a Man Unable to Speak (Matthew 9:32-34) Not in John
Feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14)
Walking on Water (Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21)
Healing of the Canaanite Woman’s Daughter (Matthew 15:21-28, Mark 7:24-30) Not in John
Feeding of the 4,000 (Matthew 15:32-39, Mark 8:1-10) Not in John
Healing of a Deaf Man (Mark 7:31-37) Not in John
Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26) Not in John
Healing of a Boy with a Demon (Matthew 17:14-21, Mark 9:14-29, Luke 9:37-43) Not in John
Temple Tax in a Fish’s Mouth (Matthew 17:24-27) Not in John
Healing of a Man Born Blind (John 9:1-12)
Raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44)
Healing of Malchus’ Ear (Luke 22:50-51, John 18:10)
The Second Miraculous Catch of Fish (John 21:1-14)
Cursing of the Fig Tree (Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:12-14, 20-25) Not in John
The Unknown Healer: Understanding the Gifts of the Spirit
The word “gift” is the Greek word charisma. The root word is charis, which is the word for “grace.” Charisma is charis in action. This makes sense when you understand the true definition and function of GRACE. Grace is unmerited favor but it also means “God’s divine influence in your heart.” Grace also means “capacity.” The idea is this, God will empower you in your inner man, your heart. He empowers you to do the things that His spirit is able to do, things you can’t do in your own strength. Things like live holy, heal people, function as a prophet, be righteous, all of which are empowerments (gifts) of His spirit.
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “gifts of the spirit?” Do you get excited, do you feel pressure, do you want to walk in the gifts but don’t know how, do you feel like you’ve “been there done that,” do you feel like the gifts aren’t for today? Maybe something else?
I have some observations I’d like to share with you. Let’s start with the word “gift.”
Gifts/Graces of the Spirit
The word “gift” is the Greek word charisma. The root word is charis, which is the word for “grace.” Charisma is charis in action. This makes sense when you understand the true definition and function of GRACE.
Grace is unmerited favor but it also means “God’s divine influence in your heart.” Grace also means “capacity.” The idea is this, God will empower you in your inner man, otherwise known as your heart. He empowers you to do things that only His spirit is able to do, things you can not do in your own strength. Things like live holy, heal people, function as a prophet, be righteous, all of which are empowerments (gifts) of His spirit. But who can operate in which gift?
When I think of the gifts/graces, I think about a guy I call the unknown healer.
The Unknown Healer
You can read about this guy in Luke 9:49-50. This person is mentioned after Jesus sent out the original 12 apostles with power to cast out demons and heal people but before he sent out the 70 disciples 2 by 2.. The Apostle John has an interesting experience with “the unknown healer.”
John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”
Who is this guy? He must have heard that Jesus gave His followers power and decided it was for him too. He took that for himself and jumped out there on his own. I find this seemingly insignificant story incredibly encouraging. He wasn’t part or the 12, he wasn’t part of the 70, but he decided that God’s power could work through him too.
Do you know who he is? I’ll tell you, he’s YOU!! Yes, you!! You’re the unknown healer. You’re the unnamed Jesus follower that can take God’s power and run with it. If you have His spirit, you can yield to His influence and be empowered to express His power. The fact the he is unnamed, and not formally sent out by Jesus tells me that anyone who chooses to minister in the authority of Jesus can do so, and Jesus is cool with it.
What about John’s response?
John, the self-professed “disciple whom Jesus loved,” the guy who reclined on Jesus’ chest, the author of the Gospel about God’s love. John told the unknown healer to STOP. Notice John’s reason, “because he follows not with us.”
He doesn’t go to our church, he didn’t go through our supernatural school, he doesn’t know our culture, he doesn’t have proper exegesis, he’s not one of the elect, he reads from the wrong translation of the Bible, etc… John tries to stop a man who has taken Christ’s mandate to set people free from demonic oppression and disease, because he was not part of his tribe.
This is “religion” at its worst. Our churches are full of this kind of division today. We disqualify people all the time because they “don’t follow with us.” Jesus said, “don’t tell him to stop, if he’s not against me he’s for me.” That’s as wide open as it gets, that’s freedom! It takes a secure leader to offer that kind of freedom. I understand the importance of everything being done decently and in order, but Jesus didn’t try to control people, He gave them power and set them free.
Jesus didn’t say, go get him and make sure he knows all the Law and Prophets. He didn’t say, bring him to me so I can make sure he’s interpreting the Bible properly. Jesus didn’t say, he needs to go through my training to be qualified. Jesus didn’t even ask the guy’s name, he told his followers to leave the guy alone. Jesus knew a secret, the Holy Spirit will teach the unknown healer to minister as he goes.
There Is Only One Anointing
Have you heard about the prophetic anointing, or apostolic anointing? The problem is, there is no such thing. There’s one anointing, that’s the indwelling of God’s spirit.
He places His spirit in you and it abides. His spirit will then move through you and empower you in different ways, which some people refer to as “anointing,” but that’s actually not scriptural. If you have God’s spirit, you are anointed, period.
1 John 2:27 And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught.
To anoint with oil, you smear the oil on the person. The way God anoints is by smearing or spreading His spirit within you, and that smearing remains. If you have His spirit, you have been anointed by God. That indwelling spirit will then empower you in different ways. Paul’s audience would have understood this to mean, there is ONE anointing. As you read this passage from 1 Corinthians 12, notice how careful Paul is to express the point that there’s one spirit and that one spirit has different capacities.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the SAME SPIRIT; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the SAME LORD; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the SAME GOD who empowers them all in everyone.
Same spirit, same Lord, same God. You can also say, same anointing. There are no different anointings because there is only one spirit. Now that he’s made it clear that’s there’s one anointing, he describes how that one spirit empowers different kinds of gifts in people.
The word “given” means empowered or endued. The idea is that God empowers people to walk in these graces or gifts. The word gift is not to be understood as a stand alone package that one person gets while another person doesn’t. God’s spirit might empower one person to do something and another person to do another thing, but it’s the same anointing/spirit working the graces/gifts through everyone.
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 ALL THESE ARE EMPOWERED BY ONE AND THE SAME SPIRIT (anointing), who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
God chooses which grace/gift he expresses through people. This is important because we’re all the same, all equal, all important members in God’s body. You don’t need to run to a “gifted” minister and have them lay hands on you to impart their anointing or gifts to you. You are complete in Christ, lacking nothing. As God is building His body in the earth, he needs you to yield to Him so He can express the power of His Gospel through you, you are an important part of His body!!
Impartation
I understand impartation in the same way I understand tuning an instrument with a tuning fork. Before digital devices, musicians would use tuning forks. You can strike a tuning fork and hold it next to a motionless string on a guitar and that string will begin to resonate the same frequency as the tuning fork. Another person who is yielding to God and allowing Him to empower a certain gift through them can lay hands on you and “tune you” to the frequency of that gift.
That person doesn’t give you something, they awaken something within you. It’s still God who decides which gifts work through people, but if you’re called to operate in a certain gift, another person who already operates in that gift can help you become tuned to that gift and flow in it.
If you have God’s spirit, you have all the gifts in you, but they need to be activated. Another person can help you activate them or you can simply yield your heart to God and allow Him to empowerment you.
How Do I Do It?
You might wonder how to actually express the gift. Here’s the truth, you probably already operate in that gift, you’re just not intentional about it and you may not be confident in it. The best way to become confident is to minister to people. Get around some people and pay attention to what happens inside you. Connect to love for those people and do what the spirit leads you to do. By the way, you hear God better than you think, you have a new heart that knows His voice.
Fall In Love with People
After Paul goes into great detail about the gifts, he ends chapter 12 by saying, “I will show you a more excellent way.” He’s still talking about God empowering people to walk in his abilities, but he begins to frame it with love. He says all that stuff is pretty much worthless without love. He makes the bold statement, LOVE NEVER FAILS.
Here’s the bottom line. If you love people, genuinely have compassion for them, God will help you bless them. God will teach you in the moment what to say and do. He might want to give them a promise from His Word through you, He might want to help them understand which decision to make, He might want to heal them, He might want to call them into a specific office in the body of Christ, it can be all kinds of things. And He can do all of those things through you because you have His spirit within you. You are anointed, in fact, you are as anointed as Jesus!
The question is, will you lay aside your ego and fear of man, and act on the compassion that arises in your heart for that person?
Try This
The Holy Spirit will teach you as you go. Each day when you go about your life, see if you can connect to love for people in your heart. See if you can look at people and have compassion for them. I don’t mean feel sorry for them, but feel compassion for them as describes in 1 Corinthians 13. Fall in love with people. It may be just an emotion or feeling at first but it may also turn into an action. Be sure to stick to healthy boundaries, don’t create codependency or do their part for them, but love them, in real ways.
In the coming weeks I’ll discuss the specific gifts in more detail, but start with being willing to allow love to rise up in your heart for everyone around you.
A Condemnation-Free Heart Has Great Faith
Would you like a formula to develop great faith? The kind of faith that can raise the dead and help people experience miraculous healing? The truth is, there is no formula, but there are some necessary components to great faith. #1 key ingredient to developing great faith is to live a life where your heart doesn’t condemn you. #2 ingredient is to keep Christ’s commandments. #3 is intentionally love people. Before you think I’m presenting a legalistic formula that’s based on performance, heart me out, I’m actually talking about what’s going on in your heart and how to develop confidence toward God in your heart, or your inner man.
Would you like a formula to develop great faith? The kind of faith sees the manifestation of everything you ask for?
The truth is, there is no formula, but there are some necessary ingredients to great faith. #1 key ingredient to developing great faith is to live a life where your heart doesn’t condemn you. #2 is to keep Christ’s commandments. #3 is to ACT on that commandment to love people.
Before you think I’m presenting a legalistic formula that’s based on performance, keep reading, I’m actually talking about what’s going on in your heart and how to develop confidence toward God.
1 John 3:18 Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth. 19 And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. 21 Beloved, IF OUR HEARTS DO NOT CONDEMN US, WE HAVE CONFIDENCE BEFORE GOD, 22 AND WE RECEIVE FROM HIM WHATEVER WE ASK, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.
How do you get your heart to stop condemning you?
You keep His commandments.
Which commandments?
Love God and love people.
How do you love God?
We love Him because he first loved us. Our love for Him is a response.
So the proper way to love God is by responding to His love for you. What does that look like? You acknowledge Him for who He is in all His authority and majesty, AND you walk in love toward people.
That’s the “formula.” Respond to God’s love for you in such a way that your heart stops condemning you and then allow that love to spill onto others from your own heart.
A Heart that Condemns
If you follow John’s logic you’ll see that a heart that’s free from self-condemnation is so receptive to God that is receives whatever it asks. This kind of heart will only ask for things that God wants for you so it will not ask amiss and therefore will always receive what it asks for.
Earlier in his letter, John walks us through the basic concept that God is love, in Him is no darkness, and since we’ve been forgiven and now belong to God, we should also walk in the light, turning our back on sin.
A heart that is allowing God to abide within it and influence it will not choose sin, therefore will not experience self-condemnation.
This is not a reference to salvation, it’s a reference to the person who keeps their heart free from self-condemnation. We already know there’s no condemnation (from God) for those who are in Christ, but there may be condemnation from SELF in the heart of one who is in Christ.
Walking in the light, free from the lure of sin doesn’t cause God to give you what you ask for, it causes your heart to be confident toward God, therefore able to receive what God has actually already given you in Christ. His spirit is in you and that spirit contains everything you’ll ever need; all the wisdom, instruction, provision, blessing, grace and power you’ll ever need in this earth.
The reason to walk in the light rather than in sin and darkness is to keep your heart condemnation free. God isn’t condemning you, you are. To John, the truest way to ensure a condemnation-free heart is to love God (respond to His love) and love people. Loving God, responding to His love for you, and letting that love spill out to others develops great confidence within, such confidence that it ceases to limit God and allows God’s influence to meet every need.
He already knows what you need, when your heart doesn’t condemn you, you will ask for the things He knows you need. You will also be sensitive enough to ask for the things He wants you to desire.
What Does He Want You To Desire?
God wants you to desire His will for you and good things for others. God wants you to desire to see His healing and transformative love restore and rescue others from darkness.
When your heart is condemnation-free, you will allow His love for others to flow through you. Conversely, if you want God’s power to flow through you toward others, begin to intentionally love people. If you want to see your needs met and see the manifestation of “all that you ask of God,” fall in love with people…and ACT ON THAT LOVE. Acting on God inspired love for others teaches your heart to be confident toward Him.
Keeping His Commandments
Keeping Christ’s commandments develops a confidence toward God that causes you to see the manifestation of “all that you ask of God.” That promise is so powerful I can’t stop myself from repeating it. Keeping the rules doesn’t make God happy enough to give you what you’re asking for, that’s not what John is saying. He’s saying this, as you respond to and experience God’s love for you, you will love Him, honor and worship Him, which will cause you to love others, which causes you to live condemnation free, which results in great faith/confidence toward God. AND THEN, this kind of transformed, God soaked heart, naturally and effortlessly desires the things God desires for you.
How to Experience God’s Love
Try this, develop a daily habit of meditating on God’s love for you. Here are a few things to meditate on that have to do with God’s love for you:
Because your sins have been forgiven through His name.
Because you know Him who is from the beginning.
Because you have overcome the evil one.
Because you know the Father.
Because you know Him who is from the beginning.
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
These are from 1 John 2:12-14. Don’t confess these to make them true, confess them because they ARE true! Make sure you meditate on each one until actually feel the associated emotions. I’d love to hear you describe what each of these feel like for you.
There are so many passages to pull from, share your favorite passage or “method” that helps you experience and solidify God’s love for you in your heart.
Your Place in the Body of Christ
This article is the first in a series about developing confidence in the heart to see the manifestation of all that you ask of God. I will continue this series for a few weeks. Next week I will discuss how walking in the graces/gifts of the spirit fit in to developing confidence. Stay tuned! Subscribe below to make sure you get all my emails.
The Baptism of the Spirit is Our Adoption Process
Most of us think of power when we think about the baptism of/in the spirit. We immediately think of praying in tongues and power to do miracles. While this is a byproduct of being baptized in the spirit there is another reason for the baptism. The main reason God immerses you in his spirit is to purify, cleanse and sanctify you so he can live in you and make you his eternal child. The baptism of the spirit is the adoption process we go through to be changed into righteous and eternal children of God.
Most of us think of power when we think about the baptism of/in the spirit. We immediately think of praying in tongues and power to do miracles. While this is a byproduct of being baptized in the spirit there is another reason for the baptism. The main reason God immerses you in his spirit is to purify, cleanse and sanctify you so he can live in you and make you his eternal child. The baptism of the spirit is the adoption process we go through to be changed into righteous and eternal children of God.
John the Baptist said "...after me comes one who is more powerful than I...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Fire is the Greek word "pyr" which means to purify. The idea is this, when you place your faith in the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ as your righteousness, God then does a work in you. God, by his spirit, cleanses (sanctifies) you, changes you into a new kind of being that is eternal and then joins himself to you to live through you. This is the process of becoming born again.
Being baptized in the spirit is not a separate event. Experiencing the gifts, fruits and power of the spirit may manifest through you at a later time than when you actually received the spirit but receiving the spirit is not a separate event.
You don't remain the same kind of being you were, you actually become something different, a new creation. This new creation has been fully changed in spirit by this immersion or baptism in God's spirit. That baptism also has some residual effects, God's power can now flow through you since you have been changed. That power manifests as the fruits of the spirit, it manifests as the gifts/graces of the spirit and it manifests as whatever God wants to do through you to bring glory to his name.
I want to show you a few passages that all describe the same process of adoption through God's spirit.
Colossians 2:11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Being buried with him in baptism is the baptism of the spirit.
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
You received this anointing that abides in you when you first believed and were born again.
Ephesians 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Being sealed with God's spirit is the baptism of the spirit, it's when you first believe and his spirit performs a circumcision of the old dead man of sin from you and gives you a new heart/nature. You are forever changed with a promise from God of eternal life. Not a chance at eternal life but a promise from God that you can now live forever with him in perfection.
I make these points to demystify the baptism of the spirit. It has been used to judge each other in the body of Christ rather than to affirm our unified identity as a family. Some people in the body believe they have the baptism but others don't because they don't pray in tongues. Some teach that it's demonic. Some that desire to pray in tongues and walk in miracles feel like they're missing something because it hasn't happened to them yet. It's time for the division to stop and the body of Christ to walk in its identity and in power to show the world the character and will of God.
I will discuss tongues as well as discuss the difference between being baptized in the spirit and being filled with the spirit in my next sermon and article.
Life Group Discussion
1. What did you get out of this message?
2. What does it mean to you to have been purified with God's fire/spirit?
3. How does this understanding change your view of being baptized in the spirit?
4. What does this do for your relationship with God and your identity as a child.