MIRACLES – And The Vessels God Uses.

Miracles fascinate me. A lot. And especially recently.

I am privileged to attend a denomination where miracles are the norm, and it blows my mind to see people drop crutches or get up from wheelchairs, start walking slowly one step at a time, then get progressively faster. Or watch as neck collars or spinal supports are removed, and the previously immobile owners start to move their necks or bend down.

It’s thrilling to hear the shouts of a section of the congregation when a miracle happens before their eyes, or to watch unbelieving neighbours or friends stand stunned when miracles happen to people they have known right before their eyes. It sometimes gives goosebumps, and people even burst into tears when families scream, weep loudly, roll on the floor as weeks, even sometimes years, of pain and burdens are rolled away.

It’s amazing to watch God show up – and show off 🙂

However, more than the miracles taking place, or even the God who carries out these strange acts, I am extremely fascinated by the human vessels being used to perform these miracles – and I will tell you why.

When you study successful people in any field (not counting flukes, crooks or flash-in-the-pans), you will notice they ALL share certain similarities. The individuals may vary in temperament, sector, age, gender or style, but certain qualities will show up in ALL of them – usually diligence, hardwork, tenacity, consistency, etc.

When I looked at the vessels being used by God consistently, especially for ‘spectacular’ miracles, one quality stood out to me. Yes, there were the similar qualities of a personal God-walk, hearing God, prayer, fasting, studying the Word, etc. However, one particularly kept leaping out at me, and that was:

Death to Self.

You see, there were many times, in the beginning, I would hold my breath: when a lame person’s leg flopped back on the wheelchair, or another with hearing problems didn’t seem to hear too well, or when someone trying to walk staggered or stumbled. I would cringe, wince, or even quietly pray for the minister when nothing ‘seemed’ to be happening…

…until I started realising that, in subsequent meetings, many of those who seemed to have had a fluke or imperfect healing returned well and completely healed. Some took days, others took weeks and even a few months, but they almost all inevitably returned to glorify God.

However, I noticed that these human vessels being used by God didn’t seem to care what the outcome was at the moment: whether the newly-walking lame was almost falling flat on his face, or whether they laid hands on the blind and nothing happened. It seemed they were unconcerned that people were watching – most times with cameras beaming all over the world.

They just continued praying, ministering or going about their business in an almost ‘uncaring’ way: Fearlessly. Shamelessly, even – and I realised, after watching for a while, that it was more than faith.

It was Death To Self.

You see, the natural human nature is one of pride or self-preservation. We don’t like to fail – and especially fail publicly. We would rather play it safe, try to ‘work it out’ in a corner – and then show up when we have it down pat. We would rather fail privately but flaunt our successes publicly.

While this may be standard Harvard material, this ultimately leads to a glorification of self: “I have to look good.” “I have to appear like I have it all together.”

However, only one Person is to be glorified – and that is God. When you walk with Him – and especially if you want to operate in the miraculous and at higher supernatural dimensions – He will deal with your pride, self-preservation and fear of man’s opinion, until He completely “…increases and you decrease.”

These vessels have come to an understanding that it is God who works miracles. Not them.
They realize that the power to heal and perform miracles doesn’t come from them – and therefore the glory doesn’t belong to them.
God can defend Himself publicly.

They understand Heaven’s equation that the more dead to self you become, the more God uses you.

Be rest assured this ‘Death To Self’ didn’t happen overnight for most. Many ministers who now raise the dead back to life prayed for people publicly at the beginning of their ministry – and these people still died. However, they still pressed on, putting to death that part of self that wanted to cower, retreat and hide from ‘shame’ and ridicule…and I am glad, oh so glad, they did.

Nowadays, amazing miracles have become almost common. However, the closer we get to the end, these miracles will be ‘nothing’. Spectacular miracles will be the new normal everywhere – and, guess what?

They won’t be performed by a select few on the pulpit. They will be done by ‘regular’ people who will die to self and allow a highly-irregular God use them – on the streets, in the marketplaces, in buses and offices “…until the earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.”

It has already started. Will you be one of them?

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