Acts 4: 29-31 NKJV
29 "Now Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your
servants that
with all boldness they may speak your Word.
30 "by stretching out Your
hand to
heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the
name of Your
holy Servant Jesus,"
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were
assembled
together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy
Spirit and
they spoke the Word of God with boldness.
Acts 5:12-16 NKJV
12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders
were done
among the people. And they were all with one accord in
Solomon's Porch.
13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people
esteemed them
highly.
14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord,
multitudes of
both men and women (Notice
believers were added to the Lord and His Church, not
unbelievers who
remained unrepentant and continued to live a life of sin; what
does
this say about so-called churches that allow practicing
unrepentent
homosexuals into the fellowship of the saints?).
15 so that they brought the
sick
out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that
at least
the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them (Bennie
Hinn
thinks he has this anointing, but I highly doubt it
since the
focus is on him and not the Lord; if you doubt what I say,
then next
time you view one of his TV programs, notice he interviews
people that
are presumably already healed; then why does he have to add
his
so-called touch by making them fall down backwards? It is
silly
nonsense, but the people eat it up like it is gospel).
16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to
Jerusalem bringing sick
people and those who were
tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
(Note:
I
have a dear friend and colleague in the ministry of
deliverance (A
Southern Baptist by the way), Dr. Joe Allbright, who deals
with demonic
cases of all kinds including believers who have demons in the
soul
area. I have observed him deal with cases the psychologists
gave up on
and they were set totally free of demons and left in their
right minds.
Jesus said where healing and casting out of demons occur,
there is the
kingdom of God. By that definition, I wonder how many
so-called
Churches today are really doing kingdom business?).
Modern theologians say the Age of Miracles ended when the last
apostle
died, that is, the original 11, but the New Testament speaks
of other
apostles and for that matter non-apostles performing miracles
of
healing (Phillip is one example). Moreover, Grant Jeffrey's
article
below dispels the myth that gifts of healing are no longer in
the
Church.
The Age of Miracles never ceased for the Judah Church, the
true Church
in the earth since the Day of Pentecost in 33 A.D. The modern
Western
Churches wrongly interpreted the New Covenant as being
spiritual only
with no physical applications for healing. This was further
enforced by
the invention of modern medicine along with a multi-billion
dollar drug
industry. It was much easier to trust the doctors and grab a
bottle of
pills than stand on the bare Word of God for healing.
Therefore, God
gave the modern Church what it believed - that healing is not
for
today.
For a good exposition of healing in the New Covenant, read the
chapter
in Watchman Nee's book, "The Spiritual Man", on "Sickness" -
Chapter 2,
Volume 3.
May God grant the Church in these last days to regain the New
Testament
pattern in the Book of Acts.
The following article is from prophecy teacher Grant Jeffrey's
research
into the "Age of Miracles" - Ceased or Continued?
The Mystery of When Miracles
and
Healing Ceased
[From Unveiling Mysteries of the Bible]
For many Christians one of the greatest mysteries is that the
tremendous miracles, healings, and supernatural gifts of the
Holy
Spirit enumerated in 1 Corinthians 12, which characterized the
life and
worship of the early Church, seem to have ceased by the
beginning of
the second century. Many theologians have dogmatically
asserted that
God provided for supernatural miracles and the gifts of the
Holy Spirit
only to attract the attention of the pagan world and provide
divine
authority for the introduction of the New Testament as God’s
inspired
revelation. They assert that within a century of Christ’s
resurrection,
all miracles and signs had ceased permanently. Many have
claimed that
these supernatural signs ceased when the apostles died. Some
writers
and denominations have asserted this theory as absolute
dogmatic truth
and reject even the possibility of genuine supernatural
miracles
occurring today.
Several writers have claimed that a search of the writings of
the early
Church indicates that there are no references to these "gifts"
continuing beyond A.D. 100. However, during the last few years
I have
carefully examined the writings of the early Church writers
from the
time of Christ till the Council of Nicea in 325 that were
collected in
a set of ten volumes known as the Ante-Nicene Library and
first
published in 1890. After an exhaustive search of these
fascinating
early Christian writings, I can confirm that God continued to
manifest
His supernatural power including miraculous healings,
resurrection from
the dead, and demonstrations of charismatic gifts of the Holy
Spirit
well beyond the age of the apostles. Further research in the
writings
of the medieval Church provide compelling evidence that
miracles,
though rare, continued to manifest from time to time in a
variety of
places as attested by responsible historical authorities.
There are brief references to the prophetic gifts still
continuing as
reported in the early Church manual known as the Didache (A.D.
110).
"And every prophet teaching the truth, if he doeth not what he
teacheth, is a false prophet. And every prophet approved and
found
true, if he doeth ought as an outward mystery typical of the
Church,
and yet teacheth you not to do all that he himself doeth,
shall not be
judged before you; he hath his judgment in the presence of
God; for in
like manner also did the prophets of old time.
1. Bishop Clement’s Letter to the Corinthians, written by the
bishop of
Rome (A.D. 100), refers to the continuing supernatural work of
the Holy
Spirit. "An abundant outpouring also of the Holy Spirit fell
upon all.
2. The Shepherd of Hermas (A.D. 110) also contains a reference
to
speaking in tongues and prophecies. "When then the man who
hath the
divine Spirit cometh into an assembly of righteous men, who
have faith
in a divine Spirit, and intercession is made to God by the
gathering of
those men, then the angel of the prophetic spirit, who is
attached to
him, filleth the man, and the man, being filled with the Holy
Spirit,
speaketh to the multitude, according as the Lord willeth.
3. In addition, there are numerous significant references to
these
supernatural gifts continuing in the life of the early Church
in the
following centuries.
Irenaeus
The brilliant Christian teacher Irenaeus wrote a treatise
against
heresies called the Refutation and Overthrow of Knowledge
Falsely So
Called (A.D. 185) that recorded many manifestations of the
gifts of the
Holy Spirit and supernatural miracles that still continued in
some
churches, including accounts of people being raised from the
dead: Some
drive out demons really and truly, so that often those
cleansed from
evil spirits believe and become members of the Church; some
have
foreknowledge of the future, visions, and prophetic
utterances; others,
by the laying-on of hands, heal the sick and restore them to
health;
and before now, as I said, dead men have actually been raised
and have
remained with us for many years. In fact, it is impossible to
enumerate
the gifts which throughout the world the Church has received
from God
and in the name of Jesus Christ crucified under Pontius
Pilate, and
every day puts to effectual use for the benefit of the
heathen,
deceiving no one and making profit out of no one.
4. Similarly, we hear of many members of the Church who have
prophetic
gifts and by the Spirit speak with all kinds of tongues, and
bring
men’s secret thoughts to light for their own good, and expound
the
mysteries of God.
5. Irenaeus also wrote about the gifts of the Holy Spirit in
Against
Heresies: "In like manner we do also hear many brethren in the
church,
who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak
all kinds
of languages, and bring to light for the general benefit the
hidden
things of men, and declare the mysteries of God." (Irenaeus,
Against
Heresies 5:6:1)
Justin Martyr
Justin Martyr wrote his Dialogue with Trypho in A.D. 165 and
clearly
referred to many supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit
appearing in the
daily life of the second-century Church. He wrote, "Daily some
of you
are becoming disciples in the name of Christ, and quitting the
path of
error; who are also receiving gifts, each as he is worthy,
illumined
through the name of this Christ. For one receives the spirit
of
understanding, another of counsel, another of strength,
another of
healing, another of foreknowledge, another of teaching, and
another of
the fear of God.
6. Tertullian
Tertullian was a major theologian and Christian writer
ministering in
Carthage. In A.D. 215 he described supernatural visions and
prophetic
gifts of the Holy Spirit as operating normally in the
third-century
Church. "And thus we who both acknowledge and reverence, even
as we do
the prophecies, modern visions as equally promised to us, and
consider
the other powers of the Holy Spirit as an agency of the Church
for
which also He was sent, administering all gifts in all, even
as the
Lord distributed to every one."
7. Origen
Origen was a Christian theologian who lived and taught in
Alexandria,
Egypt, from A.D. 185 to 254. In his book Against Celsus
written in 250,
Origen described the gifts of the Holy Spirit as still
continuing in
the life of the Church. "Traces of the Holy Spirit who
appeared in the
form of a dove are still preserved among Christians. They
charm†demons
away and perform many cures and perceived certain things about
the
future according to the will of the Logos.
8. Origen noted that these charismatic gifts were gradually
diminishing, although some "traces of His presence" were still
evident.
"Moreover, the Holy Spirit gave signs of His Presence at the
beginning
of Christ’s ministry, and after His ascension He gave still
more; but
since that time these signs have diminished, although there
are still
traces of His presence in a few who have had their souls
purified by
the Gospel and their actions regulated by its influence.
9. Novatian
The Christian theologian Novatian (A.D. 270) of Rome wrote a
strong
defense of the doctrine of the Trinity and died as a martyr
during the
second last wave of persecutions by the pagan Roman emperors.
Novatian
wrote about the key role of the Holy Spirit in supernaturally
empowering the Church. "they were henceforth armed and
strengthened by
the same Spirit, having in themselves the gifts which this
same Spirit
distributes, and appropriates to the Church, the spouse of
Christ, as
her ornaments. This is He who places prophets in the Church,
instructs
teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does
wonderful
works, often discrimination of spirits, affords powers of
government,
suggests counsels, and orders and arranges whatever other
gifts there
are of charismata; and thus make the Lord’s Church everywhere,
and in
all, perfected and completed.
St. Augustine
10. Augustine (354ñ430), bishop of Hippo, was the
greatest
theologians of the early medieval Church and systematized much
of the
theology that governed the teaching of the Western Church for
over a
thousand years. Although in his early years Augustine believed
that all
miracles had ceased by the end of the lives of the apostles,
his view
was transformed by the compelling evidence of many
well-attested
miracles that occurred during a powerful revival that occurred
throughout the churches of North Africa that were under his
supervision. In the last section of his epic work The City of
God,
Augustine wrote about numerous miracles that he had personally
witnessed and investigated, including remarkable miraculous
healings
involving breast cancer, paralysis, blindness, and even people
who were
resurrected from the dead. He wrote, "For even now miracles
are wrought
in the name of Christ.
11. Professor Peter Brown wrote in his book Augustine of Hippo
that
Augustine carefully collected the evidence of a variety of
supernatural
incidents and miracles "until they formed a single corpus, as
compact
and compelling as the miracles that had assisted the growth of
the
Early Church.
12. For example, Augustine reported on a person healed of
blindness,
"The miracle which was wrought at Milan when I was there, and
by which
a blind man was restored to sight, could come to the knowledge
of many;
for not only is the city a large one, but also the emperor was
there at
the time, and the occurrence was witnessed by an immense
concourse of
people.
13. The Venerable Bede
The great early English Church leader known as the Venerable
Bede, the
father of English history, quoted a letter sent by Gregory the
Great,
the bishop of Rome, in A.D. 601 to Augustine of Canterbury, a
missionary sent from Rome to England. Gregory acknowledges the
fact
that miracles were occurring and that they were very effective
in
drawing the English natives to faith in Christ: "I know, most
loving
brother, that Almighty God, by means of your affection, shows
great
miracles in the nation which he has chosen. Wherefore it is
necessary
that you rejoice with fear, and tremble whilst you rejoice, on
account
of the same heavenly gift; viz., that you may rejoice because
the souls
of the English are by outward miracles drawn to inward grace.
14. Gregory also
acknowledged
in his letter that Augustine personally had "received the gift
of
working miracles.
15. Continued Supernatural
Miracles
If space permitted, I could quote from a variety of Church
authorities
over the centuries that followed who witnessed the continued
operation
of supernatural miracles. These other sources include the
famous
Bernard of Clairvaux (A.D. 1190ñ1153) and Martin Luther
(A.D.
1483ñ1546). In addition, there is overwhelming evidence
of
supernatural miracles that have occurred during the last few
centuries
during the Welsh Revival and remarkable healings and other
miracles
witnessed by many reliable sources in the tre mendous growth
of the
Church around the world in the last few decades. There are
many
scriptural promises of Jesus Christ regarding His continued
supernatural empowering of the Church through His Holy Spirit.
"For the
Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself
doeth:
and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may
marvel"
(John 5:20). Jesus promised that His faithful followers would
be able
to do "greater works" because He was empowering the Church
with His
Holy Spirit. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
believeth on me,
the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than
these
shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John 14:12).
In addition, the Scripture declared, "For I am the Lord, I
change not"
(Malachi 3:6). Since God does not, and cannot change His
nature, it is
consistent and logical to believe that He would continue to
manifest
His supernatural power of miracles among His people from time
to time
to demonstrate His continued divine nature and mercy to
humanity.
Therefore, it is not surprising that our generation, which has
witnessed the fulfillment of more remarkable prophecies than
any other
generation in history, should also witness extraordinary
supernatural
displays of God’s providence, including miracles of healing.
Notes
1. The Didache 11:10-11. Ante-Nicene Library 10 vols. (Grand
Rapids:
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987).
2. Clement, Letter to the Corinthians 2:2. Ante-Nicene Library
10 vols.
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987).
3. Shepherd of Hermas 43:9. Ante-Nicene Library 10 vols.
(Grand Rapids:
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987).
4. Irenaeus, Refutation and Overthrow of Knowledge Falsely So
Called,
Ante-Nicene Library 10 vols. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing
Co., 1987).
5. Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5:6:1, Ante-Nicene Library 10
vols.
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987).
6. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, chapter XXXIX.
Ante-Nicene
Library 10 vols. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1987).
7. Origen, Against Celsus, Book I, Chap. XLVI, 2, 8.
Post-Nicene
Library 10 vols. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1987).
8. Origen, Against Celsus, Book VII, Chapter. VIII.
Post-Nicene Library
10 vols. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987).
9. Novatian, A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity,
Chapter
XXIX, section 251. Post-Nicene Library 10 vols. (Grand Rapids:
Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987).
10. Augustine, The City of God, Book 22, Chapter 8.
Post-Nicene Library
10 vols. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987).
11. Peter Brown, Augustine of Hippo (Berkeley: University of
California
Press, 1967) 415.
12. Augustine, The City of God, Book 22, Chapter 8.
Post-Nicene Library
10 vols. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987).
13. The Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History of England,
Chapter 31,
trans. J. A. Giles (London: George Bell & Sons, 1900) 57.
14. The Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History of England,
Chapter 31,
trans. J. A. Giles (London: George Bell & Sons, 1900) 57.