The Gift(s) of Miracles
I used to think that I had a “favorite” type of miracle. You see I loved to see the deaf healed and by God’s grace I have prayed for hundreds of deaf and God has healed them. The deaf began to hear after prayer. That is a Biblical miracle. Once in Pennsylvania (2003) I was asked to pray for a little twelve-year-old girl’s warts. You see Molly was really embarrassed at her elementary school because she had a lot of ugly warts on her fingers. To me it was not a big deal, but to her it was a really big issue for her at her school. Her parents knew that the Lord used Kathy and I to release the miraculous healing of warts.
Well, we have seen just about everyone that we anointed with oil and prayed for with the condition of warts healed. All except one prophetic minister’s toe (never heard back from her). We saw this miracle happen about ninety nine percent of the time when we prayed for warts. So, I can say that we were given a “grace gift” (by the Spirit) the gift of miracles for healing warts. Now warts do not always disappear instantly. No, we would see them disappear in about 24 to 72 hours after we anointed them with oil and prayed in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Other times the warts just disappeared. And sometimes we were told that peoples warts just fell off on the persons pillow while they were sleeping. Either way is a win and a miracle! So, we anointed that little girls’ hands with oil and prayed for her. After the prayer I told her that the warts would be gone in about one or two days. We were visiting the area and ministering.
The next day Molly and her parents came to us and showed us her hands. The warts were all gone. Every single one of the dozens of warts had disappeared from her fingers! She was all smiles. Later that night I was alone and praying and praising the Lord for her miracle. The Lord showed me very clearly that although the miracle was not a dramatic as say blind eyes opening, but for that little girl this miracle was truly life changing. She would never doubt that God was a healer and that He loved her. So, for her the healing of her warts was the best miracle that she could have possibly received! Again, one gift of miracles is the healing of warts! God is amazing and He cares about the littlest things in our lives, even a twelve-year-old girls’ warts.
Plural
So, allow me to write about the “gifts of miracle(s) and the gifts of healing(s) found in 1 Corinthians 12. The first thing that needs to be seen is that scripture outlines that the gifts of healings and miracles are plural, meaning that there are more than one kind. Today, I realize that any type of miracle that God releases in my sphere of influence is very special to the person who receives it! Any miracle that God does and or allows me to participate in is my favorite miracle that day. Lets look at the gifts of healings and miracles in the scripture now.
1 Corinthians 12: 4-6; There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
Again, notice that the scripture says gifts plural and that the gifts are given by the same Lord. Now this passage goes on to speak about how the plural gifts of healing(s) and miracle(s) work or are made manifest (a reality on earth as it is in heaven). The gifts are released or manifested by God to profit the entire Body of Christ. There are various types of the gift of miracles and healings. For example, the miracle of healing warts. The healing of warts is a type of “progressive miracle” at times.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
It should be mentioned that the gift of the word of knowledge precedes the gifts of faith, and gifts of healings. The gift of miracles (plural) is linked to the word of knowledge, prophesy, and discerning of spirits as we see in next verse.
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
Finally verse eleven makes it clear that it is the Spirit of God that works to release all of the spiritual gifts found in this passage. 1 Corinthians 12: 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. The Spirit of God chooses who He will anoint with the (plural) gifts of the Spirit. God still gives gifts to men and women today (weather you have a badge or not) as He wills, and it is not based upon a person’s works or position in the church. Rather, I would pontificate the gifts are given according to faith and availability. Many pastors or elders cannot heal anyone by working with the Spirit as they are just not anointed and do not have any healing anointing or giftings.
Here is a short list of miracles that the Spirit of God releases through the gifts of the Spirit and the gifts of miracles and healings (plural). I hope to add several modern-day miracles that I have been involved in to this list too.
Creative miracles, sovereign miracles, healing miracles, miracles released by the Rhema word or cannon of scripture. There are also miracles of healing of deafness, miracles of healing the blind, miracles of healing cancer, and many others, miracles of healing etc. The miracle of deliverance from demonic sickness and oppression, miracles released by faith, glory realm miracles, angelic miracles, miracles released by the word of knowledge, miracles of multiplication. All of these (and many more) are types of the gift(s) plural of miracles. All of these are also found in the ministry of Jesus Christ. So, allow me to outline how the Lord Jesus Christ operated or released the gift(s) of miracles in His short ministry. I would like to submit that no one miracle is greater than another. A creative miracle where a person receives a gold crown is not any more special than a wart that disappears. Miracles are equal all and all (especially in the Eyes of God).
The Miracles of The Gospels – Creative Miracles – Glory Miracles
Jesus Turned Water Into Wine
The very first miracle that Jesus wrought was a creative miracle. This miracle was based upon the rhema word and obedience from the people involved. (Remembering) is an important key to releasing miracles. Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana. John 2:6-11. This was that beginning of the miraculous in the ministry of Christ.
The Supernatural Multiplication of Bread and Food
Jesus expected His disciples to feed the multitude, but nevertheless Jesus healed many, fed five thousand people in this creative miracle. It can be found in Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17 and also in John 6:1-14. This creative miracle is one of the few miracles that is found in all four Gospels (the harmony of the Gospels). God still releases creative miracles through His people today. Once I was in a season that the tangible glory of God was visiting our log cabin home on West Meadows Parkway, in Boomer (Moravian Falls), North Carolina. During that season I was seeing creative miracles and the multiplication of tangible objects in my life. Why? Well, one reason was that I asked in prayer and simply believed that God would release these kinds of miracles for His friends!
I saw roses multiply in my hands. I saw chewing gum multiply in my pocket, and I also saw money multiply in my pockets, gas multiply in our vehicle (Glory). And I witnessed hundred-dollar bills multiply, as well as gold and other material objects. Ok, I realize you may be thinking; “I don’t believe that”! Guess what? Those kinds of creative miracles will most likely not happen in your life because you must have faith or just believe God to be willing to release these kinds of creative miracles in your life. (Matthew 7:7).
Walking on Water
One of my personal favorite creative miracles or glory realm miracles of the Lord Jesus was when He walked on water & calmed a storm. I have always wanted to work that miracle and walk on the water. Calming a tornado would be cool too. You can read about that miracle in Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, and John 6:16-21. So here is a great testimony about walking on the water! Here is the passage for you to read personally.
Matthew 14:23-31 Now when evening came, He was alone there (in prayer). 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 Now in the fourth watch (Jesus prayed most of the night) of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” I have always loved this passage of scripture and have mulled it over in my mind a lot over the years.
Back in 2003 to 2008 Kathy and I lived in a great home on Kensington Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. The Lord had given us a beautiful rancher home with a nice lake in the back yard and I could bass fish anytime that I wanted (answer to prayer). I also had a room dedicated to prayer there and I would not allow anyone to enter the room except for me and the Holy Spirit for about four years. I would invest hours every day in the room practicing what I call “waiting” or “resting” prayer.
Some days after prayer I would go out and fish in the back yard with the Holy Spirit to guide and help me. Many times, the Holy Spirit and I would go out on the little pontoon boat that I was borrowing from my friend John. Somedays I would just stand in the back yead and look at the neighbor’s house across the cove. It was about one hundred and fifty feet across the water to his yard.
I would think about what it would be like to walk on the water to the neighbor’s yard and I would think and imagine about Jesus’ ministry. I would speculate just how Jesus walked on the water. Was it a type of quantum physics? Or was it totally from resting in the glory of God in prayer? Was this creative miracle based upon faith alone? I would pontificate along that line and dream about walking on the water myself. So anyway, I said to myself one day; “Kevin, the day will come when you will walk across that water to the other yard.” I just knew that it could be done because Jesus has set that as an example for me. You see, I just wanted to be more like Jesus, and I still do today.
Capernaum and KC
One day in the prayer room I had a really powerful visitation of God’s tangible glory, and I was really pumped up. I came out of the room there in KC and thought, “This is the day that I walk on the water”! So, I walked down to the edge of the lake in my backyard and looked across the water to the neighbor’s yard. I felt the glory and the anointing coursing through me. I thought, “this is the day”! I took a tentative step out on the water, then another. Soon I was walking right across the cove and stepped on the grass of the neighbor’s yard. I had walked about one hundred and fifty feet over the water, and I was pumped up! It was miraculous! It was amazing! It was an answer to my prayers of many years. I was praising the Lord and still do today for that amazing day.
Oh, by the way, it was February, and the lake was frozen, but I walked right across it! Later in 2012 I was near Capernaum in Israel on the Sea of Galilee. I was asked to speak in place of Sid Roth to a group of people and share the Gospel on a boat that day. I remembered back to the day that I had walked across the water in Kansas City and a smile creased my face. As if he were reading my mind the boat captain said, “Please listen to me now. We must pay for insurance to run these trips out on the Sea of Galilee. From time to time a person will try to walk on the water like Jesus did here. Please don’t. No one had drowned yet, but it causes our insurance to go up and we ask you to refrain from trying to walk on the water here on the Sea of Galilee. Go figure. I guess folks like that were loose cannons.
The Healing Word
We see the principle of the healing word illustrated in Psalm 107; 20 He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
The Rich Man’s Son
Jesus was coming from Galilee where he had done the creative miracle of turning the water into wine and walking on the Sea of Galilee. The Lord was walking to Capernaum and Jesus released the healing word to heal rich man’s son who was about to die in Capernaum (because the Jewish man had asked him). This is an important key to remember when it comes to releasing miracles. You can read this passage in John 4: 46-50. I love this miracle because the man’s son was healed in another city at the word of the Lord Jesus. This is an example of the healing word concerning the gift of miracles (or a healing word miracle). At times releasing miracles is as simple as speaking out loud the healing “rhema” word or a God inspired word. This is the healing word.
Soon I will write about how the Lord gave me a word of knowledge for healing a young woman’s spine. When I spoke those words out loud her miracle happened and manifested on earth as it is in heaven. I did not have to do anything but wait upon the Lord to reveal His desire to heal her in prayer the night before the meetings. I knew where she would be sitting, and how long she had been battling the scoliosis. It was simple. In John 4 the rich mans servants came to him and told the rich man that his son was well and have been restored or healed from the moment that Jesus spoke. There is real power in the words of God. Just learn to speak them out over your life and in the healing ministry. Learn to rest in the Lord “in prayer” (different than intercession) and wait for God to speak to you and give you a “rhema” word of knowledge.
The Centurion’s Paralyzed Servant
The concept of the healing word is further outlined in the ministry of Jesus in the beautiful example of the healing of the centurion’s paralyzed servant in Capernaum. The city of Capernaum was the hub of the Lord Jesus ministry. This testimony of the healing word and the miraculous power of it is found in Matthew 8, and Luke 7. A Roman centurion met Jesus and said to him; “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” (Matthew 8:6). We see a wonderful example of the faith in the verse that follows; “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. The Roman centurion said; “to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
As a Roman centurion this man was not a Jew or a Christian, so he did not have any faith at all. But those facts did not matter to Jesus. Jesus discerned this man’s understanding of faith and his understanding of how the Kingdom of Heaven operated based on spiritual authority over sickness and disease. Then Jesus makes this incredible statement about this centurion. In Matthew 8:10 Jesus says “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour. This is what is amazing about this miracle. The centurion’s paralyzed servant was in another geographic area. He was not present, but the healing word released his miracle.
We need to allow our minds to be opened to how the Kingdom of Heaven operates in this realm. The healing word was not bound by laws of physics and science in the time of Jesus and the healing word is not bound by laws of physics and science today. That is if we can believe to receive like the Roman centurion in this passage of scripture. It should be said that faith was at work in this miracle of the healing word.
Haiti and Jamacia Healing Word Miracle
In 2012 I was ministering in Montego Bay, Jamacia. In the meeting there was a man who had a mother who was in the hospital in Haiti. I told him that Jesus could heal his mother of the big c cancer there in Haiti as we prayed for her in Montego Bay. He believed. I declared the healing word saying out loud that His mother would be healed of cancer immediately and that she would receive Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. (She was not a believer).
Also, I took a “prayer cloth” (Acts 19:10) and anointed it with oil and praying over it gave it to the man and told him to send it to his mother in the hospital in Haiti. He came back to one of our meetings on the Island a week or so later and gave us this amazing testimony of the power of the healing word. He told us; “Brother, I sent that prayer cloth to my mother by my brother who is on the Island of Haiti.
My brother took the prayer cloth to my mother in the hospital. When she put the prayer cloth on her body as you had told us to do, the power of God hit her. She jumped up and said, ‘Praise the Lord. I am healed’! She got out of bed and began to dance around praising God. The nurses and doctors were astonished, but they tested the woman again for the cancer and all indication of the cancer was gone (according to the testimony that we received). She got saved and healed by the power of God. Today, she is healed and attending a church near her home. “
The Withered Hand
Another great example of the healing word in the healing of the man with the withered hand in the synagogue (in Capernaum) on the Sabbath. This miracle is found in Matthew 12:9-14, Mark 12:9-14 and also in Luke 6:17-19.
Again, there is a place in the healing ministry where we can but speak a word and miracles happen. Many times, these kinds of miracles are “creative miracles”. I have mentioned several types of creative miracles previously in this article. We began to see a lot of creative dental miracles in Moravian Falls and in other cities too. Why? Well, again I just purposed in my heart to believe God to release these kinds of miracles after seeing another minister have gold teeth manifest in his meetings. Again, I purposed in my heart to have “faith” for this kind of miracle.
The Brooklyn Bridge
One time in Brooklyn, New York we saw a really amazing creative dental miracle after releasing the healing word in a healing meeting. You may be aware that there is a very famous bridge in Brooklyn. It is called the Brooklyn Bridge and I have been chaffered over it a number of times. The Brooklyn Bridge is a really beautiful landmark. However, there is another Brooklyn Bridge that fewer people are aware of.
I was “going for” dental miracles one morning at a School of the Supernatural at the church there in Brooklyn. I sensed that the Lord was releasing dental miracles and began to decree; “God is releasing dental miracles this morning. I see God’s angels of creative miracles are descending into the meeting to release dental miracles, now!” This is a key to creative miracles. Recognize that at times God releases His angels to help release miracles, and we need to recognize them (God’s angels) and release them in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Well, I was about to be amazed! So, after this decree I encouraged people to check their mouths for gold. There were a few people who received dental miracles as gold appeared in their teeth.
My friend, Andrew Calhoun, had traveled from Alabama to Brooklyn with me for this set of meetings. So, I had Andrew double checking the gold teeth. He told me that I needed to see something! When I looked into one precious woman’s mouth her entire bridge had turned to Gold. The Lord had created a new Brooklyn Bridge! The top part of her bridge that was originally a skin tone was now solid gold! Several of her teeth had turned into gold too!
Scoliosis Miracle
So, I have had a lot of people question me about why God would turn someone’s teeth to gold? That is a good question, but I assure you that the Lord always has a good reason to release miracles. In this case the woman went home and showed her two unbelieving teenage sons her new gold bridge, what I called the new Brooklyn Bridge. The next day was a regular Sunday service at the church, and she had managed to invite her two sons to come and meet the evangelist who had prayed for her dental miracle. I was invited to speak on Sunday morning. The boys had seen the new Brooklyn bridge (in their mother’s mouth) and they heard and saw the miracle unfold within the woman who had her spinal scoliosis healed.
During the service that Sunday morning there were several other notable miracles including one woman who had her spinal scoliosis miraculous healing (her spine was shaped like a capital S). She had been in chronic pain her whole life. The Lord had given me a word of knowledge for this condition and when I called it out and pointed at this young woman you could audible hear her spine begin to crack and pop. The cracking and popping sounds were very loud!
It just so happened that this woman who received the new Brooklyn Bridge dental miracle was sitting near the young woman who had her back miraculously healed with her two teenage sons. Everyone in the area could hear the young woman’s spine snapping and popping when the miracle was happening. The two teenage boys witnessed this young woman begin to weep as she was healed, and her lifelong pain left her back for the first time in over two decades (according to her testimony).
I would call this a creative miracle that was based upon waiting and resting prayer. The Lord released this to me as a word of knowledge and I saw this miracle the night before in a vision as I prayed for the Sunday morning service. Later as I was concluding the service, I gave an altar call to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Both boys committed their hearts to the Lord after seeing their mother’s creative miracle and witnessing the young women receive a creative miracle in her back. God had a plan in this instance. God had a reason for these miracles to happen when and where they did. (John 11:4) By the way, we also took picture of the Brooklyn Bridge (the new one in the woman’s mouth). I also took pictures of the other Brooklyn Bridge too.
Both of these miracles were the result speaking out the healing word. The difference is that for the dental miracles I was just operating by faith and through the power of the Spirit. You see, when God allows you to participate in a certain type of “gift of miracles” you can always believe God to release that same kind of gift of miracles when you are ministering (anytime and anywhere) . The miracle concerning the spinal scoliosis was released because the Lord wanted to touch the young woman’s back. This was an issue of the two teenage boys’ salvation as well. Also, because I had rested and waited upon the Lord in prayer before the meeting (I did my homework). I was expecting the Lord to speak to me about miracles.
I was seeking to train Andrew in the healing ministry because of the gift that is evident upon his life. Therefore, I had him wait for the Lord in prayer and seek out words of knowledge for meetings just as I did. You know what? The Lord began to use him in amazing healings and miracles as he prays for the sick too.
On one occasion in Charlotte, North Carolina Andrew’s shadow healed a person! God is not a respecter of persons. On another note, we did not have any badges on Sunday morning. However, we did have ministry team badges Saturday when the new Brooklyn Bridge was created through the healing word. Both of these miracles are what I call “creative miracles”. These happened in the ministry of Jesus too. Other times Jesus released creative miracles in which He just “created” things like fish or coins. Here are a couple of examples below.
Miraculous Catch of Fish
Jesus decreed the word and there was a miraculous catch of fish given to the disciples while He (Jesus) stood on the shore and watched. You can find this miracle in John 21: 5-12. There are a lot of intricacies to this miracle. One reason for this miracle was that Jesus was hungry and wanted to fix a fish for lunch. Jesus stood on the shore smiling and watched the miraculous catch of 153 fish. How do I know that Jesus stood on the shore watching and smiling? I have prayed about this miracle a lot, and I believe that the Lord showed me these details in visionary form. Here is another detail, the 153 fish had a lot of prophetic significance (but I am not going to write about that as it is a horse that has been ridden to death). On another note, 153 fish represented a lot of money. The Lord had blessed the disciples who had fished all night and did not catch anything with a really profitable catch. God cares about each and every aspect of our lives.
At times the healing word can release a miracle or healing to a person in another geographic area. There was a time in Jamaica when someone was healed in another nation as the healing word was decreed.
In 2012 I had the privilege to travel to Capernaum and stand in the spot where Jesus spoke from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue there. This is one of the few places in the Holy Land where you can actually stand on the same stones that Jesus would have walked and stood on. In the ruins of the synagogue at Capernaum there is a step from the time of Jesus.
Most theologians agree that it is very possible that Jesus walked on that stone step. I invested about twenty minutes with my hand upon that stone and asking the Lord to reveal to me where Jesus had quoted the prophet Isaiah and where He had spoken the healing word over the man with the withered hand. I was led to a spot at the center of the synagogue ruins in front of the stone pillars which stand at the rear of the site. When I stepped onto that spot the power and glory of God began to hit me and wash over Kathy and I in waves. Later, I asked our guide Ronnie where Jesus would have read from the scroll, and he took me to the very spot that I was standing on. Amazing!
Healing the Withered Hand
Jesus healed a man with a withered hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath, much to the chagrin of the religious leaders of the time. This miracle can be found in Matthew 12:9-14, Mark 3: 1-7, and Luke 6: 6-12. Here is this amazing testimony about the Healing word in the Gospel of Luke.
Luke 6: 6-12 Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. (Jesus only went to the Jews during His earthly ministry and that is why He would often go into their synagogues to speak and minister). 7 So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. 8 But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. (Jesus knew the thoughts of the religious leaders and other people most of the time. One reason was that he invested a lot of time in resting or waiting prayer seeking His Father and the Kingdom). That is also why Jesus know where to instruct the man to stand.
9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?” (It appears to me [who is not a theologian] that Jesus seemed to poke and prod the religious spirit from time to time). 10 And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. (Here we see that Jesus was doing what He had seen His Father had shown him in prayer. Jesus positioned the man with the withered hand in a certain place. Then Jesus spoke out loud the healing word to release this creative miracle. Also, it should be noted that the man with the withered hand had a very deformed hand that was atrophied and in no way able to move at all. So, for Jesus to declare “stretch forth your hand” as in itself an impossibility).
Look at what the religious leaders do after this miracle is released by the healing word in verse 11. 11 But they (the religious leaders) were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. (They started to consider murdering the Son of God because He was taking their glory and place among men. We also see the one of the most important keys to Jesus and His ability to release miracles in the next verse 12. Jesus did what the Father showed to Him in extended periods of “resting” prayer). 12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
The Temple Model of Prayer
If you want to be used in the gift(s) of miracles and healing(s) you will need to emulate Jesus example of prayer. We just saw this in Luke 12; He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. Jesus did not cut corners in prayer. You will need to develop a healthy and biblical prayer life to be used of the Lord in the ministry of the gift(s) of miracles and healing(s). You can learn to recreate Christ in your sphere of influence and in your prayer life.
One of the reasons that Jesus prayed all night was that he was practicing biblical prayer. I have come to call this the temple model of prayer. In this model there is inner court prayer, outer court prayer, and prayer in the Holy of Holies. The High priests could only enter into the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement (once per year-Hebrews 9). Thanks for the finished work of Jesus we can enter into the Holy of Holies (in prayer) at any time (Hebrews 9:11).
A Learning Curve for Heavenly Prayer
This process, learning to rest in the Lord in this way, is a learning curve. One analogy that the Holy Spirit gave me about this type of resting in the Lord parallels the temple. The holy temple was made up of three parts; the outer court, the inner court, and the holy of holies. It was in the tabernacle of Moses or the temple that the Aaronic and the Levitical priesthoods performed their priestly duties. In the temple the priests worked and offered sacrifices to mediate between a sinful people and a holy God. These priests offered the blood of animals to make atonement for the sins of the people. These men were never able to enter into the rest of the Lord because the covenant that they had with God was incomplete and not perfect. The works and ministries of the Aaronic and the Levitical priesthoods required those men to work constantly. They had to offer unending sacrifices to make atonement for sin.
God has given us a better covenant through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth (see Hebrews 7:22; 8:6; 12:24). Jesus offered His blood once and for all to make perfect atonement for the sins of all of mankind. Jesus Christ’s prophecies about the destruction of the temple were fulfilled in AD 72 when the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Roman soldiers (see Matthew 24:2; Mark 13:2). There is no further need for the Aaronic and the Levitical priesthoods to perform their priestly works; there is no longer a temple for them to minister in or a place where they can offer their sacrifices today.
Jesus Christ came and established a better covenant based upon a greater blood sacrifice, the blood of God. Christ’s perfect sacrifice has empowered and enabled you and me to enter into the rest of the Lord. The finished work of Christ empowers you and me to become royal priests according to the order of Melchizedek. God has ordained for this priesthood to replace the Aaronic and the Levitical priesthoods in this new dispensation of grace. As such, we have the liberty to enter into God’s rest and into God’s tangible presence in prayer. Jesus finalized His work as a royal Priest according the order of Melchizedek and entered into the God’s eternal rest.
Jesus literally ascended into the heavenly realms or the heavenly dimensions to sit at the right hand of the Father (see Acts 1:9; Hebrews 4; Psalm 110). The Father sent His only begotten Son to empower us. The finished work of Jesus Christ upon the Cross of Calvary authorizes and enables us to enter or pass behind the veil (through the heavenly realms or dimensions) just as the Lord did. God has ordained that only sanctified priests can enter into the holy of holies.
Because of Christ’s perfect atoning work we can enter into the tangible, weighty presence of God Almighty as individuals (see Hebrews 6:19-20; 9:3-7; 10:20-39). We do not need a priest to mediate between God and man for us. We can come boldly before the throne of mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:16). We can approach God behind the veil of the holy of holies because the blood of Jesus makes us righteous, holy, and sanctified (see Revelation 1:5-6; 5:9-10; Hebrews 10:10). We can enter into the rest of the Lord and luxuriate in the very presence of Almighty God. We are God’s temple, and His glory can rest upon just us as His glory abided between and rested upon the cherubim in the tabernacle of Moses and the temple of Solomon (see Hebrews 9:1-5; Exodus 25:17-22).
Hebrews 6:19-20 speaks about this type of ministry that is available to you and me today: “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence [glory] behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Scripture defines this supernatural privilege that we have to enter into the very presence and glory of God and to rest in His glory because Jesus became High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
That is what the Lord is calling us to today. That is why Jesus told me in no uncertain terms to tell His people to “be diligent to enter into My rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11). We have this privilege today, and we can enter into the rest of the Lord in this way. We can go behind the veil and rest in the presence and glory of God. This kind of waiting or meditative prayer can be life changing and is another aspect of being diligent to enter into the rest of the Lord. Let me take a moment to describe the things that the Holy Spirit has taught me about entering into the rest of the Lord in personal prayer times like this.
The Outer Court Prayer
Outer court prayer is similar to the outer court in the temple, and it is a place of repentance. Here you repent for anything that is sinful in your life (both sins of commission and sins of omission). At times it may take a person a long time to confess their sins to the Lord. However, as you seek to enter the Holy of Holies in prayer on a consistent basis your sins (should) be less and less to confess to the Lord. Your time in Outer Court prayer should become truncated as you repent consistently and work on your character. Time invested in the Inner Court prayer should become shortened as you continue to seek the Lord in this way.
Inner Court Prayer
Inner court prayer is a place that we pray for all of the important things we are commanded to pray for in scripture. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122). We pray for those who have authority in our nation pray authority (1Timothy:2;1-2). Then you should pray for the prayer requests from your sphere of influence (those who need a healing or breakthrough. The prayer requests that are given to you by friends and family [church}). After your prayer for all of the important things we are commanded to pray for in scripture you can move into the next aspect of prayer.
In the Inner Court you can also pray in the Spirit or in (tongues). Although you may not be aware what you are praying for, the Holy Spirit will make intercession through you as He wills (Jude 1). There is a place where the Spirit of the Lord can pray through you as you pray in tongues (Romans 8:27). After praying for the intercession that scripture commands and praying “through” in the Spirit you will come to a place of “resting in the Lord”. From this place you can enter into the place of “resting or waiting prayer” in the Holy of Holies. Your prayer time in the Inner Court is dependent upon the Holy Spirit as you learn to be sensitive to His leadings.
The Holy of Holies
In the Holy of Holies, you do not need to repent or make intercession for your self of others. You simply rest in the Lord. You wait in the presence and glory of God. Once you have started to build your prayer life and intercession on this model the glory or tangible presence of God will begin to meet you in the Holy of Holies in prayer.
When you obtain this place, the Lord will just release his presence and His kabowd or weighty glory to “rest upon” you. The Lord once told me that; “If you rest in my glory, My glory will rest upon you”. It was shortly after this that I began to see the creative miracles in our sphere of influence. As you wait I the glory and the presence of God He can, and He will speak to you to give you direction for your life and your ministry. At times, as you position yourself in waiting prayer, the Lord will release or give to you very specific directions for the healing ministry of the gifts of miracle(s) and healing(s). I have written about this aspect of the temple model of prayer extensively in the book “The Sword of the Lord”.
There is certainly a learning curve to enter into the presence or rest of the Lord. To practice the temple model of prayer takes both diligence and determination. However, you can learn to enter into the glory and tangible presence of God in prayer. In this place (the Holy of Holies) God can and will speak to you and give you direction for life and the healing ministry.
Not Everyone Wants a Miracle or Believes Miracles Are for Today
Having said all of that. I would like to say that not every person believes in miracles and healings today. (Guess what? People who do not believe in the gifts of miracles and healings are much less likely to receive a healing or miracle). This principle is outlined in a miracle in the ministry of Jesus at the Pool of Bethesda. If you will recall it was at the Pool of Bethesda in the book of John, where Jesus healed a cripple man. But was this crippled person really ready and willing to receive his miracle that day? Lets look at the passage.
John 5:2-15 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. (This passage clearly illustrates that angels of the Lord are, at times, involved in releasing healing).
5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” (The Lord did not ask the crippled man this question to just exercise his voice. Jesus had an insight and a purpose for the question. You see there are times when a person does not want to be healed or made whole. Jesus had discerned this about the crippled man).
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” (Many times, people are like this today. We begin to make excuses as to why we “cannot” be healed by God. That is really a foolish attitude, but people have that attitude from time to time). Now we see the Lord Jesus speak out the Healing word to release this miracle. Perhaps Jesus “saw” this miracle previously as he was practicing resting prayer? Perhaps, the Father showed Jesus what to do to release this miracle.
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” (Jesus declared the healing word and the miracle manifested upon earth as it is in heaven. Jesus worked this creative miracle by His words alone. Jesus just did what He had seen His Father doing in prayer (John 5:19). Immediately the religious spirit was offended by the miracle and manifestation of Gods real power.
9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” 11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.'” 12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. (That is the character of Christ. He did not want to have any glory for this miracle of healing.)
14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” 15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
There are several things to learn from this Biblical miracle. Jesus operated in the Healing Word to release creative miracles. We also see that not everyone wants to receive a miracle, and in addition to this the real manifestation of the power of God (concerning the gift of miracles) will offend religious peeps. In this passage Jesus seems to indicate that there is a correlation to sin and sickness, but I will not go into that in this article.
The Blind Man in Manta Ecuador
One time in 2004 I was doing street ministry at the market in Manta Ecuador. We were walking through a market there and saw a man who was begging. He was showing a sign (with his permit to beg) where he sat near the entrance to the market. I walked up to him and asked him if I could pray for him. He was hesitant but he agreed to prayer believing that he would receive something in the way of money.
We laid hands upon him, and his blind eyes were open. The blind beggar began to see as the power of God washed over his eyes. Then he began to weep and rejoice in God wailing loudly. This started a little commotion and a group of people who worked in the market gathered around to see the miracle and to gawk at the blind beggar.
Suddenly I saw the man retreat back into his blindness, and I knew by the Spirit that he was troubled. He was concerned that if his blind eyes were healed that he would no longer be able to beg for money and earn a living to support his family. Suddenly he “stopped seeing”. I was surprised and to test his vision I took out a twenty-dollar United States bill and waved it in front of his eyes. (Many people in Ecuador use the US dollar). Twenty US dollars is a lot of money in Ecuador.
I was amazed as the “blind” man’s eyes focused on the twenty-dollar bill as I moved it around in circles in front of the blind beggar. You could see the pupils move and focus. So, I began to move the bill in circles and his “blind eyes” followed the bill. Yes, I was testing to see if he was being truthful. He could see well, and his eyes followed the twenty-dollar bill as I made circles with it. I told him (through an interpreter) that he could have the bill if you could grab it. Immediately he reached out for the money, and I quickly moved it to the left. His eyes followed the bill and then he reached out to grab it. However, I move the bill again and he watched it move to the right and quickly he focused on it and stretched out his had to quickly grab the twenty-dollar bill that I had moved about three feet to the right.
As soon as he had the bill in his hands, he began to act totally blind again, but I know that he was healed. You see this blind man did not really want to be make well. Why? Well, it could have been that he would lose his ability to earn a living and his license to beg in the market. It was a sad day for me, and I realized that not everyone wants to be healed or made whole. Whatever the reason the blind man did not “take” his miracle that day (but I hope that he did at another time).
Raising the Dead
In the next section of this article, we will look at the miracle of healing the dead, and reverse miracles. If you would like to read more detailed writing on the Temple model of Prayer Kevin writes about this in detail in his book “The Sword of the Lord and the Rest of the Lord”.
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This article was written by Kevin Basconi, for King of Glory Ministries International, 212 W. Ironwood Drive – Box 240-D, Coeur D Alene, ID 83814
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