I’ve been reflecting lately on what miracles and gifts have in common. You do not earn them. You cannot perform well enough to deserve them. And they are freely given by the Holy Spirit. In fact, if the truth were to be told, a miracle is a gift. And like all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, a miracle is a demonstration of the depths of God’s immense love.
The spiritual gifts are given to flow through us as acts of mercy, kindness and love toward others. In other words, we cannot hoard them and keep them to ourselves.
These grace packages are meant to pass through our hands; we are to distribute them as God shows us. Freely we have received, now we freely give (see Matt.10:8).
In my personal experience, it almost seems as though miracles happen by “accident.” I am certainly not thinking about miracles when amazing things suddenly seem to happen—unintentionally on my part.
‘Miracles!’
One time, at the close of a gathering, people had congregated at the front of the auditorium, and I started randomly laying my hands on people to pronounce the blessing of the Lord.
On that day, as I was doing my typical “Holy Ghost meandering,” I gently touched a lady and announced, “Miracles!”
Little did I know that this lady was desperate for a major miracle. She ran out of the auditorium, found the nearest restroom and immediately passed seven bleeding tumors. She was totally healed in a moment.
It was a miracle. Reports later verified her inexplicable healing. Praise the Lord!
Another time, when I was in New England, people had once again flocked to the front of the church sanctuary in response to a message about Mary of Bethany called “Wasted on Jesus” that I had just completed.
I had called forward those who wanted to pour out their lives on Messiah Jesus. It was not an invitation for healings and miracles; it was an appeal for people to give their all in worship and consecration to the only One who is worthy.
Once again, I found myself meandering through the crowd, simply touching some, blessing them and occasionally speaking a short phrase over them.
Over a particular dear lady who was worshipping, I simply pronounced the word, “Healing,” having no sense of anything transpiring as a result.
One year later, I was back at the very same church. The grateful woman publicly presented me with the gift of an old painting of Mary of Bethany and then shared her testimony.
As I recall her words, she had come forward the year before to present herself as a “laid-down lover,” and when I had gently laid my hand upon her, the fire of God had gone into her body. She had suddenly been completely healed of cancer, which of course, I did not even know she had.
Freely Receive—And Freely Give!
How amazing is the love of God—healings and miracles happening when the person acting as the channel of God’s grace isn’t even aware of what he is doing?
God is so incredibly gracious to us. Not only does he want to pour His gifts out to us, He also wants to pour them through us. What is the best way to receive a gift? Freely! Again, freely we have received. Now we freely give.
What gift does God want you to freely receive from Him? And then who does He want you to pass it on to? I encourage you to freely receive every gift the Lord has for you and then give it away as He empowers you.
