John 14:12 extends an incredible invitation to all believers throughout all generations. Jesus tells us, “Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me will do the works that I do also. And he will do greater works than these, because I am going to My Father.”
There was a time in the apostle Paul’s ministry when he graduated from miracles to extraordinary miracles.
“God worked powerful miracles by the hands of Paul. So handkerchiefs or aprons he had touched were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits went out of them” (Acts 19:11-12).
In this Scripture, we are given a preview of what the greater works actually look like. Luke, the author of the book of Acts, classifies them as extraordinary miracles.
*[Extraordinary miracles and greater works do not undermine the uniqueness of Jesus’ miracle ministry; their demonstration simply fulfills the prophetic promise of John 14:12, that those who believed in Jesus throughout all generations would experience greater works by Jesus’ name and through Jesus’ power]
Why label these miracles as extraordinary? Consider Jesus. The sick touched the hem of His garment and they were healed. Flip over to Acts 19. Now, people are actually taking pieces of cloth and sweatbands from Paul’s body, placing them on the sick and tormented and watching the broken experience wholeness.
Again, it had nothing to do with Paul or Paul’s clothing. There was nothing special about the cloths that were taken from Paul’s body. He was simply a man completely saturated in the presence of God. As a result, every area of his life was marked because of the anointing—including his physical body!
Daily Scripture Reading
Acts 19:11-12
Prayer
Holy Spirit, come and saturate every area of my life with Your presence. Position me to walk in the extraordinary miracles that Your Word promises, not because of my performance, but because of Your anointing upon me.
*Excerpted from Bill Johnson’s Hosting the Presence Every Day daily devotional.
