Greater Works
John 14:12 says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”
I’m a great believer in the importance of spiritual context. I believe that if there is anything God wants us to do today there will be scriptural precedent for it. God is a God of stability, and true stability is found when we adhere closely to what the Word of God shows us.
So what about those works? Jesus walked on water, shouldn’t we? Jesus spit in the eyes of blind people and they saw, shouldn’t we? Jesus fed thousands of hungry people with out spending a dime, miraculously multiplying just a little bit of food, why don’t we? Sometimes in dealing with the letter of the Word we forget about an extremely important principle, the heart of it. I’m a believer in miracles, I’ve witnessed many. I’ve experienced the power of God, and you can’t convince me it doesn’t still meet us. What then should the believer’s life look like? Well, in short, just like Jesus’s.
We need to ask ourselves, what was the heart behind all that Jesus did? It was to teach us and guide us to fully trust in God’s ability to work in us all the way through to the victory of life, that is, all that can come against us in life. Jesus performed amazing miracles, but the miracles themselves were not the point. God wasn’t merely trying to impress us. Trusting in, seeking out, and ultimately being obedient to the Lord in everything we say and do was the point. Jesus didn’t walk on water because He had a special ability to. He did so because He was fully and completely led by the Holy Spirit within in Him. There was need in that moment for those followers to witness the power of God so their faith would be built in it. Once they saw what God can do, then trusted in Him, they were being prepped to go into the world to live miraculous, Spirit inspired, and victorious lives, teaching others to do the same. Often times we will be so intent on seeing someone “walk on water” that we miss the miraculous happening right before us. I’m not saying something like walking on water can’t or won’t happen, but I’m saying it isn’t the focus and purpose of God’s power.
Unlike when people may perform lying signs and wonders, the miracles Jesus performed always had great purpose. Don’t get me wrong, miracles do happen, but there is purpose to them. See, in these Biblical days we have two ditches in the church. There are those that believe in no more true miracles and then there are those who have an abundance of “miracles” with no purpose. God isn’t found in either ditch. He is found smack dab in the middle of the road.
In Matthew 6:33 Jesus told us, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” What are the things that will be added? I’ve heard many speculate it’s this or that, but not those. We can know the “things” if we know the Word and the heart of the Father. The things are whatever things that, if not had, could cause us to worry. How do I know? Because the heart of any good father is to provide. The heart of God our Father is to provide even more. He Himself said, if you being evil give good things, how much more Me? The entire beginning of our Bible shows us how God created provision before He even placed us on earth, then throughout the Bible of how He is always working in us to ensure we are taken care of.
Miracles still happen, and I’m convinced if God needs you to walk on water, He will show you and you will. We just have to remember that the purpose of any miracle is always the same purpose, to show us the heart of God and to lead us to trust Him more. Religion takes the move of God and makes doctrine and ritual out of it. Faith seeks to know God, then follow Him into all He shows us to do. The Word is given to keep us grounded. The Spirit is given to keep us focused on Him. That’s why if you are a Word and Spirit believer, you will walk out the blessed plan of God, through all the storms, over all the mountains into the realm of peace and joy, in the fullness of His blessing! What more could we ever ask for? What greater miracle could He ever perform?
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
