Miracles and Answers to Prayer

Written by: Andrew Friesen on 11/15/2011

Can you experience miracles everyday in your life and ministry?  How important is it really?  It’s creative to have concerts, lights, and extreme sports to attract the lost, however, is this what we should rely on to successfully reach our hurting world?  What about supernatural miracles?  Jesus said,”If I am not doing the works [performing the deeds] of My Father, then do not believe Me [do not adhere to Me and trust Me and rely on Me] John 10:37.  Wow!  What would happen today if the average believer in Jesus said something like that?  Would people have a reason to accept Christ?  Actually the Bible teaches that miracles are our credentials for ministry and we have the privilege to be used of God in the supernatural.  No, it’s not just for certain “specially gifted” individuals but ALL BELIEVERS. “And these signs shall follow them that believe” Mark 16:17.  Yes, miracles are PROOF of God’s love.  That’s why they are so important.  Let me tell you what God taught me about miracles.  

In May of 1999 God’s love touched my heart in a profound way.  I was driving my car on my way to play golf when I saw a young man on the side of the road fixing his vehicle.  All of a sudden the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart that I should help him.  I approached the young man and offered him a ride home.  While driving in my car, I began sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the teenager.  The Holy Spirit touched his heart and he received Christ.  Since that day I’ve never stopped sharing the gospel.  My heart was filled with unspeakable joy like when Jesus said, “There is more joy in heaven when a sinner repents.”  Luke 15:10

It’s true: salvation is the greatest of all MIRACLES.   However, I soon began to realize that the gospel of Jesus Christ includes much more than salvation alone.  The same Jesus that healed the sick 2000 years ago lives in me by the Holy Spirit.  I heard so many excuses and reasons why miracles don’t happen today or in certain places, but I could not doubt the fact that I’ve received the same mighty baptism of the Holy Spirit that the apostles had.  And if Jesus really is the same, it must be true that He DOES the same.  All that was left for me was to act in faith obedience.   Everywhere I got the opportunity I prayed for the sick.  Thank God, some healing miracles happened, however, I longed to see the blind see, the deaf hear and the lame walk.  So when I prayed and it didn’t seem like any results were happening I was thrown into a depression and felt discouraged.  Why wasn’t this working?  I couldn’t sleep.  I felt hopeless because I told God I NEVER want to be an evangelist without the SAME miracles and results that Jesus had.  WHY?  Because if Jesus really is the same yesterday, today, and forever; He must not just say the same, but He must also DEMONSTRATE to people He is the same.  I’m a man of action and like to see results.  I came to the end of myself.  This was the best place to be.  Where we are totally surrendered to Him.  I realized that Jesus is my everything.  That’s when I heard His warm friendly voice saying to me.  “Andrew, don’t give up! With God all things are possible.”  It was if these words echoed in my ears night and day.  “With God all things are possible”.   Thank God I never gave up.   I’ll never forget the moment on the platform in India preaching to thousands of people when a little elderly lady came up to the platform and testified in front of the vast crowd.  She shouted, “I was blind, but now I can see!”  She proved it by counting my fingers.  It was true.  The thousands of people rejoiced!  HALLELUJAH!  Such joy filled my heart to see God’s love touch this lady and God PROVED HIS LOVE to the people through the miracles.  Jesus is the SAME!  

Thank God that after this miracle we have documented follow-up reports that confirm blind, deaf, lame, and many others healed by Jesus in our Gospel Festivals in Colombia and around the world.  The vital truth I learned was this:  Miracles happen when we respond to the call of God to preach the good news with the power of the Holy Spirit and then act in simple faith obedience.  That’s it.   Some say, “What if nothing happens?”  That’s not my problem.  Let’s leave that with God.  Jesus is the healer and we simply are His messengers.  Your thoughts?  -Andrew