WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
FEBRUARY 19, 2022
TOPIC: DON’T CANCEL YOUR MIRACLES!
BY T. O. BANSO
“Jesus said to her [Martha], ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:23-New King James Version).
People who believe that the age of miracles is past don’t believe the supernatural power of God is still active today. Rather, they believe that man has the power to do a lot and whatever man can’t do remains impossible. They believe that if at all God exists, He has no business with what we do on earth and we should not expect His intervention in anything. This is one extreme, and it is as wrong as the other extreme: those who believe that they don’t have to do anything because God is in charge and He will perform a miracle.
People who think that everything depends on their muscles have no faith to receive miracles. They make no allowance for God, who is still involved in the affairs of men. This devotional is to help you not to cancel your miracles.
There is no age of miracles; we only have the God of miracles. God did miracles in the past and He is still doing miracles today. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is the Lord; He doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6a). However, God’s power does not relieve a man of his own responsibilities.
There is a time your muscle must cease working or may become inadequate, and you must look onto God alone. You need divine intervention at that time, which is different from divine participation that every child of God enjoys or should ensure regularly.
In 2 Kings 4:16, the prophet Elisha said to the Shunammite woman, who was childless, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son” (New King James Version). One would have expected that the woman would shout for joy and begin to dance, but this was not so. She replied, “No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!” (Verse 16b New King James Version). Was she calling Elisha a liar? She wasn’t despising Elisha. In verse 9, she told her husband that she knew Elisha was a holy man of God. A holy man of God would not lie.
Maybe some people had raised her hope like that in the past, but nothing happened. Can you relate to that? Prophecies you were given but the time has passed, and they were not fulfilled. This wealthy woman had no faith to receive her miracle! She had already adjusted to her problem! She no longer felt the need for a child after probably waiting for many years. She, in a way, by her reply, tried to cancel her miracle.
But God knew where the woman was coming from and probably the man of God knew too. Ordinarily, this woman would not have had her miracle baby, as spoken by the prophet, because of her unbelief. But God had mercy on her. The woman had been faithfully sowing a seed of hospitality into the life of Elisha for some time. Verse 17 says, “But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her” (New King James Version). Hallelujah!
Don’t cancel your miracles by your words of unbelief or doubt, or negative attitude. In Luke 8, someone wanted to cancel the miracle of the ruler of the Synagogue, Jairus. He had gone to Jesus to beg Him to come to his house to heal his only daughter, about twelve years of age, who was dying.
Jesus, on His way, was delayed by the woman with the issue of blood, during which Jairus’ daughter died. Then, someone came from Jairus’ house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher” (Luke 8:49 New King James Version). That person didn’t make allowance for the power of God and appeared to be telling Jairus no miracle could happen at that time – it was too late.
The story continues: “But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well’” (Luke 8:50 New King James Version). Jesus seemed to be telling Jairus not to cancel or allow anyone to cancel his miracle. When Jesus got to Jairus’ house, He met mourners who ridiculed him that the daughter was dead and not sleeping as Jesus had said. However, Jesus brought Jairus’ daughter back to life.
Don’t cancel your miracles. The angel said to Mary that she would conceive and bring forth a Son, Jesus. That was strange because she was a virgin. But after the angel had answered her question about how that would be possible, she agreed with God, saying, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38 New King James Version). She didn’t cancel her miracle.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were without children for many years. But after the angel visited him, with the assurance that he would have a child, he became deaf and dumb until the time of naming the child, because he didn’t believe the angel. Probably he suffered that so that he wouldn’t cancel the miracle of the baby destined to be the forerunner of Jesus Christ! (Luke 1:5-24).
Don’t cancel your miracles. Don’t be like Martha. Believe what God says, even if it is illogical. “Jesus said to her [Martha], ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:23-26New King James Version). Martha’s words didn’t demonstrate faith. Jesus eventually raised Martha’s brother, Lazarus, from the dead.
Keep believing, obeying, and confessing every Word of God. It shall be unto you according to the Word of God.
One of the officers of the king of Israel faulted the prophet Elisha’s prophecy and tried to cancel the miracle of abundance God wanted to give the people when there was a severe famine in Samaria, a city under the siege of the Syrians. Elisha said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria’” (2 Kings 7:1 New King James Version).
Unfortunately, this king’s officer dared to refute Elisha. He answered, “So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, ‘Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?’” (Verse 2a New King James Version). This man went too far. His question was so audacious. He wasn’t seeking clarifications; he was showing unbelief. Was he not aware how God rained down manna every morning and fed the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years or did he think God had stopped performing miracles? Manna only ceased when the Israelites came to the border of the land of Canaan (Exodus 16:15-35; Numbers 11:7-9).
Elisha replied to this man straightaway, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it” (2 Kings 7:2b New King James Version). Elisha’s prophecy of abundance was fulfilled and the prophecy of the man’s death was equally fulfilled – one positive, the other negative. The crowd trampled on the man at the gate the day Elisha’s prophecy of the abundance of food was fulfilled. His mouth killed him! Don’t cancel your miracles.
Hebrews 3:19 says the Israelites who perished in the wilderness could not enter in because of unbelief. Beware of unbelief – lack of faith – in your relationship with God. Believe in the promises of God; don’t show unbelief. It will cancel your miracles. In Mark 9:23, Jesus told the father of the child His disciples couldn’t heal, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (New King James Version). He replied that he believed but Jesus should help his unbelief! Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit; He cast out the deaf and dumb spirit. The child was healed.
Don’t cancel your miracles with unbelief. The people of Nazareth did not experience many miracles through Jesus Christ because of their unbelief. “But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.’ Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:57-58 New King James Version). Mark 6:6a says Jesus marveled because of their unbelief.
Don’t emulate the people of Nazareth. Follow the faith of Abraham. The Bible says of Abraham, “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore ‘it was accounted to him for righteousness’” (Romans 4:20-22 New King James Version).
Have faith in God. If you’re guilty of unbelief, turn from it today.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I repent of my unbelief and believe Your Word. Let it be to me according to Your Word. I will no longer cancel my miracles. I receive the fulfillment of Your promises in my life. Father, we believe, help the unbelief of Your children – make our faith stronger; help us not to doubt.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
