Miracles through the Apostles - 4 - Power

Peter Heals Man Lame for 8 Years - (Acts 9:32-35)

· Aeneas - lived in a city named Lydda

· The man’s faith for healing grew as he listened to the Gospel

Acts 9:32–35 NLT

32 Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. 35 Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.

· Miracles point to the Messiah! - regardless of who performs them.

Peter raised a girl from the dead (Acts 9:36-43)

Acts 9:36–43 NLT

36 There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. 37 About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. 38 But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!” 39 So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. 40 But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! 41 He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive. 42 The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides.

· Tabitha, or Dorcas

· Peter the disciple learned from, and followed, the example of Jesus, by ridding the room of unbelief so he could build an atmosphere of faith!

· Miracles are to point to the Messiah

Peter Preached to the first Gentile Church - (Acts 10:44-45)

Acts 10:44–45 NLT

44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too.

· Cornelius was not a Jew, so it was a “miracle” that any Jew would associate with him, much less come into his home, especially the Apostle Peter!

· The household of Cornelius was the miraculous doorway for you and I and every other non-Jew believer since the time of Christ!

· What a generational (and RE-generational) miracle!

Paul cursed and blinded a sorcerer (Acts 13:9-12)

· A judgment miracle

· Elymas was a false prophet and Jewish sorcerer who tried to keep the governor of the island of Cyprus, whose name was Sergius Paulus, from believing in Christ when the apostles Paul, Barnabas and John Mark visited him after they had preached in every synagogue there.

· John Mark was the author of the Gospel of Mark

Acts 13:9–12 NLT

9 Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. 10 Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord? 11 Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time.” Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him. 12 When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

· Miracles are to point to the Messiah

Paul & Barnabas performed signs and wonders in Iconium (Acts 14:3)

· A salvation miracle that followed the Salvation WORD

· ALWAYS put the Word first

Acts 14:3 NLT

3 But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.

· A great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers.

· Half of the city’s opinion sided with the apostles

Paul healed a crippled man (Acts 14:8-10)

· Lystra

· Crippled feet from birth - had never walked

Acts 14:8–10 NLT

8 While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting 9 and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. 10 So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.

Paul & Silas cast a demon from a fortune teller (Acts 16:16-18)

· slave girl

Acts 16:16–18 NLT

16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” 18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.

· Paul performed this miracle to stop the mockery of the ministry and the public sarcasm of the Gospel

· as a result of this exorcism, Paul and Silas were jailed, but God sent an earthquake as a midnight miracle to set them free!

· Every prisoner heard the Gospel

· The jailer repented, took them to his house, where his entire family became Christians, and were baptized, he washed their wounds, and fed them as they all rejoiced as God’s forgiven family!

· God sends His miracles to support His message!

· God sets men free - to free others!