Breaking Barriers (Part 1) (Mark 16:18,20; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; Hebrews 2:3-4; Acts 2:43; 5:8,12; 6:5; 8:1, 4-7; 9:10; 10:17-18,34; 21:8)

Impossible Possible

Breaking the 4 minute mile was considered to be scientifically, an impossible feat that the human body was incapable of achieving. Roger Bannister, a British medical student, on May 6, 1954, broke the physical and mental barrier of achieving a record time, of running the mile in under 4 minutes. Since that momentous occasion, at least 1,755 athletes have run the mile, in under 4 minutes. What was deemed impossible became not only probable, but has been totally achievable by numerous athletes.

Whether taught, or simply caught, living a substandard, 'normal' Christian life, void of expressive transformation, with frequent manifestations of the spiritually supernatural, is often relegated to almost mythology, or some supposed past happening, in "Bible Days", where somehow, over the passage of time, all the wonder and amazement of miracles and dynamic displays of power, has slowly seeped out from any expectation of what seemed commonplace, in the pages of scripture.

Supernatural Scriptural Manifestations

Mark 16:20, "...and they [the disciples] went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with (them), and confirming the word with signs following."

1 Corinthians 2:4-5, "...and my speech and my preaching (were) not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power; that (your) faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Hebrews 2:3-4, "...great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard (Him), God also bearing (them) witness, both with signs and wonders and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will."

Regular and Expected

Manifestations of the supernatural were a regular, and expected occurrence, and no, it wasn't just the 12 apostles who demonstrated these manifestations of the Spirit. "...many wonders and signs were done by the apostles" (Acts 2:43), but not only the apostles, even though, "...by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people" (Acts 5:12).

Stephen

Stephen was a 'deacon', and "...a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit..." (Acts 6:5), but not an apostle, but "Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people" (Acts 5:8).

Ananias

The scripture says, "...there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias..." (Acts 9:10). He was just a disciple, "...and to him said the Lord in a vision.." (Acts 9:10), to go lay his hands on Saul [Paul], which he did, "...and immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales; and he [Paul] received his sight..." (Acts 10:17-18).

Philip

Philip was not one of the apostles, he was a disciple, who "...went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them and the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did; for unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many that were possessed; and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed" (Acts 8:5-7).

We know Philip wasn't Philip, of the 12, because the scripture states that "...at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles" (Acts 8:1) and "Therefore, they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria..." (Acts 8:4-5). In other words, he was one of the ones scattered, and not an apostle, but later called Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven.." (Acts 21:8) [see Acts 6:5].

If there were Stephen, Ananias, and Philip, who were ordinary disciples, it lends credence to the fact that there were also other disciples who demonstrated supernatural miracles and signs and wonders, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul

Paul was not one of the original 12 apostles, nor was he, by any means, the last apostle, but the scriptures are littered with examples of supernatural manifestations of power, demonstrated, by the Holy Spirit, through him.

The Acts of the Few

The acts of the few serve as examples to the many. In other words, since there are definite examples of supernatural manifestations occurring through ordinary disciples, and since "...God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34), what He has done through one, he can do through many, or through anyone who chooses to obey Him.

1) Signs Follow Believers

The scriptures state, "...these signs shall follow those who believe...they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mk.16:18). It doesn't say the signs follow the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers. The 'signs' follow those who believe.

2) Confirming the Word

Again, "...they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following" (Mk.16:20). The Lord didn't confirm the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers, He confirms His word, no matter who preaches it.

Conclusions:

If any believer can see these manifestations of supernatural power and it is the word that is confirmed, not the individual, there seems to be a couple of conclusions that can be drawn, if the scriptures are true, [and they are]:

1. There are not enough Believing Believers.

2. Maybe, if we are not experiencing the results that the scriptures state, then just maybe, we are not preaching "the word", so there's nothing for Him to confirm, "...with signs following"(Mk.16:20).

Believing Believers

Maria Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924), had every manifestation of the Spirit in operation during her ministry, from the dramatic healing of incurable diseases to persons falling into trances.

Aime Semple Mcpherson (1890-1944), founder of the FourSquare denomination, demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit in incredible displays of healing and spiritual manifestations, and at the time, had 10% [25,000], of the population of Los Angeles attending Angelus Temple.

Smith Wigglesworth (1859-1947), an uneducated plumber, had 22 documented persons raised from the dead; not counting those undocumented, and countless death-bed patients and those with incurable diseases, miraculously healed, by the power of God.

The healing evangelists of the 1950's [Oral Roberts, Jack Coe, A.A. Allen, William Branham, and others], had massive tents that traversed North America and demonstrated the supernatural in spectacular healing manifestations.

Kathryn Kulhman (1907-1976), according to public news media, they documented over 2 million persons miraculously healed by the power of God, through the Holy Spirit ministering through her, in publicly demonstrated supernatural spiritual manifestations.

There are hundreds of examples of ministers and ministries that have, and are now, experiencing supernatural healings, manifestations, and spectacular signs and wonders, through the workings of the Holy Spirit.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours