As mentioned in the previous blog, the interest in the supernatural among unbelievers and believers has increased significantly over the past years. You don’t have to be born again and follow Jesus in order to walk in the supernatural and do signs and wonders. Many believers are, just like unbelievers, curious and interested in the supernatural and therefore they are eager to hear more about it. That’s why, in many churches, the sermons, doctrines (teachings) and seminars are mainly based upon walking in the supernatural and performing signs and wonders.
Is it wrong to perform signs and wonders? Not all! But the signs (i.e. casting out demons, speaking in other tongues, healing the sick by the laying on of hands, taking up serpents, raising the death) shall follow the believers. Jesus has commanded to preach the gospel, the repentance, and remission of sins, and to teach and disciple all nations, baptize them, teach them to observe all things that Jesus has commanded, and remit or retain sins (Mat 28:18-20, Mar 16:15-18, Lu 24:47-49, Jn 20:21-23). But how can you preach the gospel and make disciples, and teach them to observe all things that Jesus has commanded if you don’t know and do the Word? How can you represent and bring the Kingdom of God to the people if you don’t see, know and walk in the Kingdom of God?
Focus on Jesus Christ
The focus of every believer shouldn’t be signs and wonders, but should be Jesus Christ, doing His commandments, living after His will, living a holy life (a devoted life unto God) and represent and bring His Kingdom on this earth. You can only do this by having a personal relationship with Jesus and through Jesus with the Father. Out of your relationship with Jesus Christ and your reliance on Him and in His authority, without using and applying human methods and technics, you shall go in His Name and represent Him among the people and shall do the works of the Kingdom of God in His authority, whereby people shall repent upon the words you speak and by the Holy Spirit, and the signs and wonders shall follow you and not the other way around. Saving a soul is more important than signs and wonders.
When the disciples returned with joy, because the devils were subjected through His Name, Jesus said, that they should not rejoice that the spirits were subjected unto them, but that they should rather rejoice that their names were written in heaven (Lu 10:17-20)
But in most carnal churches, we see that the sermons and doctrines are not focused upon the relationship with Jesus Christ, sanctification, putting off the old man and putting on the new man, self-control, teachings, and corrections from God’s Word, so that believers mature spiritually and grow up into the image of Jesus in character and walk. But the sermons and doctrines are mainly based upon walking in the supernatural, supernatural blessings and doing signs and wonders, whereby the believers are being taught to walk in the supernatural by applying all kinds of human technics and methods, and as a result will prophesy, dream, receive visions and revelations and do all kinds of signs and wonders.
Enter the spiritual realm on the basis of words and experiences of preachers
Many believers are not born again or keep living after the flesh and are unspiritual and therefore they don’t have any spiritual discernment, but they have gained insights and knowledge of the spiritual realm, by what preachers and teachers teach and tell them about the spiritual realm through their own experiences. They receive this information and make it their own and apply carnal technics and methods, which they have been taught, in their lives.
But since they are unspiritual and don’t discern the spirits, they don’t see what they are actually doing and what happens in the spiritual realm.
They enter the spiritual realm not by the Word, the Holy Spirit, and their spirit, but by the words of man and their soul (flesh).
Instead of praying and studying the Bible and receive knowledge and insights by the Holy Spirit in the Word about the will of God and the Kingdom of God, they rather go to events and conferences, whereby the spiritual realm and spiritual warfare are being discussed from the experiences of a person and whereby the manifestations of signs, wonders and miracles are the centers.
Especially events with supernatural manifestations draw many people. This proves that many believers are still carnal, sense ruled and led by their flesh. They want to see signs, wonders, and supernatural manifestations and feel and experience the ‘Holy Spirit’. But the Holy Spirit isn’t a feeling nor energy, but He is Spirit and communicates and works in the spirit of the born again believer.
Seeking for signs
The old creation (the old man) belongs to the unfaithful generation (of vipers) or as Jesus said: an evil, wicked and adulterous generation, who seeks for a sign (Mat 12:38-39, 16:1-4, Mk 8:11-12, Lu 11:29). But if they have seen a sign or a miracle, it is not enough and they still not believe, but they want to see more signs and wonders.
This happened to Jesus and those, who followed Him. The majority of His followers followed Jesus only because of His signs and wonders and not because of His words of life, which were often hard and confronting. No, they were not interested in His hard words and didn’t want to hear them, but they were only interested in His signs, miracles and supernatural manifestations. Take for example the 5000 followers (women and children not included). In the end, only twelve were left, namely His disciples, whom had given up their own life (except Jude) and followed Jesus because of His words.
The multitude followed Jesus for the signs and wonders
And a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His miracles which He did on them that were diseased (Joh 6:2)
In John 6, we read about the attitude and behavior of the old man. The multitude followed Jesus because they had seen the miracles, which He had performed on them that were sick. When the multitude followed Jesus and found Him with His disciples on the mountain, Jesus fed the 5000 (women and children not included) with only five loaves of bread and two fishes. After all these signs and miracles, they knew, that Jesus was the Prophet, Who would come into the world and therefore they wanted to take Him with force and make Him King. But Jesus didn’t allow them and withdrew Himself and went into the mountain by Himself (Jn 6:14-15)
Jesus knew the nature and the heart of fallen man and knew that the old man will admire, praise and exalt you one moment and the next moment will criticize, condemn, crush you and let you fall. And that’s exactly what happened with Jesus and the multitude.
The next day, when the people were looking for Jesus and found Him in the synagogue in Capernaum. they asked Jesus how He had come to the other side of the sea since there was only one ship that went and only His disciples were on board. But Jesus didn’t answer them, but He said:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, You seek Me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that you believe on Him Whom He hath sent. They said therefore unto Him, What sign shewest Thou then, that we may see, and believe Thee? What dost Thou work? (Jn 6: 26-30)
Jesus healed so many people, that’s why they followed Jesus. Jesus had fed them with only five loaves of bread and two fishes, after which they regarded Him as a Prophet and wanted to make Him King. You would think, that they would believe in Jesus the Messiah and that He was the Son of the living God. But no, they asked Him for a sign, so that they would see and believe that He was indeed the Messiah; the One, Whom God sent to the earth.
Murmur and strive among the followers of Jesus
The multitude expected a sign from Jesus, but Jesus didn’t give them a sign, He witnessed and told them that He was the Bread, that came from heaven. When the multitude heard His words, they began to murmur at Him, because they saw Jesus after the flesh, as the son of Joseph (Jn 6:32-41).
Jesus continued and witnessed, that He was the Bread of life and if someone would believe on Him he would have everlasting life. If any man would eat of the bread, he would live forever and that the bread, that He would give would be His flesh, which He would give for the life of the world. When the Jews heard His words they began to strive among themselves and wondered how Jesus could give them His flesh to eat (Jn 6:48-52)
Jesus wasn’t troubled and intimidated by their murmur and their striving, but He continued and said, that except they would eat of the flesh of the Son of man and would drink of His blood, they wouldn’t have life in them.
Only when they would eat of His flesh and drink of His blood, they would have eternal life, and He would raise them up at the last day. And Jesus continued (Jn 6:53-59).
But the multitude didn’t consider His words as words of life, but as hard words and therefore they were offended. They considered His words a hard saying and were not able to hear it.
Jesus wasn’t intimidated by people
Jesus knew their heart and knew, why they were murmuring and asked them if His saying offended them. But Jesus wasn’t intimidated by them and didn’t change and adjust His hard sayings, to what the people wanted to hear. Jesus didn’t stay silent but continued with His testimony. Which eventually caused many of His disciples to went back and left Him and didn’t walk with Him any longer.
His disciples asked for signs because they wanted to see signs and wonders. They didn’t ask for hard confronting words, which would cause them to change their lives and even give up their own lives.
Jesus let them go. He didn’t change and adjust His words. He didn’t beg them to stay and to give Him another change. No, He didn’t chase them and use flattering words to persuade them to stay with Him. Instead, He asked the twelve disciples, who were the only ones that were left, if they also wanted to go. But the twelve disciples didn’t follow Jesus because of the signs and wonders, but because of His words. And that’s why they stayed with Him because Jesus had words of eternal life.
Repentance on the basis of signs and wonders or the Word of God?
Unfortunately, we see the same phenomenon today among believers, whereby many believers become Christians and decide to follow Jesus for the signs and wonders, instead of the Word. But faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God and not by signs and wonders (Rom 10:17)
Those, who have repented on the basis of signs, wonders, and supernatural manifestations, are many times not focused upon the Word and don’t like hard and confronting words, and words of correction, but they are focused upon signs, wonders and supernatural manifestations. They run from one (famous) preacher, apostle, evangelist or prophet to the other. They are ever learning, listening and watching for hours to Christian television or social media channels and follow all kinds of preachers, apostles, evangelists and prophets, who perform great signs, wonders and supernatural manifestations, instead of taking the Bible and study the Word of God by themselves and take His words of life, which are often confronting and corrective and take the living, confronting but also corrective words of Jesus; the Word and apply them to their lives. Because His words will deal with the soulish old carnal man, and ensure that the new man will mature into the image of Jesus Christ
The church possessed by the kingdom of darkness
Due to the fact, that many believers stay the old carnal man, walk after the flesh and enter the spiritual realm out of the soul (flesh) and/or get involved with the occult, many churches have become occult and live under the authority of evil spirits of darkness, that becomes visible in the natural realm, among others, by the sins of the believers ((Read also: ‘The occult church’ and ‘New age in the church’).
Many claims to be spiritual, because they experience supernatural manifestations in their lives and in the church, but soulish supernatural manifestations, don’t prove if believers are born again and walk after the Spirit or not.
Only their lives and the works they do, prove to whom they belong: Jesus or the devil and by whom they do the signs, wonders, and supernatural manifestations.
When believers are lukewarm, passive for prayer, studying the Bible and the things of the Kingdom of God and keep living in sin, it shows that the believers, who are the church, live under the authority of the devil.
They are led by the devil and walk after his will, instead of that they are led by Jesus and walk after His will, which is also the will of God.
As long as supernatural manifestations occur in the church, but the church allows the works of the devil, under the guise that the time has changed, or to be respectful towards others, the grace of God and the love of God, which according to many tolerates and accept sins, only prove that the church is carnal and is spiritual asleep. Because the church doesn’t notice and see the devilish power of sin; the spiritual aspect and the bondage of the church to the kingdom of darkness, that is revealed in the flesh through sin.
As long as a church doesn’t see, represent and bring the Kingdom of God on this earth, it proves that the church is not born again and still carnal. Because if the church would see the Kingdom of God, they would see the holiness and righteousness of our Lord God and His righteous love, which shows His mercy, goodness and grace and the giving of His Word. Both the Living Word; Jesus and His blood as the written Word, that both represent His will.
The grace of God calls man to repentance
God is a holy God and a righteous God and those, who truly love Him, shall yield themselves to Him and His commandments and live after His will. His grace is not a license to keep living in sin, but His grace calls man to repentance and the putting away of sins (Rom 2:4).
God cannot be a Partaker of sin, Jesus cannot be a Partaker of sin (He has dealt with sin, so that everyone can be freed from the sinful nature, that causes sin, by becoming a new creation in Him) and the Holy Spirit, who lives in the believers, can also not be a Partaker of sin.
When supernatural manifestations take place, but believers keep living after the flesh and persevere in sin, then the Holy Spirit is not present and working, but another spirit (or spirits) is working, who will eventually terrorize the lives of believers
Believers, who are focused upon signs and wonders will be fooled
Those, who stay carnal, and walk after the flesh are being sense ruled and led by what they see and occurs in the visible realm. But if they stay focused on the supernatural manifestations, that occur in the visible realm, then many will be fooled and misled. Because as discussed in the previous blog, you don’t have to be born again to walk in the supernatural and prophecy, dream heavenly dreams, receive visions and revelations and do signs and wonders.
Jesus warned, that in the last days there would be false Christs and false prophets, who shew great signs and wonders, that even if it would be possible, would mislead the chosen ones (Mat 24:24-25, Mar 13:21-23). That’s why, we should not be focused upon signs and wonders and be led by them, but stay focused and keep our eyes on Jesus and His will and do His commandments.
Spiritually mature
You don’t spiritually mature by signs, wonders, and supernatural manifestations. As mentioned before, when all these things are done by the flesh, you shall become under the influence of demonic powers, who will control your life. Some signs of demonic activity in your life will be passiveness in prayer, in studying the Bible and the things of the Kingdom of God, weariness, melancholy, dejected spirit, depression, anxiety, fears, self-pity, dissatisfaction, angriness, and sexual uncleanness.
The fruit of the spirit are not signs, wonders, and supernatural manifestations. That’s why, you can walk in the supernatural and do signs and wonders, but that doesn’t prove whether you are born again and be saved or not.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Mat 7:21-23)
These believers had prophesied and cast out devils in the Name of Jesus and done many wonderful works, but Jesus didn’t allow them into the Kingdom of Heaven. Why not? Because Jesus didn’t know them. He even called them workers of iniquity!
Although they performed signs and wonders in His Name, they didn’t do the will of God the Father. Their lives were not changed, but they lived after the flesh in sins. They didn’t love God above all and didn’t walk after the Spirit, doing the will of God, because if they did, they wouldn’t do the works of iniquity and sin.
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Ps 119:11)
Don’t let this happen to you and make sure that you do know the real Jesus Christ personally, by spending time in the Word and in prayer. Don’t feed yourselves with the things of this world, but feed yourself with the Word and the things of the Kingdom of God. Seek those things, which are above where Christ is seated, but you should do this by the spirit, through the Holy Spirit and the Word. If you live after the Spirit and doing His words and His will, then the signs and wonders shall follow you and not the other way around.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
