People have and they always will be looking for
signs to confirm spirituality also as affirmation of the approval of
God. Whenever there is a new preacher who claims to have healing power
or where people get healed in the meetings people flock from all over
to get a part of the action.
The attraction
of miracles, healings and manifestations they all have their root in
the desire of man to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Man has an
insatiable craving for pleasure and entertainment. And that is why
people are mesmerized and brainwashed by the TV and faith healers.
People continually they want to be tickled and fulfilled.
Jesus knew man and therefore he said, we read in Matthew 16:4 “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.
The
Jews were continuously looking for signs and yet they never believed in
Jesus. People have not changed. They run after signs and wonders, gold
dust and healings, manifestations, and golden teeth and tooth fillings
and all kinds of stuff, holy rollings all manifestations, all kinds of
spiritual sorcery but they are not interested in obedience to Jesus
Christ.
And
for this reason Jesus also did signs and wonders, but that testified to
judgment. To the judgment of those people who saw the signs. Jesus
said in John 15:24 “If I had not done among them the works which no one
else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and
hated Me and My Father as well. “But they have done this to fulfill the
word that is written in their Law, ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.’
The
signs did the people no good, they still hated Jesus because He
convicted them of there sin. Jesus said to His brothers (sons of Joseph
and Mary) “"The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I
testify of it, that its deeds are evil” John 7:7.
Many
people want the Holy Spirit because they want power for themselves,
their ministry, their glory, the same as Simon the magician in Acts
8:19-20. Many of the TV evangelists fall into this league but God has
gave them the gifts. They are deceivers and they are deceiving those
who want to be deceived, who want entertainment but they don’t want
Jesus and they don’t want righteousness.
God
is not miracles but He will give us what we ask for, however people
will end up in hell because they wanted the miracles but they didn’t
want the Giver of the miracles.
Many people
want the gift of tongues and they receive it but their hearts are far
from God. They still speak in tongues but they serve Satan. They think
that because they speak in tongues they are at right standing with God.
They are not. They have been delivered to their deception. “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
We read that in Romans 11:29. God never takes the gifts back even if
you fall away from Him. You still have the gifts but you are on your
way to hell.
The blessings of God are
not a guarantee that you are in right standing with God. More often the
chastisement of God is a sign that you are in right standing with Him.
Hebrews 12:5-6,8 says: “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the
Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord
loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Verse
8 “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then
are ye bastards, and not sons.”
So if you are without
chastisement you got a problem. If all is well with you then the devil
is also leaving you alone because he is happy with you. Jesus said: “In
the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the
world” John 16:33. If you as a Christian have NO TRIBULATION it is not
a SIGN that you are of God, it is a SIGN that you are OF THE WORLD. It
is not a sign that God is blessing you. It is a sign that the devil is
leaving you alone. Because if you are of God you will have tribulation
in your life Satan will be against you and the Holy Spirit will be
chastising you to perfect you in holiness so that you can be suitable
for the kingdom of heaven.
Because of the
evil desires of men to look for signs and wonders rather than the
righteousness of God He will give them sings and wonders but it will
trap them and that trap will consume them and take them into hell. Why
do I say that?
God
will give the Antichrist powers of deception to deceive those who hate
Jesus and righteousness. We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 “Then that
lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of
His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that
is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” who did
We
read in Matthew 24:21 “For then there will be a great tribulation, such
as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor
ever will. 22 “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have
been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There
He is,’ do not believe him. 24 “For false Christ’s and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
25 “Behold, I have told you in advance. 26 “So if they say to you,
‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in
the inner rooms,’ do not believe them.”
Jesus said: MY SHEEP KNOW MY VOICE and THEY FOLLOW ME (John 10). If you do not know his voice you will be deceived.
Many people only have some scripture knowledge but they don’t know the Master, neither are they interested. They will be deceived.
In
the end it will be as Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who
says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
What are you after my friend? Are you looking to do the will of the Father, which is to obey Jesus or are you looking for signs and wonders and miracles? God will give us what we ask. If we want miracles we will get that and en up in hell. If we want Jesus and obedience to Him we will share in His glory.
finalcall07 