Releasing Spiritual Gifts: Workings of Miracles
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The God we worship is a miracle working God. And we His children, through faith in the Lord Jesus, are indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. In this Study we consider another manifestation of the Holy Spirit, described in 1 Cor 12:10 as "the working of miracles." Right through Scripture, we see God revealing Himself to mankind in miraculous deeds. One challenge we often face is not consigning such ways of God to the pages of history. Miracles represent the displacement of the rule of Satan by the Kingdom of God, whether in the realm of the physical, emotional, moral or spiritual.
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Questions
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1. As a kid, what did you do to make a little money?
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2. Read 2 Kings 4:1-7. Why would this widow turn to Elisha?
3. What does Elisha's response to the widow tell you about him?
4. Read Acts 19:1-12. Why do you think Paul went to Ephesus on his next trip (see 18:19-21)?
5. In v11, the miracles that God wrought through Paul are described as 'extraordinary.' What does that description reveal to us? Reflect on the significance of the varying descriptions of miracles in Heb 2:4; Acts 4:36, 16.
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6. If your faith was a jar of oil, how would you describe it: bone dry, running low, just enough for eve, being replenished, full and overflowing?
7. In what way(s) can you relate to the Elisha story?
8. Why are miracles integral to the coming of, and extension of, the Kingdom of God (see 1 Cor 4:20)? Why is this 'dunamis power' necessary (see 1 John 3:8)? If a believer or a church has a low priority for eagerly desiring the manifestation of the Spirit in the 'workings of miracles' (1 Cor 12:10), what might that reveal?
9. In the sermon, a number of possible 'handbrakes' were identified that can cause us to be less than fully open to the Spirit miraculously working through us. Do you relate to any of those? Can you identify other 'handbrakes'? Spend some time in prayer, confess any hurdles to being fully open to the Spirit, and ask the Lord to increase your faithful obedience.
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10. What factors have led to the discounted view of present day miracles in segments of the Church? On the other hand, how do we avoid chasing miracles rather than God Himself? What has the Spirit been teaching and directing you in this Study?
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