In our current cultural climate, the thought of God doing profound miracles to supernaturally turn around a nation seems like folly to some – even believers who hold great respect for God’s Word, but no longer think miracles, signs, and wonders are the way forward, especially when a culture is locked in a contentious stalemate. The supernatural works of God were the way forward in Scripture when the culture of the day was hardened by political and religious division, and it has been the way forward with every great move of God in history. The Lord hasn’t changed His methodology.
We can’t study the Bible enough, worship enough, or go to enough conferences to accomplish the goal of cultural transformation. In the middle of all the arguing we do about politics, sexual identity, and the latest conspiracy theory, the Church for the most part seems to have lost her way in Western culture. We have become students, not practitioners of the miraculous. The Lord wants to awaken our expectation for the demonstration of His power. He is aligning willing individuals with strategic situations and locations that will become ignition points for a culture-transforming move of God.
One of the most unique images of this alignment is found in the book of Acts as Peter walked through the streets of Jerusalem. When his shadow fell upon people and they were healed. Even demons came out of people.
“As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed” (Acts 5:15-16).
I’m beginning to think the shadow cast by the life of Peter was not from the natural sun but from the brilliance of the supernatural Son of God who walked with Peter. The life of Christ accompanying each willing believer casts a supernatural shadow of the full Gospel, a Gospel filled with signs, wonders, and miracles.
I prayed to receive the gift of discernment a couple years ago. My wife died in February of 2019 and immediately following I told God I am all His and I felt at that point that gift would greatly help me in His endeavors. I know we don’t all receive all of the gifts, but I know the two gifts I have asked for I have received. I pray I use them in a way that aligns with God’s will. Thank you, and God bless