Do you believe in miracles? In the 21st century, miracles are sometimes viewed as either impossible or merely coincidental, since they are considered unexplainable by science. However, throughout the Bible, we see miracles regularly carried out by the very hand of God. Did you know? Over 80 miracles were recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible, such as the divine destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24-25), Moses and the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-3), and the fall of Jericho (Joshua 6:6-20). Another 80 more miracles are recorded in the New Testament, 40 of which were performed by Jesus himself.
Jesus Christ came onto the scene in the Gospels. He started his three-year ministry by miraculously healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, turning water into wine, and then some. Jesus performed miracles on over 40 different accounts, but there is no doubt that he did so much more than what was written down (John 21:24-25). In this article, we’ll take a look at three types of miracles that Jesus performed during his time on Earth.
MIRACLES OVER NATURE
“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” - Colossians 1:16
As seen in Luke 8:22-25, Matthew 14:22-33, and John 2:1-11, Jesus displayed his supernatural power over the laws of nature to show others the authority that God the Father had given Him. Because Jesus is one with God the Father, he had (and still has) incredible power over the natural world.
MIRACLES OF SUPPLY
“‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” - Malachi 3:10
In Luke 5:1-11, Matthew 17:24-27, and John 6:1-15, Jesus supernaturally provided for his followers by not only meeting their needs but by giving them more than they ever asked for. Whether it was feeding the five thousand or providing fish for his first disciples, there always seemed to be an overflow of leftovers whenever Jesus performed miracles of supply.
MIRACLES OF HEALING
“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.” - Matthew 4:23-24
If there had to be one type of miracle that showed the compassionate heart of Jesus, it would have to be his miracles of healing. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus healed blind men, paralytics, lepers, and even the deceased. Yes, you read that correctly...Jesus raised people from the dead on three accounts (Luke 7:11-17, Matthew 9:23-26, John 11:38-44) before his own resurrection. While Jesus often performed physical healings, he also healed others spiritually by 1) casting out demons and 2) forgiving sin.
CASTING OUT DEMONS
Jesus displayed his power not only over the physical world but over the spiritual realm as well. Because of his divine authority, Jesus was (and still is) infinitely stronger over Satan and his forces, which is why he could command demons to leave people immediately (Mark 1:21-28, Mark 9:25-27).
FORGIVENESS OF SIN
Perhaps the most important miracles that Jesus performed were demonstrated in his ability to provide forgiveness of sin. In each of the three accounts of the healing of the paralyzed man (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26), Jesus forgave the man’s sins before even healing him of his physical condition. This story shows us that God is more concerned with the healing of our souls than the healing of our bodies. For more on how Jesus forgives our sins, read this article.
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These three types of miracles show us that Jesus is the ultimate Creator, Supplier, and Healer, who deeply cares for all of humanity...sinner and righteous alike. When performing a variety of miracles, he gave us glimpses of what a new Heaven and a new Earth would look like… a place free from sin, brokenness, and death (Revelation 21:4)… and invited those who believed in Him as Lord and Savior to experience it firsthand.
Do you believe in the miraculous power of God? We encourage you to continue learning about the person of Jesus Christ by checking out the following articles!
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