I saw a picture once of a man standing in front of a massive waterfall with his hands raised up. How could one not raise their hands when standing in front of a natural wonder? As I looked at the picture, I think of the water of the Holy Spirit being poured out upon the earth. “For I will pour out water on the thirsty land, And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants.” (Isaiah 44: 3) Yes, we wait for the great outpouring where miracle-working power will be plentiful!
Reading through the gospels, I see how Jesus encounters people “Taking offense at Him,”(Mark 6: 3) as He is stepping out in His anointing. Why? He was walking in His authority and in the power of the Holy Spirit, yet people got offended. I don’t get that! Why would someone be offended if a miracle is done?
Some folks didn’t like his message nor did they like His fame. It was different than what they were taught. He was introducing the unconditional love of the Savior, not religion. He was all about demonstrating a loving relationship with the Lord. They didn’t receive what was right in front of them.
Where was Jesus when the offense took place in this chapter? In his hometown, in Nazareth. There was such unbelief there, that “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few people and heal them.” (Mark 6: 5)
- Unbelief hinders the power of God from flowing freely.
If people are not understanding your anointing, Jesus knows the rejection you feel. His own family didn’t recognize him as the Son of God, nor as the Anointed One! “Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith.” (Mark 6: 5)
He instructs the “twelve,” His apostles, saying, “If any place will not welcome you, or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6: 11)
- Keep shaking the dust off, it shakes off any unbelief that may want to cling to you. (Taken from Mark 6: 1-29, Paraphrased)
Daniel certainly participated in God’s miracle-working power. He’s escaped being eaten by a lion. He dreams and gets visions of things to come for a single man and for all of mankind.
He now is praying for Jerusalem and remembers Jeremiah’s word “Concerning the desolation of Jerusalem so he turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting and in sackcloth and ashes.” (Daniel 9: 23)
The contents of his prayer at length, if you read it in its entirety, contains humility, worship, confession, and petition as he pours out his heart.
What happens as he is praying, Gabriel, appears bringing insight and understanding.
- God’s miracle-working power produces. (Taken from Daniel 9, Paraphrased)
David experiences God’s miracle-working power in all of his battles. Since he was a young warrior, he escaped death from Saul, who kept him in a fugitive role for many years.
Now in his older years, he is aware of Absalom, his son’s conspiracy to overthrow him as king. So he takes “All his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, saying, Come! We must flee or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will quickly overtake us and bring ruin upon us and put the city to the sword.” (2 Samuel 15: 14)
David flees and instructs Zadok, to take the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem where it belonged, in God’s city with God’s people. “David continued up the Mt. of Olives, weeping as he went with his head covered and was barefoot.” (2 Samuel 15: 30) Even though the ark was returned, God’s presence was still with David. (Taken from 2 Samuel 15, Paraphrased)
Our God is with us always. There are times we see and know and feel His presence and all is good. Then something happens and life gets challenging, or there’s a setback. Even in those times, His miracle-working power is still at work in our life.
Jesus had to choose to not be offended when His family and hometown neighborhood didn’t accept Him as the Anointed One. Daniel intercedes for the city of Jerusalem and all of its inhabitants. He’s in the world, but certainly not of the world. Angelic hosts are appearing to him with divine messages. David is fleeing from his son who is wanting to overthrow his kingdom.
Whatever life throws at us we have a choice how we respond. His work in our life will reveal how we respond to these challenges.
God has promised to pour out His Spirit on us and our offspring and the blessing from Heaven will be poured out, and His miracle-working power will be released through those who believe. Greater things are coming. Greater glory will be released, more love, and more power. His gifts are inside us all being released to reveal His love, and to build His kingdom.
UNBROKEN LOVE SERIES
You can find all of the Unbroken Love series posts by clicking the button below.
Comments are closed.