Divine Invasions

The day of my father’s funeral was the day I almost died. My siblings and I were still grieving the untimely death of our mother from cancer when our father was diagnosed with the same dreaded disease. Just four short years later, we gathered again in a little cemetery in Van Alstyne, Texas, to bury him next to our mom.

The afternoon of my father’s graveside service was dismal, with a steady rainfall that mirrored our tears. After we concluded our remembrances, the funeral director drove Amy and me, my brother and sister, and my stepmother to my father’s home in Richardson. I sat on the passenger side, watching the limousine’s windshield wipers struggle to keep up with the blinding rain. As the funeral director prepared to turn left onto my father’s street, I was only half listening to him discuss the ups and downs of the burial business when I noticed he proceeded into the intersection on an unprotected yellow arrow. Instinctively, I looked to my right. A large Cadillac sedan was barreling down on us. I screamed, “Don’t, no!” My family shrieked and braced for impact.

Then everything went into slow motion.

Two thoughts flashed across my mind: I’m about to die with some of the people I love most. Quickly followed by, isn’t it ironic that I’m going to die on the day of my father’s funeral?

And yet, I didn’t.

I have no natural explanation for how the Cadillac, which didn’t slow and was heading straight toward us, missed our limousine on that rain-slick road. I can only attribute our survival to the supernatural—that God miraculously protected my family on that grief-filled day. 

This is just one of several times God has miraculously intervened in my life and the lives of my loved ones. I refer to these occurrences as “divine invasions”—milestone moments of supernatural power, protection, provision, or physical wellness with no other explanation except for the movement of God. 

Divine invasions like these don’t happen often. After all, the word supernatural means “beyond or above that which is natural.” The reason we say something is supernatural is that it is not a regular occurrence in our natural lives; it’s rare. Yet I can point to some truly supernatural events in my life that confirm to me the reality of an invisible God. And in almost 50 years as a pastor, I’ve heard countless other stories of God invading people’s lives in ways that can only be described as a miracle. 

1. Does God Still Work Miracles Today?

Whenever we talk about miracles, we tend to think about God’s acts of parting the Red Sea, feeding 25,000 people with five loaves and two fish, healing the lame, or raising the dead. We read stories like that in Scripture and think, well, that’s a nice Bible story. God dramatically intervened back in those days, but we can’t depend upon God to do the same things in our lives today. After all, times have changed.

Is that true? Has God just left us on our own, and we shouldn’t expect His supernatural answers to our prayers or miraculous interventions in the world anymore? 

• Cessationism

When it comes to the subject of miracles, there are different perspectives among Christians. On one extreme, the theological tradition called cessationism claims that the sign gifts—the gift of tongues, the gift of healing, and the gift of miracles—stopped in the first century, after the Scriptures were written and the prophets and apostles passed from the scene. According to this view, God quit working miraculously because there is no longer any need to authenticate a person’s message as part of Scripture by the signs he or she performs.

• Continuationism

The other extreme is called continuationism to believe that miracles happen today in the very same way that they happened during New Testament times. Christians who hold this view say the sign gifts, including miracles, were given not only in the first century to authenticate the apostles to the early church, but all the sign gifts also continue today in the exact same way to authenticate a person’s ministry and teaching as coming from God.

So, which is it?

My personal belief is that God still performs miracles today. I believe that the power of God to work miracles has not changed. The same God who miraculously intervened time and time again in the Bible is available to intervene in your life and mine. I believe God still heals people physically. I believe God can choose to raise people from the dead, especially in those parts of the world where there is no Bible. I am convinced that God is still in the miracle-working business.

In my opinion, what has changed since the days of the New Testament is that God no longer uses human beings to act as intermediaries between Himself and those for whom He wants to perform a miracle. God can and does work miracles today if He so chooses; He’s just eliminated the need for a middleman.

I think of something my predecessor at First Baptist Church of Dallas, Dr. W. A. Criswell, used to say: “I believe in divine healing. I just don’t believe in divine healers.” I would say that is my belief, too. Because we have the New Testament, we no longer need miracles to authenticate genuine prophets of God. Nor do we need miracles as a sign to validate the ministry of preachers today, since faithfulness to the Word of God is a sufficient measuring stick. So if God wants to heal somebody, He does it directly. God can work miracles at any time and in any way He wants to. There’s no reason for Him to use an intermediary. We should pray for miracles and ask God to accomplish them in His way and His time.

2. What is a Miracle?

In the New Testament, we see four Greek words that describe what a miracle is. Let’s look at each of these words, and then I’ll show you a fifth phrase that refers to God’s miraculous interventions in people’s lives throughout Scripture.

• Mighty Works (Acts 8:9-13; 19:11-12)

In the New Testament, the Greek word dunamis is translated as “mighty works,” “great miracles,” or “extraordinary miracles.” We get our words dynamite and dynamic from it. Dunamis literally means “power” and refers to supernatural works that cannot be duplicated by natural agents.

• Signs (2 Corinthians 12:12)

The Greek word semeion is almost always translated as “signs,” signifying supernatural works that show something about the worker of signs. They are divine fingerprints. For example, when prophets or apostles performed signs in the Bible, those miracles pointed to their authority as authentic spokesmen for God. Paul made this clear when he wrote, “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles” (2 Corinthians 12:12).

What Paul meant by “signs” were literally “attesting miracles”—miracles that proved his authenticity as God’s apostle. 

• Wonders (Acts 2:22; Hebrews 2:3-4)

The third Greek word used for miracles is terata, translated “wonders.” Terata refers to supernatural works that cause or evoke astonishment, amazement, or awe in the one witnessing the miracle. They cause us to stand gap-mouthed, overcome with admiration.

Used 16 times in the New Testament, terata (“wonders”) often appears side by side with semeion (“signs”). The word “wonders” emphasizes the reaction of people to miracles. 

• Works (Matthew 11:2-5; John 10:37-38)

Fourth, the New Testament describes some miracles with the word erga, translated as “works.” In certain contexts, this word refers to supernatural works that cannot be performed by anyone other than Jesus Christ. These “works” go beyond any human efforts and are unique to Jesus as the Messiah.

• Miraculous Providence (Genesis 37-50; Acts 16)

Finally, the Bible also includes God’s miraculous acts of providence in the lives of His children. These types of divine invasions, often accomplished within the framework of natural laws, demonstrate the hand of God in orchestrating His plan for our lives.

Providence is one of those words we use but really don’t understand what it means. The word providence comes from two words: pro which means before, and video, which means to see. Providence refers to God’s ability to see beforehand what happens to us. 

Did you know your situation today, whatever it is, didn’t take God by surprise? There’s nothing that happens to you that takes God by surprise. That illness. That termination. That divorce. As much of a shock as it was to you, it was no shock to God. He sees it all. But here’s the comforting truth: God not only sees our lives beforehand, but He also plans our life beforehand. And that’s what the term providence refers to. 

Providence refers to the fact that God is in control of every detail of His creation, which means He’s in control of your life and my life. 

Most of the stories you’ll encounter in this series—as well as most of the divine invasions in your own lives today—fall under this category: the miraculous providence of God.

3. Why Does God Perform Miracles?

When God acts, He doesn’t act willy-nilly.  Nothing God does is impulsive. Everything He does has a purpose, including working miracles. There are at least five purposes for miracles.

• Glorify God and Christ (Luke 5:24b-26; Luke 7:16; Luke 18:43)
• Demonstrate God’s Sovereignty (Exodus 7:4-5; Deuteronomy 29:5-6)
• Authenticate God’s Messengers (John 3:2; Acts 2:22)
• Confirm God’s Message (Acts 14:3; Hebrews 2:3-4)
• Encourage Greater Faith (Exodus 14:31; John 20:30-31) 

4. An Overview of the Series

In the messages that follow, we will see that God is still invading our lives today through miracles of power, protection, provision, and physical wellness. In each message, we will look at each of these kinds of miracles. Then, in the sixth message, we’ll turn to the difficult question of what to do when your miracle doesn’t come. I’ll address this reality as comprehensively and compassionately as I can, not only offering biblical answers but also providing encouragement to remain faithful to the Lord. In the final message, I’ll share some practical guidance that will help you learn how to discern authentic miracles.

As we begin our study of miracles together, let me give you a word of caution: Don’t become so enamored with the stories that you miss the Storyteller—the One behind the stories. The miracles might be compelling, but I urge you not to get so caught up in the stories of the supernatural that you miss the point. 

Keep in mind that these fascinating stories are intended to strengthen your faith in our miracle-working God. It’s my prayer that you’ll recognize God’s divine invasions in your own life and boldly call on Him whenever you need Him to act!