Do They Really Do Miracles?

There was a time when it was extremely difficult to know who a true minister is and who is not, those days are way behind us, because modern wolves somehow seem to have a way of revealing their fangs. How so? – Well, their boasting much about themselves betrays a lot. Much of that boasting, I have realized, revolves around the great miracles, signs and mighty wonders they have done. Before we investigate whether these miracles really happen, let us address this simple question; is the Gospel mainly about miracles?

Indeed miracles, signs and wonders make up much of the Christian doctrine, after all, the world we live in is a product of the miraculous creative power of the Almighty. Yes, even the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus was largely made of miracles. Yet, I have observed that these signs and wonders were not the chief end of His ministry, but only a forefront of who He was as the Messiah who came to save mankind from their sins. That is why we hear Him say, “I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, for this is what I came for” (Luk 4:43). This is the same approach that we see with the ministries of the New Testament Apostles, who also did many miracles. Yet they emphasized, not healings and financial breakthroughs, but repentance. They also taught sound theology so that people could exhibit godly lives, in the church, at home and to society at large. On the contrary, the average African minister today, is bad on sound theology and very big on the “signs and wonders” claim. They actually believe that the proof that they have been sent by God is that people testify of being helped by their ministries. Well, lest we forget, a traditional witchdoctor also helps a lot of people, who can also come and testify about how their lives have changed after visiting him. Do you see? Just in case you have never read Mathew 7:22-23, I will tell you that it describes many ministers who came to Jesus with an appeal for doing many signs, wonders and casting out demons in His name, yet He denied them with the words, “I never knew you.” The gospel is not about miracles. Salvation and godly living is the chief end of the biblical Gospel.

Do they really do these miracles?

As much as they boast about these signs and wonders, you will be amazed to learn that these miracles are actually not happening – in this whole continent of Africa! Here is the proof: What kind of miracles do we see Jesus and His disciples doing? I can just open Luke 7:22 and read that Jesus was opening the eyes of those who were really blind, healing the truly deaf, restoring the feet of those who were born crippled and even raising those who were dead for four days – into life. These were genuine miracles. And they are vastly different from the “miracles” we see today, and I have your conscience, dear reader, as my witness.

The so-called miracles that we see today are something like, “my back pain is now healed”… “Here is so and so, he had a migraine headache, it’s gone now.” “Papa, here is a lady, she had a chest pain, and she is feeling fine now”… “This man was walking with a crutch, now he is walking straight without a crutch”. At least I can discern, that these are very tiny miracles that can neither be medically proven nor visibly witnessed. Meanwhile, there are severely sick people, some with visible infirmities, who can’t fake their conditions, and have visited the miracle crusades many times but have never been healed. If anything, they have been blamed for lack of faith. I challenge you, reader, to show us your relative that was born without legs, and has been healed after visiting your “powerful man of God” who does signs and wonders. And don’t forget to bring verified medical records of the patient before and after. There is a popular American false prophet, Benny Hinn is his name, who used to claim miracles in his crusades. A private organization called the Fifth Estate, then decided to investigate his crusades with a hidden camera to see what was really happening and they were shocked to discover that “miracles” were supposedly happening on the front stage yet at the back there was a pile of bedridden and seriously crippled people who were dumped and later turned away without being healed. That is exactly what is happening in Africa today in all these miracle crusades that are advertised on every corner.

Not long before this day, the Covid disease was upon us, and where were the faith healers with their signs and wonders? Oh, I know, there were shut in their houses wearing masks. Then it means they are not doing what they claim to do, in the end, it’s falsehood using the name of Jesus.

What does it mean that the gospel comes with power?

Paul in His writings, most particularly 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, says something like, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” The so-called miracle workers of this day find a lot of comfort in this text. They even go on to suggest that if your preaching is not accompanied by miraculous wonders, then you are not a servant of the Lord. For a start – as I have already proved – they are not doing the same miracles as the genuine Apostles, whose ministry was unique because the Holy Spirit was still laying the foundation of the Church (Eph 2:20). Secondly, the true Gospel doesn’t need to be accompanied by signs and wonders because the message itself contains miraculous power to change stony hearts into new creatures, it’s called “the power of God, unto salvation” (Rom 1:16). Therefore, the best miracle we will ever witness through the preaching of the Gospel is not raising the dead, but raising the spiritually dead into life abundance. That is what we need the most. In a sense, this is what Paul meant when addressing the Thessalonians, that the Gospel must not only come with word only, but in the power of the Holy Spirit that is able to bring conviction unto salvation (1 Thess 1:5).

Come get your miracle?

You will see a lot of posters that have something like this: “Join us for a miracle crusade, God will be doing signs and wonders, and the atmosphere of miracles will be present”. The first wrong with that, is that we don’t see that in the New Testament. Neither Jesus nor His disciples ever dreamed of advertising themselves in advance. Question; if these guys don’t use the ministry of Christ as the model of their own ministries then what proof do we have that they are sent by Him? Secondly, God is sovereign, He does miracles in His own time, in His own way and for His glory; not during a miracle service that was advertised for the purpose of making money. Because of this, most of the so-called miracle services are nothing but a circus show that has nothing to do with the living God. Next time you see such a poster hanging on a tree, just save yourself time and look the other way.

I am only compelled to end with these questions; should we be quiet when the Gospel of this great salvation is being maligned this way? Should we loosen our screws of discernment to accommodate deceivers who promote false miracles in the name of our Lord? Should we look at our friends and family and wink at them as they blindly head towards the dip of false hope and eventual destruction? Others will be silent, but I will not. So help me God.

Sinothi Ncube