And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation…and these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues…they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover.” Mark 16:15-18
Today is the feast of Anthony of Padua, known for irresistible homilies, miracles, and healings. Those deeds came from saying “yes” to the Holy Spirit. The final group of gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12 are called the gifts of power. They demonstrate that God is God and He is powerful. They are faith of God, healing, miracles, and deliverance from evil spirits. The faith of God is the mustard-seed faith Jesus mentioned. It is not our faith for salvation; rather, it is the unshakeable faith that God can move mountains. Jesus saying, “Stretch out your hand” to a person with a withered hand is that kind of faith. The gift of healing is a supernatural action to restore a person’s body, mind, or spirit (as it will be in the kingdom of God). People being healed from disease, anxiety, and pain all testify to the care, love, and power of God. Miracles are healings on steroids. Creative miracles happen when missing organs are regrown or blind eyes have pupils or retinas restored. These miracles are often categorized by medicine as “misdiagnoses” because they do not conform to nature or reason. These gifts demonstrate that Jesus is indeed alive and active in our world and they give glory to the Father.
It can be easy to dismiss these because we have a culture of cynicism. Have you heard of someone receiving healing or a miracle? Would you like to see the power of God demonstrated in a real way? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what only He can do.