The Limitation of Miracles and Spiritual Growth

There’s a subtle shift in the New Testament in the use of miraculous powers given to humans by God.

For instance, if Jesus needed money he could pull a coin from the mouth of a fish. If he needed to feed a mass of people he could feed thousands with just a few pieces of fish and bread.

And yet in the book of Acts we find that there is a famine in Judea and instead of miraculously manufacturing money and food the Apostles relied on the sacrificial giving of Gentile Christians. Oh they still did miraculous things but it was more on the order of casting out demons, healing the sick, tongues and prophecy.

So why would God begin to limit the miraculous gifts he had given to Spirit filled people? I think the answer is obvious… if God continuously spoon fed his children they would never become the spiritually mature men and women they needed to become.

That spiritual maturity could only come about by sacrificial living best demonstrated by Jesus Christ. God’s people begin to become like God when they sacrificially give of their resources just like he did.

So fast forward to today… what does that mean for us? One thing it means is don’t be continually asking God in prayer for things that we can provide for ourselves. In many areas he has already given us everything we need to become successful in life.

Another area of application would be the use of church resources. Don’t let the church and her resources (building, funds, etc.) be our primary source of fulfilling our social and financial obligations to each other.

Have people into your homes. Support Evangelists and ministries out of your own pocket. Use your money to be kind to others, etc.

Grow up… don’t continually be babies nursing on the breast of the church.

The church grew exponentially in the first century and a big reason was God stepped back and didn’t provide every single thing that his people needed when they could provide those things themselves… and they grew into the mature spiritual stature of Jesus Christ himself.

There’s a lesson in that for us as well.