Fueled by FaithSample

Day 3 - Faith is the key to seeing miracles happen.

Despite being a man, Peter was empowered by the Holy Spirit, and given the faith to do wonderful things for the glory of God. For example, Acts 3 tells us about Peter being able to perform a miracle, where a lame man was able to walk for the first time in his life. How was Peter able to command a man to walk, given how the man had never walked in his entire life? Peter was able to see the man rise up and walk because (1) Peter had faith in Christ, and (2) Peter commanded the man to rise up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth [Acts 3:6]. Peter was able to see the man healed, not by his own power, but by the power of God. After the man had been given the ability to walk, he leapt up, then he began to walk, leap, and praise God.

After those who witnessed the miracle were amazed by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, Peter took advantage of the opportunity that God had given to him, and he began to address the people that witnessed the man being healed. In verse 16, Peter tells the people that, “his [Jesus] name–by faith in his name–has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all”.

As a Christian, we are given the authority that Peter was given to perform miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. Why do people suffer if there are Christians all over the world who have been given the authority to heal the sick? Well, faith is limited by God’s will (we cannot “name it and claim it”), and in order to see miracles happen, we must act upon the faith that is granted to us by the Holy Spirit. It is when we make use of faith that we will see miracles happen. When the Holy Spirit gives you the faith to believe that something miraculous will take place, it becomes your duty to step out and do what the Holy Spirit tells you to do. Can you imagine how wonderful it would be to receive the gift of sight, after spending your entire life being unable to see? How wonderful must it feel to stand up after a lifetime of being in a wheelchair! How wonderful must music sound to one who has never been able to hear before! When you act upon the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and when you act in accordance with the faith that you have received, you will not only strengthen your faith in God, you will watch as God completely changes the lives of others. Faith is what we need in order to see miracles take place, so we must seek to live lives of faith.

REFLECTION:

1. Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit prompting you to do something?
2. When Peter performed a miracle in Acts 3, how did he behave? How must we respond to the work of God?
3. How much of an impact do you think Peter’s obedience to God had on the man who was able to walk for the first time?