This journey has driven Holly and I to the scriptures like never before. We’re daily searching for comfort and hope within its pages. And yet interestingly the more we study, the more we detect a significant disparity between what the biblical Christian experience was and what we actually experience in our day.

I’m not referring to the first century dress code of sandals and tunics, but rather there was a power that consistently flowed through Jesus and His followers that we rarely see today. They were able to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, break people out of jail, multiply food, and communicate the Gospel cross-culturally like no other.

These miraculous events were actually the natural result of a life of faith and were expected from followers of Christ. In fact Jesus goes so far to say that the very things He did, those who believe in Him will be able to do themselves and even greater. (John 14:12) And don’t forget Mark 16 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall be healed (verse 16 & 17). 

And yet when I survey my Christian experience over the last 32 years I don’t see greater things. Now granted, if I watch TBN long enough I’ll come across Benny Hen or the latest faith healer knocking people out on stage and then flying away in their private jet (No judgment…. I actually have a private jet too… by faith ;-)). But that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about seeing the mighty hand of God move in our church… in my church… in this day.

It seems we’ve traded in our belief in God’s willingness to perform miracles for an overreliance on the wisdom of men. We rationalize away this lack of supernatural activity in our daily life as just a thing of the past. Yet if we’re truthfully biblical, our failure to experience radical divine movements must be attributed directly to our lack of faith, NOT to God’s apparent inactivity.

For the more you study Scripture, the more you’ll realize that God is eager to move mightily on behalf of His people even in this day. He still desires to part the red seas, close the lion’s mouth, heal the sick, and even cause the sun to stand still. He’s God, and He has not changed. I imagine the angels are utterly flabbergasted when we get excited over a light bill paid here or a few extra dollars for gas there. I can hear them now, “Are you serious!?! We serve the God of the universe, who wants to blow your minds with His mighty acts! Exercise your faith by raising your expectation of what God can do and then move forward believing Him do it! He doesn’t want to just give you a few extra dollars for gas, He wants to give you the entire gas station!” 

More Evidence

He’s still the all mighty God who appeared to Abraham, and the ever-present God that walked the Israelites through the desert. Jesus Christ is still the same yesterday, today, and forever, and what He declared in Matt 17:20 still rings true today:  

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. And nothing will be impossible for you.

And this is just the beginning. He also says,

 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it (John 14:12-14).

When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matt 9:28, 29)

Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment (Matt:15:28)

If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:22, 23).

 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (John 15:7).

 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him (1 John 5:14).

 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up…. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:14-16). 

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God (2 Cor 1:20). 

My Point

Though it’s hard for me to admit, as a pastor I have preached and the church has subscribed to a powerless gospel void of mountain moving faith. While we do believe there is a God in heaven who sent His son to die for us and will one day come back for us this is where our faith begins and, sadly, ends.  Having faith in a God who wants to do great and mighty things through our life (i.e. raise the dead, heal the depressed, cast out demons, deal with debt, etc) is not a part of our theological construct and simply too unrealistic for any logical Christian to believe. Modern day faith isn’t intended to move mountains… just heal colds, after three days of sleep and a heavy dose of Benadryl.  

Yet unfortunately it’s this mentality that will prevent the modern day Christian from ever experiencing the God of the Bible. 

Holly and I, on the other hand, are now convinced that whether it’s healing Emilie Grace, or your child, or your finances, your job, or even your marriage… be it unto you according to your faith. For the bible is clear, nothing is too hard for God. The question that still remains however is, “do you believe?” And if you do, then act like it. 

So will all the real faith healers please stand up!