Expecting the Supernatural

How God’s grace upsets the natural (name him what? – “John”)

Luke 1:66 “…the hand of the Lord was with him (John the Baptist was either aided, protected or favored by God).  The spoken words could even have been a part of the speech of the neighbors – “What kind of child will this be?  God is so evidently with him!” [Elizabeth gets filled with the Holy Spirit in Luke 1:41 and Zacharias in 1:67.]

In the O.T. “the hand of the Lord” (also in Acts 11:21) referred to the divine inspiration that came upon the prophets.  It means to aid (as in extending the hand to help someone), to protect or to favor someone. Today, this influence comes in the Person of the Holy Spirit.

V. 23 “When he came and had seen the grace of God…”.  God showed them favor and demonstrated His power in the conversion of those who heard the gospel of grace.

Imitators of Peter’s Grace

Acts 11:19-23 The grace of God visible Disciples had heard of Peter’s preaching to the Gentiles (Peter defends God’s grace in 11:1-18). So they, too, go and preach to the Hellenists (v. 20).  Thank God that Peter got the message that God’s grace extended to the Gentiles!  What misconceptions are we holding on to that hinders the work of God going forward through us?

God Watches over His Word of Grace to Perform It

Acts 14:1-10  Paul & others at Iconium with grace for salvation and signs and wonders following to “confirm” (or “establish”, per Mark 16:20).

V. 3 “Their hands” become His hands!” We too are to lay hands on sick.

SFLB on Mark 16:20 – “The miracles that accompanied the disciples’ preaching confirmed to the people that the messengers were telling the truth, that God was backing up their message with supernatural phenomena, and that a new dispensation, the age of grace, had entered the world.”

Acts 20:17-32 The gospel of grace, the Kingdom, persecution & the H.S.

We need not apologize for our stand on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the gospel of the kingdom with signs, wonders, & supernatural manifestations following.   SFLB on v. 32 “The word of His grace always builds up and releases our spiritual inheritance.”

Page 2, “Expecting the Supernatural by Grace”, May 2, 2010

We Won’t Believe God if We’re “Head Bound”, Not “Heart Opened”

Heb. 13:8-9 – SFLB – “Faith comes from the heart (Rom. 10:10), which alone can appreciate the fullness of God’s grace.”  Grace “establishes” or “confirms” the Word through accompanying signs (as in Mark 16:20, Acts 14:3 & 20:32).

Grace Gives Us Desires for Godly Living & Good Works

Titus 2:11-15 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that…”). Grace comes to instruct us on how to live as God’s own special people!  This will be a sign & a wonder to many who knew the old person before salvation!!

“Zealous” (v. 14) means, “Burning with zeal, having warmth and feeling for or against, deep commitment and eager devotion to something or someone, uncompromising participant, admirer, imitator, follower of anyone.  [In Acts 22:3], Paul rejected his previous zeal that caused him to become a perse-cutor of the church, but rejoiced in his zelotes for the Lord Jesus Christ.”

1. Let us, too, become unapologetically dedicated to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Let us open our hearts right now by faith to the supernatural (i.e. Peter’s vision), without closing our minds.

3.  Let us boldly expect the grace of God to confirm His Word as we pray for

others, including salvations, healing, deliverance, Baptism in the H.S.,

godly living.

4.  As Kat Kerr comes, let’s believe for a fresh encounter with God.

5.  Right now, let’s shed low-level thinking & living – the Bible calls us eagles

in Isa. 40:31, not turkeys!