To understand my comments, you will need to at least scan a post I wrote about signs and wonders (The picture is tongue in cheek. It’s Smokey Robinson and The Miracles.).
Now… one of the things I love about interacting with believers of different Christian traditions and perspectives is that they help me see and understand things I otherwise would not think of or contemplate. Such is an interaction I had with a dear brother recently about signs, miracles, and wonders (The above post).
He told me that after reading what I wrote he was troubled that people could come away with the wrong perspective. He understood what I meant about them being counterfeited… BUT for something to be counterfeited there MUST be something REAL to be counterfeited! He is 100% right!
Just because there are excesses and counterfeits (Spiritual manifestations) does NOT mean that the real thing does not happen or is to be rejected! There ARE real healings… otherwise there’d be no need for fakery in this area. There ARE real signs God gives (today)… otherwise there would be no need for Satan to counterfeit them! My shortcoming was in not making this clear. The one thing I do NOT believe God gives today is new revelation because that was completed with the close of the Cannon (“Cannon” is the theological term for the Bible/Scripture).
My goal was to warn people so that they would be discerning regarding signs and wonders. My goal was for people not to believe a person just because they produce a sign, miracle, or wonder. This does not mean wonders and miracles don’t happen, but it DOES mean we are to be discerning when we hear of them or observe them.
How do we discern the real thing from something fake? Here are a few suggestions according to 1 John 4:1 where it is written… “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
The attention and glory will be directed to God alone by the one through whom the event takes place…
The person will not take any credit for the miracle, sign, or wonder…
The person will preach/teach historic orthodox Christian doctrine…
The person will preach/teach the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ alone…
The person will be consumed with God’s glory through the salvation of sinners rather than miracles…
There will be no other explanation for the wonder other than the hand of God at work…
The person will not mind being examined or questioned about the event (They won’t be defensive)…
The person will not make a big show or tout the miracle, they will point to God through Jesus.
God still performs miracles, signs, and wonders. At the same time the Adversary performs spiritual manifestations that are counterfeits of the real thing. Our call is to discern the difference.
If a man lays hands on another person, and prays in Jesus’ name, and commands the sickness to come out and it does, is that Satan or God?
Jerry… thank you for your comment. Just because God heals someone and they have used Jesus name does NOT mean they are necessarily genuine believers! I think you would agree with what is found in Matthew 7 where it is written, “Many will say to me on that day… didn’t we prophesy IN YOUR NAME… and cast out demons IN YOUR NAME and perform many wonderful works IN YOUR NAME? Then I will say to them, depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you!”
Just because a person uses Jesus name and GOD chooses to heal IN SPITE OF THEM does NOT confirm that they are from God. After all… doesn’t Satan appear as an angel of light? I think the point you are trying to make is without basis. But I do undersand the point you’re trying to make… I just don’t agree with it.