Dare We Expect Miracles Today?
The kind of miracles we should expect are a natural result of living close to God and cultivating a deep relationship with Him.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes that miracles should be a natural part of the Christian experience, arising from a close relationship with God rather than being staged or commercialized. He critiques the sensationalism surrounding miracle meetings and highlights that true miracles occur through sincere prayer and faith, as exemplified by John Wesley and C.H. Spurgeon. Tozer believes that when believers live in communion with God, answers to prayer and miraculous events become commonplace, reflecting God's tender mercies.
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I also long in the tender mercies of Christ that among us there may be the following: . . . 8. Answers to prayer; miracles should not be uncommon. I am not a miracle preacher. I have been in churches where they announced miracle meetings. If you look in the Saturday newspaper you will see occasionally somebody who will hit town and announce, "Come out and see some miracles." That kind of performing I do not care for. You cannot get miracles as you would get a chemical reaction.
You cannot get a miracle as you get a wonderful act on stage by a magician. God does not sell Himself into the hands of religious magicians. I do not believe in that kind of miracles. I believe in the kind of miracles that God gives to His people who live so close to Him that answers to prayer are common and these miracles are not uncommon. John Wesley never lowered himself to preach miracles once in his life. But the miracles that followed John Wesley's ministry were unbelievable.
On one instance he had to make an engagement, and his horse fell lame and could not travel. Wesley got down on his knees beside his horse and prayed for its healing. Then he got back up and rode, without the horse limping, to where he was going. He did not publicize the miracle and say, "We'll have a big tent here and advertize it." God just did those things for him. While C. H. Spurgeon did not preach healing, he had more people delivered in answer to his prayer than any doctor in London. Those are the kinds of miracles I am talking about.
Sermon Outline
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I
- The Problem with 'Miracle Meetings'
- God does not sell Himself into the hands of religious magicians
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II
- The Kind of Miracles We Should Expect
- Answers to prayer should be common among believers
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III
- Examples of Miracles in the Lives of John Wesley and C. H. Spurgeon
- Their miracles were not publicized, but were a natural result of their relationship with God
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IV
- The Importance of Living Close to God
- This is the key to experiencing the kind of miracles that God desires to give us
Key Quotes
“God does not sell Himself into the hands of religious magicians.” — A.W. Tozer
“You cannot get miracles as you would get a chemical reaction.” — A.W. Tozer
“I believe in the kind of miracles that God gives to His people who live so close to Him that answers to prayer are common and these miracles are not uncommon.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must prioritize living close to God in order to experience the kind of miracles that He desires to give us.
- Genuine miracles are not staged or publicized, but are a natural result of a deep relationship with God.
- We should focus on cultivating a deep relationship with God rather than seeking to perform miracles for the sake of publicity.