Introduction: The God Who Works Beyond Human Ability
The working of miracles is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12. These gifts are not abilities that people produce through talent, effort, or personality. They are manifestations of the Spirit of God, given as He wills. A miracle takes us beyond what human strength and natural circumstances can accomplish. Yet the working of miracles is not simply about spectacular events. It is about a God who chooses to work through people who will trust Him, obey Him, and care about others.
The Working of Miracles Among the Gifts of the Spirit
Paul writes, “To another the working of miracles” (1 Corinthians 12:10, KJV). The nine gifts can be grouped into three categories: revelation gifts, which include the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits; power gifts, which include faith, gifts of healing, and the working of miracles; and utterance gifts, which include prophecy, divers kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues. These categories help explain the gifts, but all are dependent on the same Spirit. The working of miracles is not a skill someone can activate at will. Its source is God.
God Does What We Cannot Do
At creation, God spoke and the world came into being (Genesis 1). But when the flood was coming, God did not simply place an ark before Noah. He gave Noah instructions and required him to build it. Noah had to believe God’s word and put his hands to the work before him. The Lord supplied the direction and the means of preservation, while Noah responded in faith and obedience. The same principle appears in Eden, where Adam was placed in the garden “to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15). God gives people responsibilities, even while they remain dependent on Him. We must do what He has given us to do and trust Him for what lies beyond our ability.
The Nature of God Must Accompany His Power
Spiritual gifts were never intended to make a person feel superior. The desire to be used by God must grow alongside His love and concern for people. A parent cares for a child because love compels that care, even when it demands sacrifice. How much more should those who seek the work of the Spirit care about the needs of others? God’s power is not a stage for personal recognition. When He works through someone, the proper response is humility and gratitude, not pride. Stephen was “full of faith and power” and did “great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8), yet his faithfulness did not mean everyone welcomed him. Being used by God does not guarantee popularity or an easy path.
What Makes a Miracle Different?
A miracle is described as an extraordinary event showing divine intervention in human affairs. The working of miracles is distinguished from the gifts of healings: the healing of an injured eye would be a healing, while the creation of an eye where one was absent would be a miracle. This distinction helps clarify the gifts without placing rigid limits on how God may work. The central point is that miracles reveal God’s action beyond ordinary human power, whether through nature, provision, deliverance, or another extraordinary intervention.
Miracles in the Old Testament
Scripture gives many examples of God acting beyond natural ability. The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon Samson, enabling feats of strength he could not have accomplished by himself (Judges 15–16). Elijah called upon the Lord at Mount Carmel, and the fire of God consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and the water (1 Kings 18:36–39). The waters of the Red Sea parted before Israel (Exodus 14), and the Jordan River was divided in the days of Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2:8, 14). When an axe head fell into the water, Elisha asked where it had fallen, cast in a stick, and “the iron did swim” (2 Kings 6:5–7). Each account points away from human ability and toward the Lord who intervenes.
Return to the Place Where It Was Lost
The floating axe head carries a practical lesson. Elisha asked the man to show him the place where the iron fell. This account challenges believers to examine where spiritual hunger, faith, or responsiveness to the gifts may have been neglected. We cannot recover spiritual vitality by pretending nothing has been lost. We can return to prayer, obedience, and earnest seeking of God. The illustration is an application of the account, not a claim that the passage itself is a direct command about spiritual gifts. Its challenge is still worth hearing: do not be content to leave behind what God has called His people to seek.
The Miracles of Jesus and His Disciples
Jesus fed a multitude from five barley loaves and two small fishes. He gave thanks, distributed the food, and instructed His disciples to gather the remaining fragments (John 6:9–13). The little that was offered became enough in His hands. Jesus also walked on water, calmed storms, turned water into wine, and raised the dead. These works demonstrate His authority and compassion. In Acts 8:5–8, Philip preached Christ in Samaria, and the people witnessed deliverance and healing, bringing great joy to the city. Acts 19:11–12 records that God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul, even as handkerchiefs and aprons taken from him were associated with healings and deliverance. The emphasis of the passage is that God wrought the miracles. Neither cloth nor human technique was the source of the power.
Miracles Are Not Something We Can Manufacture
There is a difference between praying in faith and trying to make something appear to happen. No amount of physical force, volume, or dramatic display can substitute for the work of the Holy Ghost. We must resist the temptation to manufacture an experience when God has not acted in the way someone expected. We should pray sincerely, trust the Lord, and treat people with care. The working of miracles belongs to God; the believer’s responsibility is to remain yielded to Him. Miracles are not limited to a church service or a prayer line. God can work wherever His people are, according to His will.
God Can Do Much With What Seems Small
The boy’s lunch in John 6 seemed insufficient for a multitude, yet Jesus used it. David faced Goliath with a sling and stones, but his confidence was in the Lord rather than the weapon (1 Samuel 17). Elijah’s servant saw a little cloud “like a man’s hand” before the long-awaited rain came (1 Kings 18:44). These accounts encourage us not to despise small beginnings. God does not require us to possess impressive resources before we obey Him. He calls us to offer what we have, take the step before us, and leave the outcome in His hands.
Miracles Can Bring Hope and Awaken Hunger
When people witness God’s compassion and power, their attention may turn toward Him. The miracles in Samaria were accompanied by great joy, and believers can long to see the Lord work in their own day, not only to hear accounts from the past. A sincere testimony can awaken a desire in someone else to seek God. Yet that desire should be directed toward the Giver rather than merely toward extraordinary experiences. We seek the Lord Himself, knowing that every true manifestation of His Spirit is meant to serve His purpose and bless people.
Conclusion: Be Available to God
The working of miracles reminds us that the Lord is not limited by the boundaries of human ability. Noah built, David swung the sling, the disciples distributed the bread, and the servants of God prayed and obeyed. None of them supplied the supernatural power. God did. We are called to cultivate faith, humility, love, and obedience. We may not know when or how God will intervene, but we can remain available to Him. Do what He has placed in your hands, care for the people He places before you, and trust Him with what only He can do.
Footnote:
This lesson is based on a recording and transcript of a Gifts of the Spirit class taught by Bro. Jerome Fedrick at Pine Grove Pentecostal Church on July 9, 2023. The material has been organized and edited for readability, with Scripture references and explanatory clarifications.