Sermon Part 4: “Don’t Let Time Erode Your Confidence in God Working Miracles Through You!”
Praise the Lord Saints!
Without any major introduction or review, let’s move into today’s teaching. If you have missed any part of this Sermon Series, please go online and review the Sermons beginning, January 1, through February 5, 2023.
To work miracles you need to have “confidence” in God working through you to do the supernatural. The second of three major “weights” (encumbrances) we are talking about that erode born-again Christians’ confidence, is being conscience and sensitive to “time” when waiting for miracles to come into physical manifestation.
#2 Christians are Far Too Time Conscious and Sensitive, Which Works to Erode Confidence in Working Miracles.
Let’s get something straight upfront. When we pray for miracles to happen for others, our prayer petitions made with God are not subject “time.” Rather time, is subject to us! Your born-again spirit knows this truth, and you need to say this truth out loud, until your brain knows it as well. Just as a child, you rehearsed and learned to perfection that 1 + 1= 2, born-again Christians must learn that time is subject unto them.
So say this with me: “In God in Christ Jesus, I am not subject to time—rather, time is subject unto me!”
The Prophet Elijah understood this truth as he earnestly prayed that it would not rain for the space of three-and-half years, and the heavens were stopped up—not even a drop of dew fell to the earth! (I Kings 17:1) Then, Elijah prayed again, and it rained, and the earth produced crops. (I Kings 18:1) Notice that time, as well the atmospheric and environmental conditions all obeyed Elijah. Yet the Bible says, Elijah was a human being just like us! (James 5:17-18) The prayer of a righteous person makes the power of God dynamic in its working.
Also, notice that the prayer (words) of Elijah were so powerful that when he summoned for the rain to come, that the earth brought forth of her fruit. Look at the supernatural power of God! There was a famine in the land for 42-consecutive months, the ground had not been tilled and was hard, and no seeds had been planted by the farmers—just dew and rain from heaven falling to the earth brought forth bountiful harvests! The words from the mouth of Elijah were the eternal Words of God, which overrode time and the natural laws of seedtime and harvest.
Remember that Elijah was an Old-Testament prophet, and in no way did he possess the level of power, we as born-again Christians, possess today through the finished works of Jesus Christ on the cross! (More on this in a moment.) Nevertheless, what Elijah had which is essential in working miracles, both before and after the cross of Christ, is confidence in God, and an understanding that time is under the man of God’s control!
Born-again Christians Have Been Graced by God to See and Do Things That Were Ordained Before Time Began.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Corinth, that if any person is in Christ, they are a “new creature, old things have passed away, and behold all things have become new.” (II Cor. 5:17) We are an “entirely new species” that never existed before—greater than Adam before his fall into sin in the Garden of Eden, greater also than the Old-Testament Prophets, including John the Baptist! (Matt.11:11) We have been given the ability to see and do all new things in the Spirit.
Our lives have been recreated and hidden in Jesus Christ who is the eternal God, and we see and do eternal things that were created before "time."(Col. 3:3 & Eph. 2:10) Please see II Corinthians 4:18, it reads,
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Now understand that God created "time,"—days and seasons—when He recreated the earth, as recorded in Genesis 1:14. Adam, God’s first man on the recreated earth had authority over time, for he was not subject to time until he sinned—then death entered into his entire existence. (Gen. 2:17) Before Adam sinned, he never aged! Moreover, Adam displayed complete mastery over time as he gave names to all of the animals, the name “Eve” to his wife, named the female “woman,” and pronounced the marriage covenant of God between man and woman. (Gen. 2:20, 22-24, 3:20). Even after surrendering his authority and dominion over the earth by sin, it took Adam a total of 930-years—to learn how to die—to become fully submitted to time and physical death. (Gen. 5:5)
As we are “new creations” in Christ, we have eternal life and shall never see, taste, nor experience death. (John 8:51) Through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead on the third-day, the sting of death has been removed from all those who believe in and live for Him. (I Cor.15:55-57) One of the gifts of eternal life (intimate relationship with God and Jesus Christ) is the ability to see eternal things God has placed in our hearts, and to speak those things from eternity into existence, as God does. (John 17:3 & Rom. 4:17-18) The things God has deposited in our spirits are everything that pertains unto life and godliness. (II Pet. 1:3) Thus, when we pray, the things we require of God to do have no regard of time, as they come from eternity!
We are the people of God, we walk by faith and not by sight, including (“time”). When it comes to performing miracles—we do not even consider time—as time is irrelevant! The miracles we conceive in our hearts and perform are superior in manner and quality because they are before time, and have not been subjected to nor tainted by the negative effects of time in this corrupt world we live.
Now, consider the story of the wedding in Cana told at John 2:1-11. How when the wedding party ran out of wine, Jesus Christ (at the request of his mother Mary) commanded the servants to fill six water-pots with water full to the brim. Then Jesus instructed the servants to draw from the water-pots, the wine for tasting by the Governor. The Governor called the wine the best saved for last—not knowing that the wine just a few seconds prior was plain water.
The miracle wine brought forth for the wedding guests was made in eternity, from within the Spirit of Christ, and supernaturally shipped to Cana—circumventing and overriding natural laws of wine-making and delivery, which takes considerable labor and time. Wine experts say, the best vintage wines can take anywhere from a couple of months to four-years to fully ferment before being bottled. Yet, through Jesus, within seconds, gallons-full of magnificent wine was made ready for consumption by the Master’s Words.
How did Jesus do this miracle? He simply saw what God His father was doing in his heart, (spirit) and did it too. (John 5:19-20) Jesus paid no attention to time—his focus was on the eternal things of God. This type of wonder had never been seen, nor heard of before, because it came from eternity!
“Everyone” Receives a Miracle from God When They Pray in Faith.
God expects when we pray for miracles that we have confidence and assurance in our hearts that we received the miracle, when we asked for it. (Matt. 7:8 & Mark 11:24) This is critical for every Christian intercessor to understand when praying for others.
At Mark 11:24, Jesus said, “…What things so ever you desire “when” you pray, believe ye receive them and ye shall have them.” Jesus is saying we must take authority over time—take control over our “when,” as you pray, by believing you received whatever you asked for. Belief that you have received the desire when you pray, overrides the present circumstances of time. Let your receipt of the thing you desire replace the when!
I know this may sound a little harsh and direct to you, but this is what I hear God saying about this. God says, “You asked me for it, then only believe you received it! “When you pray for a miracle, hold out your hands and claim what you have asked for, because it’s yours.” “Take ownership of the thing you desire immediately after you pray for it.”
God says, “If you don’t believe you have received what you pray for, then don’t bother to ask for it, because you will never receive it!” So really, before you ask God, you must already expect to receive the thing (the miracle) you desire of God. You must, “Have Faith in God!” (Mark 11:22)
Follow me with this, God is Spirit, and therefore we have our relationship with Him in the Spirit, by faith in Jesus Christ. (John 4:23-24) When we petition for miracles, we must do so from the heart (eternal) where the eternal God abides. Spiritual things can only be compared with spiritual. (I Cor. 2:13) The realm of the eternal can only be searched out by the Spirit through grace and faith. (I Cor. 2:16) You see, you cannot mix the eternal things of God (miracles), and also place time limits on it. Such thinking creates "weights" in the thought-life of Christians.
When you become conscious of time—the moment you start clock-watching—looking at your watch and thinking about the minutes and days that have gone by and not seen the physical manifestation of the miracle, you have stepped out of faith and away from the eternal, and placed yourself under the watchful eye of time.
Time Consciousness and Sensitivity Creates Weight When Christians Don’t See Physical Evidence That Their Prayers Have Been Answered.
“Time” can be a cruel taskmaster for born-again Christians, who are cognizant of time when they pray for miracles for people. This is also true of born-again Christians who are believing/confessing that the promises from God’s Word come to pass in their own lives—and clock-watch.
Absent physical signs that healing has taken place, or some other good thing prayed for or confessed has manifested, many Christians over a period of time become weary, discouraged, and may even give up on receiving the miracle or promise of God. However, as born-again Christians living under the promises of God, we must diligently resist becoming clock-watchers—measuring the time it takes from when we pray for a miracle or confess a promise of God, to the physical manifestation of the miracle or promise.
But, the vast majority of Christians have made themselves slaves to time. For example, many times when Christians pray for the healing of others, if within a space of time they do not receive a good report that the person was healed, and symptoms persist or even have gotten worse, they tend to start doing what I call, “back-tracking.” In the case of Christian intercessors, if there is a period of time before the miracle comes, they will either (1) attempt to pray for the person again, (2) attempt to comfort the person by saying they will keep them in prayer, (3) refer them to someone else for prayer, and/or (4) express personal sympathy or empathy for the person’s condition.
NO, No, no, nooooo! This is “staggering” at the promise of God. This only leads to double-mindedness and the speaking of fear, doubt, and unbelief that God did not answer the prayer when it was first made. Remember, Jesus Christ said, everyone who asks, receives! (Matt. 7:8) Do we believe this, or not?
Don’t you see what Satan, the liar is trying to do? He wants the Christian intercessor to think that the miracle God is working through them for the person in crises, is subject to time. But the truth is the prayer of the righteous interrupts time and says to time, “now the miracle from eternity is going to be revealed!”
As such, we don’t let “time” drive the miracle, rather the miracle pushes time out of the way, and brings God’s best from eternity into the present. After prayer is made the first time—“ONE TIME,” we make no concessions to time. When we prayed the first time, we took possession of thing we desired of God to do, regardless of what the present circumstances may look like! Our confession that we received the miracle or promise never changes, and we hold on to it until we see the manifestation of it.
Christians who do not live by these truths will always perceive “time as a great weight” in performing miracles, and/or receiving a promise from God themselves. This is a very dangerous practice, and exactly the way Satan wants Christians to be—cognizant and sensitive to time, especially in crises situations. Satan wants Christians to think and say things like: If God doesn’t answer my prayer in a week, month, or year—then God didn’t hear me, God doesn’t care, or God doesn’t want me to have it. Satan wants Christians to respect “time” and use it as proof that God and His Word are not real!
Moreover, Satan wants our Church Leadership in the body of Christ to teach their congregations, and post on social media—as some have done—that miracles are a rare occurrence today, and stopped with the Apostles and early Church. But look at where these Church leaders have placed their belief in miracles—in “time.” Miracles can never be conceived in time because they are borne out of the Spirit of God (eternity). If miracles, and the supernatural, were not to be a part of the Christian experience today and until the return of Jesus Christ, then the Apostle Paul would not have taught the Church at Corinth about the special gifts of the Holy Ghost, at I Corinthians 12:7-11. (See below) Paul’s writings clearly show that these gifts were not just given to Jesus Christ and the Apostles, but are shared abroad within the body of Christ for enrichment of the work of the Ministry, and to bring God-good from eternity to Mankind.
7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
I see absolutely no time-limits placed on any of these gifts of the Spirit. Satan wants us to think and reason according to the flesh and bind ourselves to time. (Rom. 8:5) By rule, crises, provide temptation for ailing people to ask themselves and others the question: “How long do I have to put-up with this?” But, as born-again Christians, our hope and expectation is to be anchored in God only. God wants us to place all of our trust in Him, and acknowledge Him in all our ways—before, during, and after the crisis. (Prov. 3:5)
God our Father cannot lie and would never give to us anything less than His best—far better even than we ourselves are able to even ask or think! (Matt. 7:11, Luke 11:13, & Eph. 2:20) I remind you of Numbers 23:19, it reads as follows:
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
The Bible declares that with the stripes of Jesus Christ we were healed. (I Peter 2:24) We were healed 2000 years ago, and we are healed today and forever! I don’t care what time period, generation, or era we live in—we were healed when Christ bore the lashes!
If we as born-again Christians will abide in the knowledge that “God cannot lie,” and whatever God has spoken is already done in eternity—then there is never a reason to be concerned about time and how long it takes for a miracle to manifest. Since God cannot lie, we should never bear the weight of time consciousness and sensitivity in performing the work of the Ministry.
When time is not a consideration in our prayers with God, we only focus on the miracle or promise from the Word of God. Miracles, therefore, are expedited because we agree with God and heaven. Miracles come forth speedily when heaven and earth agree and remain in agreement. (Matt.18:18-19)
For consider Abraham, the father of many nations, whose seed we are through faith in Jesus Christ. (Gal. 3:6-9) Abraham, at about 100 years-old did not consider his own body, nor the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He staggered not at the promise of God, but was strong in faith, and gave God glory. Abraham was fully persuaded that God was able to perform that which he promised by Covenant—Isaac the promised seed. Time never entered into the equation with Abraham—only the promise of God captured his heart, imagination, will, and performance—thus, Sarah conceived seed and gave birth to Isaac. (Rom. 4:18-22)
The Power of the Tongue Contains the Choice of Life or Death, Let Us Help the American People Wisely Choose Life.
The power to turn on life or death is with an apparatus in our mouths called, “the tongue.” (Prov.18:21) God has given to us great responsibility in choosing the quality of life we will experience on earth, and freely share with others. Moses wrote:
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. (Deut. 30:19)
Tell me, which one have you chosen, life or death, blessing or cursing? Have you chosen life and the blessing through Jesus Christ? (Gal. 3:13-14) The power is in your tongue to choose. If you have chosen life and blessing, then you must also make that same choice for everyone—your family, friends, strangers, and enemies. You cannot choose life and blessing for yourself, and death and cursing, for other people!
Jesus has commanded that we love others, just as we love ourselves. (Matt. 22:37-39) Therefore, we must desire that all Americans and people abroad, especially those who are in the midst of crises, receive life and blessing from us.
As Christian intercessors, as we lay hands on people, with confidence, we must crack and crush the crises of people in our hands, and then speak life and blessing into their lives—the Peace of Christ. The moment we do this, in faith in Jesus Christ, and the person believes in Jesus, the prayer is heard and answered by God. We need to help people in crises understand—that according to their belief in Jesus Christ—they have received the desired miracle, and to walk in their deliverance from the crises. In ministering to people in crises, we are to be compelling and emphatic before, during, and after we pray that the miracle they need has been provided.
In a minute I’m going to pull in some Scriptures to shine a bright light on this weight of “time consciousness and sensitivity,” and chase this evil weight back to hell where it belongs. Praise God! Prior to the manifestation of the miracle we pray for, the fruit of the Spirit, called, “Patience” must be deployed. (Gal. 5:22-23)
Patience is a virtue of God—an anointing that removes burdens and destroys yokes. Patience in waiting on the manifestation of miracles and the promises of God provide proof to God and all of heaven, that we: (1) Believe in God, (2) Believe in God’s promises, (3) Believe that God’s promises have already been done, as well as (4) Believe that God’s promises will come in abundance beyond what we ask or think.
In the heart of every born-again Christian, God has placed “His Patience” so we can run the Christian race to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ—in intellect, personality, behavior, and performance. Patience is to be released every time we pray, regardless of whether there is a short-or-long duration between the time prayer was made, and the miracle or promise of God comes into physical manifestation. Patience focuses all of its attention on the miracle, or promise of God, and remains consistently the same in its ownership of the desired petition.
When working miracles, God wants us to be patient, as the Holy Ghost teaches us how to see eternal things, listen to His Voice, and follow His actions to perform miracles. God wants us to remain humble and patient whether we are successful, or seemingly unsuccessful, in doing the work of miracles. God also wants us to employ patients so we never enter into boasting of self-works, pretending to release or receive the power of God, or embellishing and making falsehoods about miracles performed. God’s power and work will always stand and speak for itself.
Now, receive with meekness the following Scriptures regarding the necessity of patience as we run the Christian race:
Hebrews 10: 35-36
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Eph. 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Psalm 27:14:
Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
James 1:4-8
4. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Patience is the bedrock of our confidence in God as we pray for those in crises. We know God hears our prayers and has answered them when we pray. See, I John 5:14-15, it reads:
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Final Thoughts
When you ask God for anything, according to the promises of God, in faith in the name of Jesus, God heard you and you have it. You don't have to keep asking God for a miracle or promise over and over. You don't have to wonder when or if you will get the miracle or promise. Have confidence that the prayer for the miracle or promise has been turned over into your faithful stewardship, thank God for it, and patiently wait until you see it in physical form. Patiently waiting means to continue and stand firm declaring that you have the promise from God no matter what conditions around you may appear to be.
Satan wants you, as God’s intercessor, to place and set your attention on crises, and the time it takes to resolve them, rather than keeping your spiritual eyes on Jesus Christ. This is why the writer at Hebrews 12:1-3 says we are always to look at Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith while running our race.
1. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
We are to study the testimony of the life of Jesus Christ and all He endured, which will strengthen and infuse us with power and might to patiently wait on the Lord to work miracles through us. This is not just a saying, God means for us to rehearse the testimony of Christ. For His life stirs up the gift of God in us; and gives us confidence and boldness to go forth to preach the gospel, patiently wait on miracles, and endure persecutions. (II Tim.1:8)
As such, let us not grow weary if there is a lapse of time from, when we pray for miracles for people, and when they materialize in the natural realm. Strip of the weight of time consciousness and sensitivity and keep your eyes only on the promises of God in Christ Jesus, without wavering and doubting. For God is faithful who has promised. On this truth we stand! Amen for the preaching of the Word of the Living God.
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