The Beginning Of Miracles

The Master of the House tasting the wine as Jesus' Season came to Fruition 

Miracles don't just happen. They are a result of a divine act of G-d.  We have a supernatural G-d who is the same yesterday and today. If you need a miracle then get Jesus involved in your circumstances. Pay close attention because I'm about to show you how to get Jesus to act with a miracle for you.

John 2:11 says, "This beginning of signs (miracles of Jesus') Jesus did in Ca na of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed Him."

You will see miracles and manifestation when you get Jesus involved in anything in your life. Miracles cause people to believe in G-d.  He is the resurrection and the life and Jesus begins to prove this at this wedding feast in Ca na, and it was the beginning of the many miracles He performed in ordinary people's lives.

We saw a miracle happen at our church just last week. We had a minister of song visiting at our church and he began to tell us his testimony. Twenty years ago he watched his 16 year old daughter get life in prison without parole.  He said he went and bought a case of liquor and as he began to drink he called a minister friend. The minister came over and began to talk to him and pray with him. He ended up giving his life to Christ that night. He said he doesn't know what happened to all the liquor, the Pastor did something with it.

He made a covenant with the Lord that night.  He said, "Lord, I'll give my life to you and serve you all my days if you'll just do two things for me. One, to allow my daughter to get out of prison and for me to sing with her just one more time." At that time he was singing in night clubs, but after that night he began to sing for the Lord.

His daughter was miraculously paroled several years ago, and as he stood singing for our church, she walked in and stepped up to the podium and sang with her daddy again. Amazing Grace! We could see why he wanted to sing with her just one more time. She had a beautiful voice.

Miracles are a result of faith and obedience to G-d.  So, in John 2:11 is where it all started with miracles of Jesus.  Jesus used miracles to get people's attention. Just like this miracle with the man and his daughter got our attention.  This thing of Jesus was big and the old prophets had prophesied that these things would come  through Jesus.

Lets look at Geneses 49:10, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between His feet, Until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people." This was Jacob's prophecy to his sons on his death bed of the coming Messiah, the King of Judah to the everlasting throne.  Micah prophesied of His coming.  Zachariah prophesied of His coming and that He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.

These things were spoken with certainty before they came about. They were pictures and types of the day Jesus would come. The moment He would show the world who He was. Why did G-d choose this particular situation for the first miracle? A wedding that had run out of wine?

I think there's a prophetic purpose for this. Jesus' mother said, "They've run out of wine."  She knew who Jesus was. His mother knew His season had come. When G-d presents you with a situation where you need a miracle fall at your feet and cry out to Jesus, for your season has come. Jesus is still in the business of miracles.

Mary knew the season because Jesus had turned 30 years of age. She knew you couldn't be a priest until that age. You see, Jesus was a priest in the line of Melchizedek.  He had no history, no pedigree. He had no earthly father.  So Jesus came in that line with the father in heaven.

Now Abraham paid his tithe to Melchizedek and we are the seed of Jesus in that line and we are to pay our tithe to Jesus. A miracle will come to you if you'll just be obedient.

Mary knew it was Jesus' season.  They were an average family at the wedding.  The father was trying to pay for the wedding but he couldn't take care of the guests that day.  They had invited Mary and Jesus to the wedding. When Jesus shows up things change.

Jesus wanted to show us His purpose that day.  He wanted to show us change, a supernatural, miracle change. There's been a change in my life since Jesus showed up.  I talk different. I go to different places. I think different, and I act different.

It was a supernatural change that day when that wine hit that water.  He is saying to us that He can change our families, our circumstances, and our broken, darkened lives.  Some of you were alcoholics like our visitor last week had been. Some of you were drug addicts. Some of you were off track in life. But when you called on Jesus' name things changed.

Some are plagued by circumstances, like my Pastor was plagued by the Viet Nam war. He came home alive but was plagued with nightmares and recalls of men being killed in a bloody war. Jesus took it all away from Him when he cried out for Him with a broken spirit that Viet Nam had caused. Only G-d can do these things. When He shows up a supernatural change is going to happen. Some of you lost your parent as a child that left you empty. G-d is waiting to give you a miracle.

Jesus' first miracle was not in the church.  But it occurred in the secular because Jesus is not just a church Jesus.  We see people only acting Christian at church and not in the world. Jesus wants to be involved in your everyday life. He wants to be involved with your children. He wants to be involved in your marriage. Take Him to your wedding.

They were out of wine that day, which represents joy.  There are 20 million alcoholics in this country.  There is no joy in them.  They think this is all there is to life and alcohol eases their mind.  But Jesus said, " Anyone who thirsts come after me and you will never thirst again." He gives us wells of living waters. He gives us springs of living waters. He gives us rivers of living water. He will fill your emptiness whatever caused the emptiness.

Jesus' mother said, "Do something." But Jesus said, "Woman my time has not yet come."  But Mary knew it had.  She said, "Whatever He says just do it."  This thing was going to take some faith. She knew it was the beginning of miracles.

Watch this now.  Jesus then said, "fill those jars up with water." Here's the principle in this story and what Jesus wants to teach us.  If you'll obey Him with what you have, He will change what you have into what you need. If $5 is all you have for Jesus, then give it to Him and He will give you a miracle on what you have.

They put a demand on the anointing of Jesus.  He'll move on your behalf with a small thing just like a big thing. So never dream small again, even if what you have to give seems small to you.  G-d is the El Shadai.  I don't want to be just healed physically.  I want perfect soundness in my life, in my mind, and in my heart and in my family. If you'll sell out all you've got to Him, you'll get a big miracle.

Expect G-d to show up in your finances, in your need for your children, for your job, for your church.  Jesus gives exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can expect. Jesus requires faith and obedience. Fill your jars with the water.

Look what happened in John 2:9-10, "When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who drew the water knew), the master of the feast called to the bridegroom.  He said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior.  You have kept the good wine until now."

Jesus always saves the best for last.  I'll give you an example. When I was little in church I thought I saw the power of G-d but He has saved the best for the last for us. He is going to pour out the latter rain and His spirit in the same season. Get ready to see some miracles church in ordinary people's lives.

The young boy with the five loaves gave all that he had to Jesus that day, and Jesus turned them into a miracle and fed five thousand people.  I think all the people would have went home hungry that day if the lad had not given all of his lunch. G-d expects us to enter into our miracles. You may be holding onto to something that seems small to you but could be enough for Jesus to give a miracle for somebody. Obedience is an act that activates miracles.

Another miracle happened in our church last Saturday at our men's ministry meeting. Thirty men were present and 13 of them happen to be Vet Nam Veterans. They had the right Pastor there that day. These men were tough men and they had seen blood and battle. But they openly wept as Pastor Nelson witnessed to them and saw G-d love on him. The power of Jesus will make the strongest break down and weep.

Jesus will change what you need when you give Him all of what you've got!

Persevering Prayer

G-d has obligated himself to answer prayer. G-d ordained prayer. Prayer has no existence separate from man. Prayer puts G-d to work and it moves Him on your behalf. James 5:16.

We confess our sin so healing can flow. Here it comes now, the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elijah was a man subject to passions as we are. He prayed earnestly that it might not rain for the space of 3 years.  Then he prayed again for the rain to come, and the earth brought forth its fruit.

It looks like Elijah prayed only once and the rain came. But actually he prayed again and again and again. He kept praying until the answer came.  So, we must pray with a fervent spirit.  It has to be passionate from the human heart, and not from the human head.  It must be prayed by a righteous person.  Someone who has been made righteous from the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  You have a right standing with G-d if you're under the blood.

With the heart, man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto it.  Prayer must be from a person that is willing to pray and to keep praying until the answer comes. We are praying for answers. We are praying for a spiritual awakening.  There is a prayer movement throughout the world right now for America. America is in a spiritual crisis. We need to cry out to G-d.

The politicians, economist, or the court system cannot solve our problems.  You can't legislate prayer or holiness.  This requires a move of G-d through prayer.  We must keep praying until the answer comes.

G-d has ordained that man created in his own image should pray.  When we don't pray G-d will not intervene in human affairs.  Do you mean G-d is not going to do anything for me if I don't pray? That is exactly what I mean. It's what the scripture teaches us. We shape our futures by prayer.  It is the means by which we call upon G-d.  Prayer is an appeal to G-d to intervene in our affairs.

Prayer is faith resting in G-d.  Prayer is interacting with G-d.  Prayer is faith and obedience.  Praying is leaning on G-d.  The church must pray and we must return to our Judeo-Christian values that prayer was a foundation of.

G-d has called His church to pray.  Organizations and programs won't get the job done.  Preaching without prayer will not get the job done.  You see, G-d has obligated himself to answer our prayer. G-d has burned a scripture into my heart about prayer. And I'm going to pray it until I get a release from G-d. 11 Chronicles 7:14.

We are living in the dispensation of grace.  It's a time for grace when G-d reaches out together with us for the end time harvest.  But if the church does not pray the harvest will rot in the fields.  Jesus said, pray ye for the harvest that ye may send forth laborers.

G-d has limited himself. Can you imagine an unlimited G-d limiting himself?  He said, but if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, they will hear from heaven and I will heal their land.  If you want G-d to hear from you concerning your life you must pray. If you want G-d's blessings you must pray.

How far did you walk away from the cross before you came to the Lord and bent your knees and cried out to Him for His mercy in prayer?  You wouldn't be saved today if you hadn't prayed.  If you don't pray you are on dangerous ground, because prayer is a secret weapon.

Our nation wants to be politically correct but if we're going to see the hand of G-d move the church (blood washed Saints of G-d) then we must pray. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous. His ears are open to their prayers.

Jesus said, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.  He also said, I give unto thee the keys and whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.  Whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. How do you bind and loose?  You do it in the name of Jesus, Calvary's blood, by the word of G-d.  You do it through the vehicle of prayer.  G-d said, the fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much.

G-d has given us the keys of the Kingdom. He has put the keys to all that He has in the hands of the church.  If we want G-d to bless our nation and intervene into our affairs, guess what, it's going to cost you something. You'll have to pray.  That sweet hour of prayer that called me from the cares of this world.

G-d will call you if you'll allow Him to.  Enter into His courts with thanksgiving, and a praise because I know G-d sits on His throne and Jesus is there interceding for me.  I know that G-d can and does change things. I know He intervenes with the affairs of man because I've seen Him do it with prayer.

If you preach or teach, you must pray.  If you sing, you must pray.  If you witness, you must pray.  Before you do anything for the Lord you must pray. G-d expects you to pray for your family, to pray before you leave for work, to pray for the church body, and to pray for the sick.  So pray, pray, pray for all things. Pray without ceasing.



Let's look again at James 5:17. Elijah got tired sometimes just the way we do. He had feelings like us. He fought the same devil we do.  He was a prophet of G-d and had the fire of G-d in him. He was an old testament prophet that was G-d's man, but subject to like passions as we are. He had his share of problems like us.  If you don't believe it read 1 Kings.  Elijah received a promise from G-d that it was going to rain.  Now pay close attention here cause I've got a word from G-d for you.

Look at 1 Kings 18:1, "And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and there was a severe famine in Samaria." Go show yourself to Ahab.  Do you see the promise here? If you go I'll send the rain.

The prophet mounts up Carmel and withstands the 450 false prophets of Baal.  Elijah calls down fire from heaven.  The false prophets couldn't call down the fire so they couldn't get the job done anymore than the Muslims can get the job done in the world we live in today.

The only people that can get the job done are the blood washed church of Christ that are sanctioned through Calvary. Jesus said, I am the way. I am the truth, and the light and no man comes to the father except through me.

We don't need to be politically correct in this nation. We need to be biblically correct.  We don't need new age stuff, for what has been will be again.  There's nothing new under the sun.  G-d has already established all things.  The word of G-d will get you to the right destination.  I don't want to go to hell because I followed someones opinion.  I follow the word of G-d.  He will turn it around for you.

Confucius, Buddha and Mohammad cannot get the job done.  You cannot pray to a dead god and get G-d to do anything. You better know which god you serve.  My G-d is the living G-d.  Jesus Christ is living, he said, I am the life and the light. He who believes in me though he were dead yet shall he live.  He's alive. He's alive! He lives in His church.  He saves and He sanctifies.  He fills the people with the Holy Ghost.  He heals and He blesses His people.

I don't care how many Johnny come lately preachers think there is a new way other than Jesus Christ. I'm going to preach the truth. Christ is the only one! The only way! His word is powerful, without error, penetrating to soul and sunder.  The word that is the lamp unto our feet.  David said, I will hide your word in my heart so I won't sin against you O'G-d.  Exodus 20:3, 5 is clear, "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not bow down to them nor serve them, for I am a jealous G-d and I will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me."

We've got people that hate G-d and His word.  They don't want the children of this nation to know His commandments.  They don't want us praying in the schools. G-d's jealousy over this burns against His spirit, and His wrath will be poured onto this nation as a result.

G-d is the creation of this earth, He gives the thrust of life, gives the gifts, and breathes life into us. G-d help us to pray without ceasing.  The perfect gifts don't come from Allah, they come from Jehovah who created everything.

You cannot break G-d's commandments and have these blessings.  The first two commandments G-d gave this nation has been broken.  People on Capital Hill who think they have master minds to run this nation are pea brains without inquiring of the Lord and seeking His knowledge. You cannot set up idols and run after the gods of this world in your heart and get answered prayers.

Elijah got fire from heaven because he was a righteous prophet.  We got big platforms in this nation with big preachers with influence that are false prophets with lies on their tongues instead of fire from G-d.  When you speak without the name of Jesus you are a false prophet.  When you fail to tell the people that the only way is  Calvary through the shed blood of the lamb then you are a false prophet.

G-d gave His only begotten Son so mankind can be redeemed and reconciled back to Him.  There's no other way. He who believes on Him shall not perish but will have everlasting life.

So, G-d gave the promise to Elijah.  On one side of the equation of the rain is the promise and on the other side there must be a believer.  A praying saint who has the righteousness of G-d through the blood of the lamb who will persevere in prayer until the answer comes.

Look at 1 Kings 18:41. Do you hear the abundance of rain?  Here's the problem in the church in this scripture.  They all are eating and drinking and being merry and still expect the rain to come.  If you want G-d's Holy rain, it's going to cost you something.  You'll have to be obedient to Him, and you'll have to pray.

Sin will lure you into darkness and you will get further and further from your answer.  So you make a decision to walk with G-d and obey Him and trust Him for the rain. Press on toward the mark of the high calling of G-d in Jesus Christ.

In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah cast himself down upon the earth at Mt Carmel.  His face was between His knees.  It was the way the Israelites postured themselves to pray and still do today.  Elijah got up and went and looked and said, there is nothing.  G-d told him to go again 7 times.  Elijah prayed again a second time.  G-d said, go back again.  He came back and went again and again.

The sixth time he said, there's no rain.  But Elijah persevered in prayer. G-d said its going to rain. G-d is not a man that He shall lie or repent.  Shall He not make it good?  Elisha, the prayer boy said, Elijah you've already prayed six times.

Elijah bowed his head again and told Elisha to go look again.  Glory! When Elisha came back he said, I see a cloud the size of a man's hand.  Get on your mountain and start praying.  Elijah didn't get an answer on the first prayer.  He sent Elisha out seven times until the rain came.  He was praying G-d's promise in faith.  He persisted in prayer until the heavens burst open and gave faith its fruit.

I was high as a Georgia pine on  these scriptures of Elijah and I got it in my spirit and couldn't sleep. The spirit spoke and said, many times and in many seasons you have persevered in prayer in the secret prayer chamber.  I fasted, I studied the word of G-d, spoke His word, pleaded by the blood, and interceded for others.

In many of those seasons I have stood and prayed the prayer of faith and saw immediate manifestation or got discernment and a word from G-d manifested.  There have been other times when I knew I had prayed the prayer of faith and no immediate response.  When that happens you'll have to commit the prayer of faith with the prayer of perseverance.

There comes a time in everybody's prayer life when the manifestation does not come immediately.  A delay is not a denial. It may seem strange to you that after you've prayed the will of G-d you know that G-d has heard you.  It may seem strange that you still have to continue in prayer.  G-d has ordained persevering prayer thus so.  This is how G-d works many times.

Faith is the things hoped for.  Faith is the evidence of things not seen.  You don't have this kind of faith in the natural realm only in the spiritual realm.  This is faith you must have before the manifestation will come.  Never lose sight of what you've asked G-d for until the fulfillment of the promise arrives.

There are many obstacles that can hinder your faith.  You may have to fight a thousand devils.  You may have to petition G-d over and over.  He who prays 6 times over and fervently when he should have prayed 7 times deprives himself of the answer.  We must hold onto the promise until it comes.

Jesus prayed for a blind man and He said, how do you see?  The man answered, I see men walking about as trees.  He was blind, but now everything looks blurry and confusing.  Jesus laid His hands on the man again and asked him, what do you see now? The man answered, I see everything clearly now.

Lord, if you don't get it all the first time pray again. I'm a Pentecostal and I call it praying through, praying over and over until you get your breakthrough.  Praying until the glory world opens up and the things of G-d come. Thank G-d for the spiritual awakening that gave us Pentecostals in this nation through John Edwards and Azuza Street. Thank G-d for the power of the Holy Spirit.

We are Pentecostal Holiness because we have the Holiness of G-d and it was through the power of Jesus Christ. In Gethsemane Jesus prayed 3 times in succession.  The bible says He went away and prayed again saying the same words.  Jesus told his disciples to tarry into Jerusalem to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  They're all hold up in the upper room waiting for the descent of the Spirit.

They prayed and they tarried for 10 days. Elijah had to persevere in prayer like this.  David had to persevere in prayer and so did Jesus and the disciples.  If the disciples, Jesus and Elijah had to persevere in prayer may G-d help us to persevere in prayer until the answer comes.

The only way you can defeat an unseen enemy is by persevering prayer.  Stand firm on the promises of G-d. Faith refuses to yield. Faith continues to pray.  Faith waits for the answer.  Even though its a delay knowing that G-d has said it the victory is sure cause G-d decreed it.