CHRISTMAS MIRACLE SERVICE
CHRISTMAS MIRACLE SERVICE
Sunday, December 21, 2014 – The Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Luke 1: 26-56
Strong’s 1411-“Miracles”: “dunamis power of God; an army, a host; strength, ability, inherent power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth”
Luke 1:34-35: “Then Mary said to the angel (Gabriel), how shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power (Strong’s 1411) of the Highest shall overshadow you; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.”
The word for power is the same word used for “working of miracles” in 1 Cor. 12:10. These verses in 1 Corinthians are about the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor. 12: 8-10: “To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles (Strong’s 1411); to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. But all these works that one and the selfsame Spirit, distributing to every man individually as He will.”
Eph. 4:7-8: “To every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. When he ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”
I do not have to exhort this fellowship to believe and receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, so today, I am exhorting you to raise your faith level to stir up your gifts; and prepare your hearts that you come behind in no gift.
In John 4:10, Jesus speaks of himself as the gift of God.
Oh how anxious we are to have gifts that work, and ministries which are effective to produce good fruit for the Kingdom. That is all well and good. But let us not lose sight of God’s intention in giving these gracious gifts and ministries. It is to nurture us in Truth that we might make room in our hearts for the Presence of God Himself…that He might fully occupy this temple that we are. Only then will the world know where to find the true God. Then all else is taken care of.
In spite of the knowledge we may acquire concerning the Kingdom of God, our hearts must be prepared to receive the Kingdom power and authority. We are still far from poverty of spirit, meekness, lowliness, humility and a pure heart. If the Kingdom message does not produce these virtues, there is little value in the message.
God will draw us to repentance, that He might beautify us with the garments of salvation, that we may be ready to receive the gift of His dunamis power. He comes for a holy and spotless Bride, who must be cleansed with the washing of water by the Word.
Mary knew from Old Testament prophecy that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. Isa. 7:14: “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
“Sign” (Strong’s 4592) “Of miracles and wonders by which God authenticates those sent by him, or by which men prove that the cause they are pleading is God’s; of signs portending remarkable events soon to happen.”
“Mary said to the angel, how shall this be?” She shall conceive by the power (Strong’s 1411) of the Holy Ghost. A divine power will undertake it, the power of the Holy Ghost Himself. The Holy Ghost, as the power of the Highest shall overshadow her. The formation of every babe in the womb, and the entrance of the Spirit of life into it is a mystery of God. “We were fearfully and wonderfully made in secret” (Psa. 139: 14-15). How much more was the formation of the child Jesus brought about by the supernatural-miraculous operation of the Holy Spirit?
As Christians one of the cardinal doctrines of our faith is the miracle of the conception of Jesus Christ.
God Most High overshadowed the whole process related to His coming. It was all according to scripture, and every detail of His Appearing was prearranged and known of God---no man could have put it together before it happened. The whole process was carefully overshadowed and made manifest in the earth in the day of His Appearing.
Mary and Joseph were just serving God in the little town of Nazareth, just living the humble lives of ordinary peasants. But their Child had to be born in Bethlehem according to the prophet Micah (see Mic. 5:2). Now the Emperor of Rome became part of the plan---for it was he who made the decree that all people were to register in the town of their ancestry. So Joseph and Mary made arrangements for this arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. While there, Mary gave birth to the Messiah, as the prophet had said it would be.
The gift of the miraculous birth became a living miraculous power. Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, he performed signs, wonders, miracles, mighty works and healings. Jesus said the greater works the Father gave him to finish that He might bear witness that the Father had sent him (Jn. 5:36).
Mark 6:2: “On the Sabbath, Jesus began to teach in the synagogue. Many hearing him were astonished, saying, from when has this man these things and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works (Strong’s 1411) are wrought by his hands?” This too is part of the foundation of our Christian faith.
John 5:20: “For the Father loves the Son and shows him all things that Himself does and He will show him greater works than these that you may marvel.”
In Ezekiel 46:16, “Thus says the Lord God; if the prince gives a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons; it shall be their possession by inheritance.”
Isaiah 9:6 – Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
Acts 3:15 – Jesus is the Prince of Life
Acts 5:3 – Jesus is a Prince and a Savior
Rev. 1:5 – Jesus is Prince of the Kings of the earth.
John 5:36: “Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto my Father.”
The Apostles were given the “greater works” ministry to establish the church as the vehicle to usher Christians into the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven.
Acts 1:8: “You shall receive power (Strong’s 1411), after the Holy Ghost has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth.”
In the midst of persecution by the priests, the captain of the temple and the Sadducees, Peter and John prayed the Believer’s prayer, “Lord, behold their threatening and grant to your servants, that with all boldness we may speak your word. By stretching forth your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of your holy child Jesus.”
The New Testament documents that the Apostle Paul operated in all of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:19: “Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power (Strong’s 1411) of the spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”
Acts 19:11: “And God wrought special miracles (Strong’s 1411) by the hands of Paul.”
Hebrews 2:4: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard Him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders and divers miracles(Strong’s 1411), and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will?”
Luke 1:32-33: “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give to Him the throne of His father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end.”
The Lord God has given Jesus the right to rule and has set him as king over the whole earth. His kingdom is spiritual (cannot be seen by observation). His Kingdom is eternal. He shall reign for ever and ever and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
1 Peter 3:22: “…by the resurrection of Christ Jesus who has gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers (Strong’s 1411) being made subject to him.”
2 Peter 1:2: “According as His divine power (Strong’s 1411) has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue.”
When the Angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, he was so astonished that he could not believe the news. For his incredulity, he is stricken dumb until the promise is fulfilled.
However, the same angel, Gabriel is sent to Mary to announce that she was blessed and highly favored of the Lord and that she had been chosen to conceive and bring forth a son and shall call His name Jesus.
Her response was, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word.”
God wants a habitation for Himself. How do we prepare our hearts for His appearing? Christ is coming for a glorious Church, a spotless Bride. Has the Bride made herself ready? Our High Priest will continue to intercede for his own until He has prepared a people who are, “called, chosen and faithful”. The ministries he has set in His Body are only valid if they are hearing and speaking from the heart of the High Priest in the heavens. His true prophets will always seek to turn the hearts of the people from their evil ways. It is preparation that God’s people need for this hour.
The Lord of Glory is coming…prepare your hearts to meet Him. Once our hearts are prepared as was Mary’s, then the “seed” of the “gift” of miracles will grow and become a miraculous power of the revelation of the Prince of Kings.
Heb. 13:8: “Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever!!!”
Paul wrote to the Romans that he longed to see them that he might impart to them some spiritual gift, to the end that they may be established.
I have asked the Holy Spirit to impart and increase our giftings that we may become ministries to lead God’s people into all truth. Let us not desire gifts of the Holy Spirit for our own glorification, but that we become vessels of ministry.
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V
I entered into the labors of George H. Warnock, Seven Lamps of Fire – comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of George H. Warnock.