THE MIRACLES OF JESUS

PART 12 – Postured For A Miracle

What is a miracle?

A miracle is God’s supernatural intervention in humanity’s impossible

circumstances. A miracle happens when natural ability has reached its limit, human solutions have failed, and there appears to be no way forward. Whether the circumstance involves financial ruin, a broken relationship, an incurable disease, or another impossible situation, a miracle is God stepping into the natural with His supernatural power and accomplishing what humanity cannot.

1. The Posture of Rest in Covenant

Luke 13:10–17 NLT

¹⁰ One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, ¹¹ he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” ¹³ Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!

¹⁴ But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. “There are six days of the week for working,” he said to the crowd. “Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath.”

¹⁵ But the Lord replied, “You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don’t you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water? ¹⁶ This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn’t it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?” ¹⁷ This shamed his enemies, but all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did. She had been bound for eighteen years, yet she was present in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus saw her, called her forward, spoke freedom over her, and touched her. She did not straighten herself; Jesus straightened her.

2. The Posture of Authority

Mark 1:21–28 NLT

²¹ Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach. ²² The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority, quite unlike the teachers of religious law. ²³ Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil^[a] spirit cried out, ²⁴ “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God!” ²⁵ But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. ²⁶ At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him. ²⁷ Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” ²⁸ The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.

3. The Posture of Reception

Mark 1:29–31 NLT

²⁹ After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home. ³⁰ Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. ³¹ So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.

4. The Posture of Vulnerability

Mark 3:1–5 NLT

Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. ² Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.

³ Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” ⁴ Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him.

⁵ He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!

5. The Posture of Response

John 5:1–18

After thirty-eight years of waiting, Jesus asked him, “Would you like to get well?” Jesus then told him to stand, pick up his mat, and walk.

Resting in Jesus does not mean refusing to respond when He speaks.

The man stopped waiting for the water to move and responded to the One who commanded him to move. Faith rests until Jesus speaks, and then faith responds.

6. The Posture of Obedience

John 9:1–16

Jesus placed mud on the man’s eyes and told him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man had to obey while he was still unable to see.

Sometimes obedience must come before understanding, and movement must come before sight.

The posture of faith says, “Jesus, I trust Your instructions even when I cannot yet see the outcome.”

7. The Posture of Humility

Luke 14:1–6 NLT

One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely. ² There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen.  ³ Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, “Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?” ⁴ When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. ⁵ Then he turned to them and said, “Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?” ⁶ Again they could not answer.

James 4:6 NIV

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”