The Supernatural
"But he answered and said
unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and
there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:" [Matthew 12:39]
Believers today have become a generation of sign-seekers. We are following faith healers, financial miracles, prophetic "words from the Lord", our own supernatural healings and manifestations of all sorts. According to Jesus, it is a wicked--or "evil and adulterous generation" who seeks these things. Why shouldn't God's people have these things--or seek them?
God has reserved something greater and more magnificent for His people--something the "evil and adulterous" cannot grasp. When we understand the purpose of "signs" then we would know we are not to seek after them, but to seek after the spiritual and deep things of the Kingdom of God. "Signs" as Jesus used it here refers to (ceremonially or supernaturally) miracles, signs, tokens, wonders. John 20:30,31 states, "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." From this, we can surmise that signs (miracles, wonders, etc.) are for those who do not yet believe--not for those who believe, already. In the 9th chapter of John, Jesus was asked a question: "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." It was to provide testimony; to bear witness of Jesus Christ--to the end that souls might believe and receive Him. Later in the chapter this discourse continues after Jesus finds the man He just healed of blindness. "Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him."
Why does Jesus reserve these things for those who do not believe? Because although they are super, they are still only natural. Jesus spoke to people in parables and of nature/natural things, because they could not understand spiritual things. For His redeemed, it is vastly different: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. [1 Corinthians 2:9-15].
We live beneath our divine and spiritual privilege when we rely on and/or live by supernatural things. These are not for the redeemed of the Lord. They are a tool--just one of the many in the arsenal and not a major one to be used to win souls. Supernatural things aren't bad--but they aren't for us; they are for a "wicked and adulterous generation", as Jesus Christ said. We are to seek after things that are spiritual. Our delight is to be in the Lord.
The Psalmist explains, "Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." [Psalm 37:4]. What does it mean to delight in the Lord? It means to crave, desire more of Him--to become insatiable for Him, so that nothing else satisfies your soul. Therefore, when you reach this pinnacle of desire for Him, He fills your longing--what is it that you long for? Him. He gives you HIM. That's a spiritual thing. Paul understood that when he wrote that letter to the Corinthians about the difference between the natural man and the spiritual man. He knew (like Jesus) that the spiritual man would rightly apply that scripture and not assume it to mean that "If I love God to the best of my ability and have "faith" and "sow seeds", He will give me the natural desires of my heart". That is what the natural or carnal (immature) interpretation of that scripture is, but not the biblical Hebrew interpretation, at all. Contextually, we can understand that God never has promised to give His people any more than earthly "needs". Anymore that we have over and above that is up to us; and it comes at a price.
God wants His people to be focused on the spiritual things that are beyond nature; that's the abundant life that is promised to us. He wants us to be concerned about our relationships with Him and with others. He wants us to be focused on love. If we are filled with love, everything else will fall in line--faith (it "worketh by love"); joy unspeakable and full of glory--in spite of our circumstances; our witness--love will drive that; sin is destroyed by love's presence in our lives. We cannot be anymore spiritual than when we are walking in the love of God. If we make it our focus, and stop chasing things that are not for us, God will manifest Himself through us spiritually and supernaturally, too, to benefit His people and those whom He has yet to call.
Everything in its place.
Believers today have become a generation of sign-seekers. We are following faith healers, financial miracles, prophetic "words from the Lord", our own supernatural healings and manifestations of all sorts. According to Jesus, it is a wicked--or "evil and adulterous generation" who seeks these things. Why shouldn't God's people have these things--or seek them?
God has reserved something greater and more magnificent for His people--something the "evil and adulterous" cannot grasp. When we understand the purpose of "signs" then we would know we are not to seek after them, but to seek after the spiritual and deep things of the Kingdom of God. "Signs" as Jesus used it here refers to (ceremonially or supernaturally) miracles, signs, tokens, wonders. John 20:30,31 states, "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." From this, we can surmise that signs (miracles, wonders, etc.) are for those who do not yet believe--not for those who believe, already. In the 9th chapter of John, Jesus was asked a question: "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." It was to provide testimony; to bear witness of Jesus Christ--to the end that souls might believe and receive Him. Later in the chapter this discourse continues after Jesus finds the man He just healed of blindness. "Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him."
Why does Jesus reserve these things for those who do not believe? Because although they are super, they are still only natural. Jesus spoke to people in parables and of nature/natural things, because they could not understand spiritual things. For His redeemed, it is vastly different: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. [1 Corinthians 2:9-15].
We live beneath our divine and spiritual privilege when we rely on and/or live by supernatural things. These are not for the redeemed of the Lord. They are a tool--just one of the many in the arsenal and not a major one to be used to win souls. Supernatural things aren't bad--but they aren't for us; they are for a "wicked and adulterous generation", as Jesus Christ said. We are to seek after things that are spiritual. Our delight is to be in the Lord.
The Psalmist explains, "Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." [Psalm 37:4]. What does it mean to delight in the Lord? It means to crave, desire more of Him--to become insatiable for Him, so that nothing else satisfies your soul. Therefore, when you reach this pinnacle of desire for Him, He fills your longing--what is it that you long for? Him. He gives you HIM. That's a spiritual thing. Paul understood that when he wrote that letter to the Corinthians about the difference between the natural man and the spiritual man. He knew (like Jesus) that the spiritual man would rightly apply that scripture and not assume it to mean that "If I love God to the best of my ability and have "faith" and "sow seeds", He will give me the natural desires of my heart". That is what the natural or carnal (immature) interpretation of that scripture is, but not the biblical Hebrew interpretation, at all. Contextually, we can understand that God never has promised to give His people any more than earthly "needs". Anymore that we have over and above that is up to us; and it comes at a price.
God wants His people to be focused on the spiritual things that are beyond nature; that's the abundant life that is promised to us. He wants us to be concerned about our relationships with Him and with others. He wants us to be focused on love. If we are filled with love, everything else will fall in line--faith (it "worketh by love"); joy unspeakable and full of glory--in spite of our circumstances; our witness--love will drive that; sin is destroyed by love's presence in our lives. We cannot be anymore spiritual than when we are walking in the love of God. If we make it our focus, and stop chasing things that are not for us, God will manifest Himself through us spiritually and supernaturally, too, to benefit His people and those whom He has yet to call.
Everything in its place.
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