[i]Are miracles possible?

• Miracles, defined as supernatural events transcending natural laws, prompt profound questions about their feasibility in a world seemingly governed by fixed physical laws.
• If we acknowledge the existence of God, the Almighty Creator who established the universe and its laws, miracles are not only possible but serve as vivid expressions of His power, love, and mercy.
• [ii]As C S Lewis stated: “If we recognise God, we must recognise miracles, we are not safe against them. That’s the deal,” emphasizing that belief in God inherently opens the door to miracles.
• The Bible underscores God’s immense power, affirming His ability to perform miracles.
• Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV): “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you.”
• This text explores the nature, characteristics, and divine purposes of miracles, responds to objections, and provides biblical and modern examples to illustrate their role as evidence of God’s presence and work in the world.

 The nature and characteristics of miracles

• Miracles are supernatural acts of God that transcend natural laws, showcasing His sovereignty and power over creation.
• Psalm 77:14 (NIV): “You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.”
• Miracles are not merely unusual phenomena but divine interventions conveying a clear message about God’s nature and will.
• For example, Jesus’ healing of the blind man in John 9:1-7, restoring sight to one blind from birth, demonstrates God’s ability to bring life and light in ways unexplainable by science.
• Miracles are rare, enhancing their significance as divine signs.
• 1 Samuel 3:1 (NIV): “In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.”
• This rarity amplifies their impact, distinguishing them from ordinary events.
• Miracles aim to glorify God and reveal His goodness.
• John 9:3 (NIV): “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
• Miracles do not defy logic but surpass physical laws through divine power.
• Luke 1:37 (NIV): “For no word from God will ever fail.”
• Another example is the raising of Lazarus in John 11:43-44, where Jesus demonstrated sovereignty over death, showing God’s power to transform even the most hopeless human conditions.

 The purposes of divine miracles

• Miracles are not random but serve specific divine purposes, centred on revealing God’s will and confirming His message.
• Firstly, miracles validate the truth of God’s word.
• John 3:2 (NIV): “He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
• Jesus’ healing of the paralytic in Mark 2:1-12 demonstrated His authority to forgive sins, strengthening the faith of witnesses.
• Secondly, miracles affirm the authority of God’s messengers.
• Acts 14:3 (NIV): “So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.”
• Peter and John’s healing of the lame man in Acts 3:1-10 confirmed their divine commission.

Thirdly, miracles bring glory to God.

• The healing of the blind man in John 9 led many to faith, highlighting God’s greatness.
• Fourthly, miracles demonstrate God’s mercy.
• The feeding of the five thousand in Matthew 14:15-21 showcased Jesus’ compassion for the hungry crowd.
• These purposes elevate miracles beyond mere spectacles, making them powerful declarations of God’s love, authority, and redemptive plan.

Miracles in modern times

• Miracles are not confined to biblical times but continue today, evidencing God’s unchanging power.
• Hebrews 13:8 (NIV): “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
• Medical reports occasionally document sudden recoveries from incurable diseases, like cancer, following prayer or divine intervention, defying medical expectations.
• For instance, documented cases exist of patients regaining health after being deemed terminal, attributed to divine action.
• Such rare modern miracles, whether physical healings or improbable events, reinforce faith and affirm God’s ongoing activity in the world, consistent with His biblical works.

 Responding to Objections Against Miracles

• Critics argue miracles are impossible because they violate fixed natural laws, assuming these laws are inviolable.
• This objection stems from a naturalistic philosophy that denies supernatural power, overlooking God as the Creator who established those laws.
• Genesis 1:1 (NIV): “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
• If God created the universe ex nihilo, interventions like stopping the sun in Joshua 10:12-14 are within His authority.
• Miracles are not arbitrary violations but purposeful divine acts demonstrating God’s sovereignty.
• Another objection posits miracles as misunderstood natural phenomena, but events like raising the dead or multiplying food (e.g., Matthew 14) defy natural explanations, pointing to divine origin.
• These objections reflect a bias against the supernatural, lacking conclusive evidence to disprove God’s ability to act miraculously.

Comparing Miracles to Other Phenomena

• To clarify miracles, comparing them to other phenomena is helpful:
• Anomalous phenomena: Unusual natural events, like a bee’s flight despite small wings, are explained by physical laws, unlike miracles.
• Magic: Sleight of hand or illusions, like pulling a rabbit from a hat, lack supernatural power.
• Psychosomatic phenomena: Mind-body effects in therapies are limited, incapable of curing severe diseases like cancer.
• Satanic signs: Mysterious effects or false prophecies, tied to evil, are limited compared to God’s power.
• [iii]Providence: God-ordained events, like the 1944 Normandy fog aiding the Allies, differ from miracles’ direct supernatural nature.
• Miracles, such as raising the dead (John 11) or feeding the multitudes (Matthew 14), are immediate, permanent supernatural acts intended to glorify God, distinct from these phenomena.

  Miracles as divine signs

• True miracles are divine acts with unmistakable supernatural causes, not for entertainment but to confirm truth, validate God’s messengers, and display His glory.
• The feeding of the five thousand in Matthew 14:15-21 demonstrated Jesus’ power and mercy, multiplying five loaves and two fish to feed thousands.
• In the Old Testament, Moses’ parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:21-22 affirmed his divine authority.
• True miracles promote moral goodness and draw people to God, while signs tied to immorality or falsehood are not divine, ensuring their role as faith-promoting signs.

Divine Miracles vs. Satanic Signs

• Divine miracles are supernatural acts under God’s control, linked to truth and goodness, glorifying the Creator.
• The healing of the lame man in Acts 3:1-10 led to repentance and faith in Jesus.
• Satanic signs, associated with evil and deception, aim to mislead or install fear, as warned in Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (NIV): “Let no one be found among you who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells.”
• Satanic signs are limited compared to God’s power, ensuring divine miracles’ supremacy in confirming truth and fostering faith.

Miracles as evidence of Jesus’ divinity

• Jesus’ miracles substantiate His divinity and unique authority.
• John 20:30-31 (NIV): “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
• Calming the storm in Mark 4:39 and raising Jairus’ daughter in Luke 8:49-56 demonstrate His sovereignty over nature and death, evidencing His identity as God incarnate.

 Miracles and faith

• Miracles are not just extraordinary events but invitations to trust in God.
• John 11:25-26 (NIV): “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.’”
• Lazarus’ raising called people to believe in Jesus as the source of life.
• Both biblical and modern miracles, like healings, inspire faith, encouraging trust in God’s power and presence.

Miracles in the context of human history

• Throughout history, God has used miracles to emphasize His message at pivotal moments.
• Old Testament miracles, like the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 14) or Jericho’s walls falling (Joshua 6), demonstrated God’s power and protection.
• New Testament miracles, such as the paralytic’s healing in Matthew 9:1-8, signalled the arrival of God’s kingdom.
• Modern accounts, like improbable survivals, continue to reflect God’s activity, reinforcing His message at critical junctures.

 The Role of Miracles in Promoting the Gospel Message

• Miracles were instrumental in spreading the Gospel.
• Acts 2:22 (NIV): “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him.”
• Apostolic miracles, like healing the lame man in Acts 3, drew crowds to the Gospel, leading thousands to faith.
• Modern miracle stories continue to inspire people to explore the Gospel, affirming the living power of Christ’s message.

Miracles as a call to faith

• God’s existence as the universe’s Creator makes miracles not only possible but expected as demonstrations of His power and love.
• The ultimate miracle, creation ex nihilo in Genesis 1:1 (NIV: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”), establishes God’s ability to perform lesser miracles, like raising the dead or healing the blind.
• Objections to miracles often rely on naturalistic assumptions denying the supernatural, lacking definitive evidence against God’s power.
• Miracles, both biblical and modern, confirm God’s message, validate His messengers, and invite humanity to faith.
• They are not mere supernatural events but a divine call to know God, trust Him, and follow His path through Jesus Christ, who, through His miracles, declared Himself “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

[i] I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Norman L. Geisler, Frank Turek, David Limbaugh 

[ii] https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2682328-miracles-a-preliminary-study?page=1

[iii] https://christianconcern.com/resource/how-prayer-was-critical-to-d-days-success/