BIG Grace, BIG Power, BIG Miracles
I will share thoughts today and tomorrow regarding healing and miracles in preparation for the Healing Summit this Friday night in Middletown, Ohio. In Friday’s post, I’ll share some thoughts/words from the leaders who are participating.
Today, Holy Spirit has drawn my focus to Acts 4. The timing of this chapter is just after the healing of the lame man at the gate called Beautiful (Acts 3:1-10). Keep in mind there were no chapter divisions when the Scriptures were written; the narrative of Acts 4 is a continuation of chapter 3.
All of Israel was aware of this man. Israelites traveled from around the nation to Jerusalem for the three major feasts, and while there, no doubt walked past him many times. As a result of his astounding miracle, followed by Peter’s preaching of the gospel, approximately 5000 people were saved just on that day (Acts 4:4).
The Jewish leaders who had rejected Christ were angry about these conversions, but could not deny the reality of the miracle (4:16). Their response was to threaten Peter and John, commanding them not to speak or teach in Christ’s name (verse 18). The response of the believers was to pray. In their prayer, they referred to (and included) Psalm 2, which speaks of rulers working together against the rule and cause of Christ:
“And you spoke by the Holy Spirit through your servant David, our forefather, saying: ‘How dare the nations plan a rebellion, ranting and raging against the Lord Most High? Their foolish plots are futile! Look at how the kings of the earth take their stand, with the rulers scheming and conspiring together against God and his anointed Messiah!’” (Acts 4:25-26 TPT)
The believers then asked God for several things, and received an astonishing response:
“So now, Lord, listen to their threats to harm us. Empower us, as your servants, to speak the word of God freely and courageously. Stretch out your hand of power through us to heal, and to move in signs and wonders by the name of your holy Son, Jesus!” As they prayed, the earth shook beneath them, causing the building they were in to tremble. Each one of them was filled with the Holy Spirit, and they proclaimed the word of God with unrestrained boldness.” (Acts 4:29-31 TPT)
Wow - the building shook! And they were filled with Holy Spirit, and with boldness. “Unrestrained boldness” is one word in Greek, parresia.(1) The footnote in The Passion Translation says of this interesting word:
“This involves more than confidence; it was a free-flowing, unrestrained boldness.
It can also mean ‘freedom of speech.’ Parresia carries nuances that are not easily brought over into English…[parresia] was reserved for only the highest rank of Greek citizens, not people of other lands or slaves…”(2)
This struck me as significant. Parresia was a type of “freedom of speech” connected to citizenship in that day and culture, much like what we American citizens are granted in our Constitution. But these disciples weren’t asking for Rome’s freedom or permission, but heaven’s. “We are citizens of the Kingdom of heaven,” they were saying. “You are the King of this Kingdom and all the earth! Grant us YOUR permission to speak, heaven’s ‘freedom of speech!’”
And the building shook - permission granted!!!
The chapter then speaks of their unity and generosity to one another (verse 32), followed by the incredible statement in verse 33: “And with great power, the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” (NKJV)
The word “great” is used twice here - “great power” and “great grace” - and is the Greek word megas,(3) from which we get our English word mega. It is used again in Acts 8:13, speaking of “great miracles.” One of Strong’s definitions of megas is simply “big!” I love that. BIG power! BIG grace! BIG miracles! How much grace and power from heaven do we want? BIG!!! What kind of miracles are we asking for? BIG!!!
Let’s ask God for this BIG grace and BIG power to be poured out Friday night, releasing BIG miracles for those present and watching. (So far, 640 churches are planning to stream the service and pray for individuals in their sanctuaries; thousands of individuals will do so in their homes.)
Also, we know this is more than a one-night service for healings and miracles; it is about gifts and anointings that will be released throughout the world for continuing healings: gifts of healing, workings of miracles, the gift of faith, the word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits (1 Corinthians 12: 7-11). A new season! These gifts of the Spirit won’t be released from us, of course, but from Holy Spirit. Let’s agree for this today.
Protection of Leaders
Though it seems a bit out of place in this post, I want to add a paragraph urging prayer for the protection of our leaders. I have been feeling an alarm - on Monday, Ceci and I felt it at exactly the same time - regarding another assassination attempt. This warning was strong. Please pray daily for the protection of leaders in every branch of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Please include those who are running for office and their teams. Consider asking Holy Spirit to lay an individual on your heart to pray for daily. Let’s pray right now.
Pray with me:
Father, just as the early church did in Acts 4:29, we ask You to extend Your hand to heal on Friday night and from then on. We ask that signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy Son, Jesus. We realize You have always provided healing, but we believe an “outpouring” of miracles will now be released as part of this new harvest season. Give us mega-grace, mega-power, mega-miracles, and a mega-harvest.
So many are in need of healings and deliverances, Father. We’re asking for the release of Your compassion, just as You did through Jesus, who was “moved with compassion.” Let Your compassion move through the earth Friday. Move in homes, churches, hospital rooms, dorm rooms, everywhere where hungry people are crying out to You.
And please release an impartation of the gifts of Holy Spirit. Deposit them into thousands of believers around the world. We pledge that there will be no focus on our ministries and churches Friday night - only on You. We are not asking for miracles or revival in order to grow our ministries and churches, but to rescue the lost and broken and glorify You. Send this, Father. Amen.
And Father, we pray for protection over our leaders and those running for office. We pray especially for President Trump, as he is so hated by some; we also lift up Robert Kennedy, whom we are concerned for. But we also pray for Kamala Harris, our legislators, and our Supreme Court Justices. Please protect them, Father. In Yeshua’s name, we pray all of these things.
Our decree:
We decree that signs and wonders are being released into the earth in the holy name of Jesus.
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 3954.
The Passion Translation® New Testament with Psalm, Proverbs, and Song of Songs, Second edition, (BroadStreet Publishing Group, 2018 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.), large print edition, p. 322.
Strongs., ref. no. 3173.