MIRACLES ~ Precious Victor Akah

Matthew 11:20-24: "Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.” (NLT)

As I read this scripture, a few thoughts flashed through my mind from the statement of Jesus: First statement - Jesus denounced the cities of Korazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum because He expected that the mighty miracles He had done in these cities would have impelled them to repent, but the reverse was the case. They witnessed the diverse miracles Jesus performed, yet remained unrepentant. 

Second statement - Jesus said that if the miracles He did in Korazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were done in the towns of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, they would have repented of their sins long ago.

Now let's analyze this statements of Jesus. Before now, I have heard some teachers teach that MIRACLES DOES NOT PRODUCE REPENTANCE, we should focus more on preaching the Gospel of Jesus because that is what will bring men to repentance. Some others on the other hand assert that MIRACLES DOES PROVOKE REPENTANCE, therefore what we need is more of the demonstration and manifestation of the power of God through signs, wonders and miracles to convince men to repent and believe in Jesus.

Well, the first and second statement of Jesus in Matthew 11:20-24 reveals something powerful to us: 1) His first statement reveals that some people need more than miracles to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus. So this set of individuals can be in a church where signs, wonders and miracles abound, yet remain unsaved, because they have not sincerely heard the true Gospel of Jesus or they simply do not want to forsake the life of sin they're living. They join the church service, attend programmes where divers miracles happen and connect to online ministrations and prayers where they receive immediate answers to their prayers and experience miracles constantly, yet, they refuse to repent of their evil ways and genuinely surrender their lives to God.

And God in heaven expects that with the constant miracles and answers to prayers they receive, they should have believed in the reality of a Saviour named Jesus and genuinely repent of their sins and live righteous and holy as God demands, but unfortunately, they choose to continue "using" God to meet their needs while living in sin. Are you in this category of Christians?

If you're honest with yourself and know that you actually belong to this category of Christians, I beseech you by the mercies of God to repent today before God's judgment comes. He won't be merciful, gracious and patient for long. Don't keep collecting from God, thinking you're smart; using God to meet your needs while you refuse to do what He requires of you.

Because the truth is, if you're in a church where the man of God or woman of God is genuine and in a covenant with God after making huge secret sacrifice, God will always answer his prayers whenever he prays for you and confirm every prophetic word he declares. But the irony is, though you'll receive your miracles and blessings on earth, you can't be allowed to enter heaven when you die physically on earth because you're still a sinner who hasn't repented and believed in Jesus. 

Also, you can't enjoy personal fellowship and relationship with God on earth. You can't pray to God on your own and receive answers. What if you can't access your pastor in a time of emergency? Or you don't have any of the items or materials he has anointed for you at that moment, what will you do? This isn't God's plan for you at all, but for you to repent after seeing, witnessing and experiencing His power and believe in Jesus and be saved. In addition to the miracles you have experienced, you must have heard the Gospel of Jesus (the good news of the Kingdom) so why delay in repenting and believing in Jesus?

2) Jesus' second statement reveals that miracles does produce repentance. Some individuals, towns, cities are meant to be saved through the raw demonstration of the power of God. In other words, there are people who just need to see the miracles that Jesus can do or experience one themselves and that alone will move them to repent and believe in Jesus. A miracle they have experienced or seen others experience is enough to convince them to repent of their sins and trust in God. 

So, we should never rule out the truth that some people, cities, villages, even countries just need the raw demonstration of the power of God through signs, wonders and miracles to be saved. Therefore, as we preach the Gospel, we must also endeavor to manifest the power of God through healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, destroying diseases and showcasing the supernatural, because that is needed if we must win the whole world to Jesus.

Some people have heard the Gospel over and and over again but because they're yet to witness the power of the Gospel, they have refused to repent. Some others have surrendered their lives to Jesus and have gone deeper to develop and establish a personal relationship with God and grow in the knowledge of Jesus just by a single miracle they witnessed or personally experienced.

Have you repented of your sins and believed in Jesus? If yes, endeavor to live holy and righteous. If not, please don't delay further. If you need a miracle to believe, ask God and He'll show you His power. If you've seen enough miracles yet remain in sin, I hope that you'll have a change of heart today and appreciate what Jesus did on the cross of Calvary for you and embrace the righteous life He died to give you today.

Jesus died to save you; you don't have to die again for your sins. 

PS: You can always reach out to us via email: preciouscphilip@gmail.com or on Facebook @ Precious Victor Akah

Shalom.