Only God can turn the unimaginable into an overwhelming miracle. If our prayer is truly, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10, KJV), it will require that we engage with God and cultivate four practices that will unlock His power in our lives and communities.
I learned many years ago that God is a God of miracles. He restored my body when a battle with cancer nearly ended my life. He gave my wife and me a son, though doctors had told us we would never be able to have children. I watched Him heal that same son when cancer had all but consumed him. Now we are both cancer-free, and I have gained not only another child—my beautiful daughter-in-law—but the three most beautiful grandchildren in the world.
The same power that brought about these miracles can bring revival, saving the souls of multitudes. Three decades ago, if you had told me, or anyone else really, that the nation of Russia would be open to the gospel of Jesus Christ and that churches there would be growing and multiplying, I'd likely have told you that couldn't be done.
Yet last week, I witnessed young men and young women come from all across Russia to worship the living God and to commit their lives to planting churches. It's yet another impossibility that has become reality thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit and the faithfulness of believers willing to partner with Him to see His plans and purposes come to pass.
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Was it easy believing for these miracles? No. Has it been challenging fighting for them in the spirit? Yes. But the kingdom of God always has to break through hard ground for the seeds of life to be planted.
In fact, Jesus teaches us this principle of the kingdom in John 12:24: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24, MEV). There are four practices we can glean from this verse.
- As a leader, the most important thing in our lives is to make sure that the hard ground is broken. You are the precious seed of the kingdom, and you carry the precious seed of the Word. Be diligent to stir up the spirit within you so that you remain responsive and alert to the direction of the Holy Spirit.
- Remain humble. Seeds are not meant to be admired; they are meant to be planted. "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground" (v. 24), hidden out of sight but still very much used of God, nothing will grow from it.
- This requires an immense amount of trust. Though the seed be planted in the ground, where no one can see its progress, it is still growing. If you have been interceding for your miracle, don't give up. God is working behind the scenes to bring His will to pass.
- You must be willing to make sacrifices. A grain of wheat only produces a new stalk if it dies. When it does, the yield is exponential. That's kingdom math, and it isn't just true of wheat and other seeds.
These four practices were the foundation of Christ's ministry, life and resurrection. If you want to witness and experience the miracles that characterized His time on earth, you must make them a faithful and consistent part of your walk with God. You can start today.
You're beautiful. I see Jesus in you.
Have an awesome week!
Mikel French has challenged spiritual awakening all across America, where many celebrations extended into multiple weeks, and has conducted celebrations in France, Sweden, Russia, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, Germany, South Africa, Malawi, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Haiti, Japan, Singapore, India and Thailand. He conducted an outreach celebration in Manila, Philippines, reaching 200,000 teenagers with the Book of Hope. Through the generous support of partners, he has presented the message of Jesus Christ to millions of people in the nation of Russia through televised citywide soul-winning celebrations. Mikel considers it an honor to assist in conducting the annual pastor's conference, where thousands of pastors from Russia's 11 time zones come for training, teaching and equipping. Mikel and his wife, Marsha, reside in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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