Signs and Wonders to Lead People to Christ

Maria Woodworth-Etter was an evangelist who took a tent across the United States in the 1880s. In her old age, she settled in Indianapolis, where she built a tabernacle and preached when she was not on the road. She originally battled her own prejudices over women's ministries, afraid of bringing reproach on Christ and ridicule from her friends and family. Finally, accepting what God was obviously doing in her life, she launched out on a militant mission against sin in what some called "the most powerful seen in the twentieth century." The following is taken from her book titled The Holy Spirit:

"All of us who have read the Acts of the Apostles know that the apostles' ministry was marvelously successful. Here are a few brief reports of some of their revivals from the book of Acts:

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (2:41)

And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (2:47)

Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. (4:4)

And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. (5:14)

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. (6:7)

Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. (9:31)

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (10:44)

And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. (11:21)

But the word of God grew and multiplied. (12:24)

And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. (13:44)

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. (16:5)

And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. (17:4)

Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. (17:12)

And fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. (19:17-20)

"There were three reasons or causes that gave the disciples this phenomenal success.

"First, they preached the Gospel of the kingdom, which is, as I have already stated, a full Gospel for spirit, soul, and body. They preached exactly as the Lord told Jeremiah to preach:

Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word. (Jer. 26:2)

"They also preached as the Lord told Jonah to preach: 'And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee' (Jonah 3:1-2).

"The apostles did not diminish a word of the Gospel of the kingdom. They preached precisely the Gospel that Christ commanded them to preach. God will always honor and bless such preaching.

"In the second place, they preached this Gospel under the power of the Holy Spirit, whom they had received on the Day of Pentecost. This is such an essential and all-important factor in preaching that Jesus would not permit them to enter into their great lifework until they had received the divine anointing. Had they not tarried in Jerusalem until this anointing came, the Acts of the Apostles would never have been written, for there would not have been any acts on their part that needed to be recorded, and the revivals mentioned above would never have been reported.

"In the third place, God bore witness to their preaching with signs and wonders and with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit (Heb. 2:4). This was as important a factor in their success as either of the others. I am convinced that without these miracles, the Gospel would have made but little progress in pushing its way through the heathen world.

"Notice the apostles' prayer, which shows the estimation they placed upon miracles, especially the miracle of healing, as an auxiliary to their work:

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. (Acts 4:29-30)

"Notice now a significant fact. Read the following:

And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people . . . Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. (Acts 5:12, 15-16)

"The significant fact is that, in this passage, there is a parenthesis, which reads as follows:

(and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) (vv. 12-14)

"Why did Luke insert that parenthesis? Did those miracles have anything to do with that multitude of believers, both men and women, being added to the Lord? They constituted a powerful factor in that revival. That was the result in nearly every instance: where miracles were performed, great revivals followed. Read these words:

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. (Acts 6:7-8)

"Is there any relationship between the miracles that Stephen worked and the multiplication of disciples in Jerusalem? There is a most intimate and vital relationship. Take another example:

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city. (Acts 8:5-8)

"Did the miracles of casting out unclean spirits and healing the lame have anything to do with the people giving heed with one accord to the things that Philip spoke and filling that city with joy? Very much. Take still another example:

And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy. And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord. (Acts 9:32-35)

"Raising Dorcas to life was another case that had the same effect (see verses 36-41): 'And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord' (v. 42).

"If ministers could cast out devils today in the name of Jesus and lay hands on the sick and have them restored to health, they would not preach to empty benches or mourn over the dearth of revivals. On the contrary, every minister who could do that would have crowded houses and a perpetual revival. That is what God wants His ministers to do, and it is not His fault if they are not able to do it.

"There is nothing the Devil hates with more infernal malevolence than divine healing. That is something that is visible, tangible, real, and valuable.

"When a lame man is enabled to walk, or a poor epileptic is made well, that is something the unsaved world can see and appreciate. It convinces them of the goodness and loving-kindness of God.

"A book is lying here in front of me. It is entitled, Back to the Bible. I've seen another book advertised, entitled, Back to Pentecost. Does it occur to these authors that to get back to the Bible and to Pentecost is to get back to miracle-working power?

"Such a return would not only secure the baptism of the Spirit, but it would secure the gifts of the Spirit in the working of miracles. Is there anyone taking the track back in that direction?"