The early church was born, even as Christ’s ministry was born, in the setting of the miraculous (John 14:12). The Lord Jesus Christ appeared supernaturally to the disciples after His resurrection (ch. 1:3). After that Christ ascended into heaven in the sight of His disciples (ch. 1:9). Then the miraculous powers shifted from Christ to His disciples.
God gave the church the gift of performing miracles
Christ gave His disciples authority to heal all kinds of diseases and cast out evil spirits (Matt. 10:1). The Seventy had already exercised that power (Luke 10:17), and the Twelve had done similar wonders. But now, under the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, the early church performed “greater works” (John 14:12; Mark 16:17). As Christ’s hands were a tool of blessing to the people (Mark 6:2, 5; Luke 4:40), so was with His disciples after Him.
The apostle Luke wrote in the book Acts of the Apostles, “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people” (Acts 5:12). Thus Christ’s Words were fulfilled: “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18). The extraordinary activities of the disciples and their fellow believers spread, and many people who sought healing, accepted the truth as a result.
Chapter 2
The supernatural outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples was accompanied by miraculous wind, fire, and speaking in tongues (ch. 2:6). And the disciples performed many miracles along their witnessing to the Lord (ch. 2:43).
Chapter 3
Peter healed the lame man that was paralyzed from his mother’s womb, who laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms (ch. 3:7-11).
Chapter 4
Peter, John, and the believers prayed to God for power to spread the truth of the gospel in the face of the Jewish opposition by the religious leaders. And God answered their prayer and the place where they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with all boldness (ch. 4:31).
Chapter 5
The Lord, through the gift of discernment, revealed to Peter that Ananias and Sapphira were lying. And for this, they were slain by the Lord for their sin according to Peter’s word (ch. 5:5-10). And later on, the apostles did signs and wonders (ch. 5:12). Also, Peter healed many from various cities around Jerusalem even by the passing of his shadow over the sick (ch. 5:12-16). The angel of the Lord opened the prison doors for apostles for the High priest had imprisoned them. And now they were free again to proclaim the gospel (ch. 5:19).
Chapter 6
Stephen, filled with faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people (ch. 6:8).
Chapter 8
In Samaria, Philip did mighty miracles for the glory of God. And multitudes there heeded the messages of the Lord (ch. 8:6,7,13).
Chapter 9
The Lord appeared in a vision to Saul, the persecutor of the church, and he was stricken with blindness (ch. 9:3-9). Then, Ananias healed Saul’s blindness (ch. 9:17-18). And Saul, under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, was converted to Paul the apostle. Also, Peter healed Aeneas who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed (ch. 9:32-35). Later on, Peter raised Dorcus from the dead and many people rejoiced for she was full of good works and charitable deeds (9:39-42).
Chapter 10
An angel appeared to Cornelius instructing him to send men to Joppa to fetch Peter that he may preach to them (ch. 9:5). At the same time, the Lord spoke to Peter through a vision and showed him that he should go and preach to the gentiles (ch.10:9-22). When Peter came and preached to Cornelius, the later accepted the Lord with his family and were filled with the Holy Spirit (ch. 10-11:14).
Chapter 12
King Herod imprisoned Peter but the angel of the Lord came to him at night and opened the prison gates miraculously and freed him (ch. 12:10).
Chapter 13
Paul cast blindness upon Elymus who was a Jewish sorcerer and a false prophet for seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith (ch. 13:11-12).
Chapter 14
Paul performed miracles in Iconium (ch. 14:3). And at Lystra, he healed a crippled man who leaped and walked praising God (ch.14:8-18).
Chapter 16
Paul healed a woman possessed by an evil spirit (ch. 16:18). And God sent a miraculous earthquake to the prison where Paul and Silas were imprisoned and all the doors were opened and chains were loosed (ch. 16:26). As a result, the Jailer listened to Paul’s preaching and was saved with his family.
Chapter 19
Paul laid his hands on twelve men, in Ephesus, and they spoke in tongues, and prophesied (ch. 19:6). Also, Paul performed other miracles in Ephesus so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left the sick and the evil spirits went out of them (ch. 19:11,12).
Chapter 20
In Troas, Paul raised Eutychus from the dead. This man, who sat by the window, slept while listening to the preaching of Paul. And he fell down from the third story and was found dead (ch. 20:8-12).
Chapter 28
Paul miraculously was not hurt from a deadly viper that bit him at Malta (ch. 28:3-6). Paul laid hands on Publius who was sick of a fever and dysentery and healed him (ch. 28:8). As a result, the rest of those on the island who had diseases, also came and were healed (ch. 28:9).
And we are sure that the disciples did many other signs which were not written in the book of Acts but these that are written are given so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name (John 20:30-31).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
