The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The gift of the working of miracles is the supernatural ability imparted byGod to work a miracle. It is different from the gift of faith because therecipient has to be actively involved in working the miracle. The reason whythe Bible uses the plural word ‘miracles’ is because this gift operates in fiveareas of miracles: the transcending of natural laws, instantaneous healings,creative miracles, special demonstrations of the anointing and the workingof signs and wonders.When a natural law is broken, it is not just the illegal breaking of naturallaws. More correctly speaking, it is the transcending of a natural lawthrough the higher spiritual law. Through the working of miracles, allnatural laws can be transcended. Moses through the working of miracleswas able to go without food and water for forty days and forty nights (Deut.9:9). He also probably went without sleep during this period.When Jesus walked on the water, He operated two gifts of the Holy Spirit.He operated the gift of faith because He merely continued walking on wateras if it were solid ground; and He operated the working of miracles becausethe law of gravity was transcended (Matt. 14:25).The second area of the working of miracles is in instantaneous miracles.Healing by the gifts of healings would normally take some time forcomplete normal function. This does not mean that the person who receiveshealing is healed gradually (that would have been healing by personal faith).Rather, when a person is healed by the gifts of healings, they are healedinstantly of whatever sickness but their body takes time to go back tonormal strength.For example, if a person is bedfast for many years, even if the person isinstantly healed, it may still take time for his body to recover the normalstrength. Healing by the gifts of healings is also instantaneous but not asdramatic as healing wrought by the working of miracles. If the same personis healed by the working of miracles, two things would happen instead ofone (the instantaneous healing). The person would have received theinstantaneous healing and a supernatural restoration of normal strength. Thelame man at the temple in Jerusalem was healed by a working of miraclesbecause he received both a healing and an instant ability to walk and leapeven though he has never walked before (Acts 3:8).All creative miracles are classified under the working of miracles. This isthe third area of the working of miracles. When Elijah stayed in the widow’shouse, the bin of flour and the jar of oil was multiplied through the workingof miracles (1 Kgs. 17:14-16). Jesus multiplied the five loaves and two fishthrough the working of miracles (Mat. 14:19, 20).© Copyright 2008 Peter Tan Evangelism. All rights reserved. 17