Wilbur: ’There's more to the Gospel than just miracles.’

Jill: ’Just miracles! Did you really say, 'just miracles?’

Wilbur: ’Yeah, what's the big deal about healing? Why must we see miracles? The gospel is so much more than just signs and supernatural demonstrations.’

This conversation is not unusual. It’s almost as though Wilbur is comparing the activity of the Holy Spirit to touch peoples lives, with the full measure of salvation. These are not in competition. These are inseparable.

While miracles of healing, deliverance and other signs of power are not the entirety of the gospel, they are inseparable from it. And these works were the works that Jesus modeled for us. They are the works he said that we would do.

These acts of power are also the only things that distinguish us as sons of the Kingdom of Heaven from those who do good deeds in the earth. Works of power are the modus operandi of the Kingdom of Heaven. The sons and daughters of the King do His works of power because His own mighty presence works inside them to do those things He loves to do - the very works He modeled as being high priorities for Him.

Power, love, and the living, breathing Spirit of God are the elements of which the new creation consists. Having been created in Christ for good works, miracles are perfectly suited to our nature. ’Born again’ means that we began by miraculous means. It’s appropriate, then, for children born of another kingdom to produce the ordinary, distinctive traits of that kingdom.