First C miracles - again today?

Shaking, Healing, and Speaking

When was the last time this happened to you? Acts 4:31“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

My knowledge is limited but I can only recall one other such incident recorded for posterity and that was in the Hebridean Revival in the late 1940’s. On that occasion, similar to the occasion in Acts, when the people finished praying, the house in which they were meeting was shaken – and then the revival started.

There are a couple of things that happened in the first century that I would like to see happening again and again in these days. First, is the shaking of the place of prayer. This is definitely not the shaking “of all that can be shaken” mentioned in scripture but the specific shaking mentioned in Acts 4:31.

The second thing I would like to experience is healing at the passing of a shadow. In Acts it is recorded that people were brought out so that “Peter’s shadow might pass over them” and heal them. We anoint handkerchieves and cloths today and they bring healing, but I have not heard of anyone being healed when a persons shadow passes over them.

What presence Peter must have carried. Where are the evangelists and healers who carry such a presence today. Where are the men of God, so fired up by the anointing upon them and the Spirit within them, that demons flee their presence. Yes, we may have seen it happening in Africa and other places, but never in the West, never in Europe or America. People like Heidi Baker and Nathan Morris have seen this all over the world – but not here as far as I know.

Finally, I want to experience something of what happened at Pentecost when each of the listeners to Peter’s speech heard it in his own language. What an amazing event. Everyone in the crowd saying things like – “Do you hear that? They’re speaking my dialect.” “Yes – its the same for me too. My home dialect”. “Wait a minute – aren’t these guys uneducated fishermen?” “This is something else. We’d better listen to them.” What an incredible moment for the apostles too – to see the power of the Holy Spirit at work for the first time. Oh – I’d love to see that gift in operation in these times.

I feel strongly that the Lord is calling us to be more like the first century church. Having a vibrant expectant faith. Almost trembling with excitement and anticipation of whatever may be about to happen. Really knowing that Holy Spirit is about to do something special. Something house shaking. Something specially healing. Some communication spectacular.

Lord – prepare us, get us ready, and then send your Spirit in power.

Oh WOW \o/