One day, after working many miracles and healing the sick, Jesus departed into the desert to be alone. The multitudes followed Him there. Jesus looked at his disciples and said, "Give the multitudes something to eat, for surely they are hungry."


The disciples didn't have any food, so they asked Jesus if they should go to town to buy some bread. Andrew spoke up and said, "There is a boy here who has five loaves and two fishes, but that won't go very far."

Jesus commanded His disciples to make the people sit down. There was about five thousand men all together. Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to the Father God, and gave the bread to His disciples to give to the five thousand men.

Every person ate until he was full. After lunch the disciples collected twelve baskets full of food. This was the working of miracles in action. Praise the Lord for the working of miracles!

What Is A Miracle?
First Corinthians 12:10, "...to another the working of miracles.... "

What is a miracle? Imagine a tiny seed. One day, somebody planted a tiny seed, and a while later, a beautiful flower grew from that tiny seed. That's a miracle.

Every time a baby is born, that's a miracle. God does all these things! He makes them happen. Even though all these things are miracles, they are not the working of miracles. Why not? Because the working of miracles is when Jesus supernaturally changes the normal course of nature.

When a flower grows from a tiny seed, that is the normal course of nature. Every time a baby is born, that is the normal course of nature. When Jesus fed five thousand people with just five loaves and two fishes, that was not the normal course of nature. That was the working of miracles.

When David beat up a lion with his bare hands, that was the working of miracles.
The working of miracles is when God supernaturally changes the normal course of nature. God wants to give us the working of miracles if we ever need it. The working of miracles is not magic. You can't just walk around and say things like, "Frog, turn into a bird." That's not necessary. The working of miracles only comes in manifestation when you need it.

Healing Or Miracle?
First Corinthians 12:8-10, "For to one is given by the Spirit... gifts of healing... to another the working of miracles.... "

Sometimes people get the working of miracles confused with the gift of healing. Let me explain. If I was deaf in one ear, and the Lord healed me, that is a manifestation of the gifts of healing. If I only had one ear, and was missing an entire ear, then I need a manifestation of the working of miracles.

If my hand was broken, then I need a manifestation of the gift of healing. If I was missing a hand, I only had one hand, then I need a manifestation of the working of miracles.

If you are in need of healing, you can also get healing simply by using your faith. If you are in need of a miracle, you need a manifestation of the working of miracles.

Source: Adapted from Super Church Curriculum Gifts of the Spirit
by Mark Harper
Excerpt permission granted by Mark Harper Ministries