Throughout history, God has used signs and wonders to astound man and to demonstrate His power. It is no different today. In a revival there will be an increase of signs and wonders. If we understand that miracles are expected during a revival, then we do not have to fear when signs and wonders are manifested in a service for we know God is doing His strange and wonderful work.

Here are a few examples of signs and wonders God has used to demonstrate His supernatural power: God used the mantle of Elijah to part a river for Elisha.

Elisha threw a stick into a river to recover a lost axe head that swam. In the name of Lord, one smooth stone out of five killed a giant for David. He used a brass serpent as a symbol for healing the Israelites.

One spoken word in faith from Joshua stopped the sun for a day. Moses' wooden staff was used to turn a river into blood, and bring forth water from a rock, split the Red Sea, and cause plagues upon Egypt.

Not only that, it was also turned into a serpent as a sign before Pharaoh. Aaron's rod became alive in the aspect of yielding almonds, buds, and blossoms. Naaman dipped seven times in the Jordan River to be cleansed from leprosy. Peter walked on water.

Clay and spit was put into a blind man's eye sockets and he saw for the first time. Paul used handkerchiefs and shadows healed the sick. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell of the many miracles Jesus performed to show the Father's power.

He turned water into wine, made the deaf to hear, the mute to speak, the lame to walk. He even raised the dead. He took a coin in a fish's mouth to pay taxes. He used five small loaves of bread and two small fish to feed five thousand people and had twelve baskets filled with leftovers.

Supernatural Intervention
Many people try to duplicate the methods that were involved in miracles of the Bible. But in all of these amazing demonstrations of God's ability to supernaturally intervene on man's behalf, it is important to understand that it was not the methods that induced the miracles; it was man's simple faith in God (see Hebrews 11).

At the time these miracles happened, the way in which God's power was performed had never been demonstrated that way before. The common factor in all of these unusual signs and wonders was faith in God. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise" (1 Cor. 1:27).

Controversies About Manifestations
When controversies arise about manifestations or signs and wonders in revival meetings, I encourage people to study the Word of God for confirmation of whether or not the act is from God. Just because we haven't seen something done a particular way does not mean it is not God, because we can see in God's Word that He used many new methods to demonstrate His power.

We should, however, judge signs and wonders by their fruit. A true work of God will cause individuals to grow in the knowledge of the goodness of God (see Colossians 1:10).

The Word says, "(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord" (Eph. 5:9-10).

So, we must wait and see if the results of the miracle bear witness with God's Word and with the Holy Spirit's witness in our spirit.

James the brother of Jesus wrote,
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
(James 3:16-18)
This tells us that an evil work spawns envy, strife, and confusion, but a work of God is full of His wisdom that produces peace.

Source: Revival: The Last Call by Jack Myers
Excerpt permission granted by World Revival Evangelistic Association, Inc.