Before it’s truly Christmastime, out come all the signs that the season is upon us.

Here in Texas, it could still easily be 80 degrees or more, and yet we heartily welcome “Jingle Bells” and jump right in.

Retailers especially welcome the season, since it can mean the difference between year-end profits or losses.

Stores abound with sparkling décor, festive music and lots of outrageous sales, which are accompanied by the marketing department’s best spin on words from the Bible story. Of course, we all know their jingles about miracles, joy and giving have ulterior motives. But I usually put it in the context of what I know to be true.

Jesus did come, and I am joyful about it! And because God so loved the world that He gave His Son, I want to show love by giving, too.

But there is one catchy phrase out there that bothers me: "The magic of Christmas." I used to just brush it off, since I would never knowingly attribute anything from God to be a result of magic. But after seeing it over and over, it became clear that the Holy Spirit was calling my attention to it.

A Miracle, Not Magic!
Magic, it seems to me, can be considered in two contexts: make-believe and the occult. Magic tricks are usually just that—tricks! Sometimes, however, a magician does employ the occult, which the Word of God adamantly forbids (Lev. 19:26). Most non-Christians place magic in the first category: make-believe. It’s easy to understand why the world would want to categorize the birth of Jesus as make-believe. It’s easier to believe that a story with angels, political intrigue and a virgin birth is a fairy tale, than to believe it is real. But, the notion that the virgin birth is make-believe seriously undermines the plan of God for the believer.

First, we need to do a little study from Scripture to uncover exactly how Jesus could actually be born of a virgin. Remember, this is a study in spiritual law and not natural law. Spiritual law is the basis of God’s eternal kingdom and is deathless and everlasting. While man is allowed to understand and cooperate with spiritual law, there is nothing he can do to alter it. Nothing trumps it, so natural things are subject to it (2 Cor. 4:18, AMP Bible).

The source of all natural things—every single one of them—is words spoken by God. Let’s take a quick survey of Genesis 1.

In verse 1 we read: “In the beginning.” Another way of saying that is, “To start with.” The earth was without form and there was nothing but darkness. The Spirit was present, moving across the deep, but it wasn’t until God spoke the words, “Light, be!” that light was suddenly present—everywhere!

The same thing happens in verses 6, 9, 11, 14, 20 and 24: Let there be sky...let there be seas... let there be earth...let there be lights in the heavens (sun, moon and stars)... let there be creatures in the waters and birds in the air...let there be creeping things and beasts of all kinds. And you know something? In every instance, there was! God said it and it was!

What about man? How was he created?

The same way. Verse 26 says, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion....” In verse 28, God continued the empowerment of mankind by speaking the blessing of increase, dominion and supply. God spoke, and man was. He spoke into existence His desired result. He wanted a man after His own likeness, with authority over all the rest of creation, and that’s what came to be.