Table of Contents

Signs and Wonders in Mission

By Robert W. Houlihan

The gospel has always advanced by signs and wonders. When Jesus preached the coming of the Kingdom, He performed miracles to display the power of God and to overthrow the rule of Satan. When Peter preached to the crowd on the Day of Pentecost, he stated that Jesus "was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs" (Acts 2:22).* The disciples saw Jesus as their model and followed Him in the ministry of signs and wonders.

NEW TESTAMENT PATTERN

The Great Commission was given in an atmosphere of the Resurrection, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the miraculous. Matthew articulated Jesus' power and authority over everything in heaven and earth. Mark stated that "these signs will accompany those who believe...they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues"; they will be protected from danger and heal the sick (cf. Mark 16:17,18). Luke emphasized that "with great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 4:33). John reinforced Jesus' model of ministry in miracles: "As the Father hath sent me, I am sending you" (John 20:21). This same power and authority to perform signs, wonders, and miracles in the name of Jesus have been given to those who are sent to the lost.

The Book of Mark demonstrates the power of the Kingdom in conflict with Satan's rule. In the first chapter, Mark set the stage for the life of signs and wonders. When God announced the coming of His beloved Son, Satan tried to weaken Jesus' authority by attacking Him with the temptations. After Jesus' victory in the desert, He preached: "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news" (Mark 1:15).

Jesus counterattacked Satan's kingdom by casting the evil spirit out of the man in the Capernaum synagogue (cf. Mark 1:24-26). The result was that the news about Jesus spread over the whole region of Galilee. As soon as the gospel goes to new areas, signs and wonders accompany the declaration.

When Jesus sent out the Seventy-two, He told the missionaries to "heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you' " (Luke 10:9). When the disciples returned, they were full of "joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name' " (verse 17). Jesus declared that signs and wonders are part of the mission when He said, "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions [a possible allusion to Satan and his demons] and to overcome all the power of the enemy" (verse 19).

After the Great Commission was given, the apostles began doing the same ministry Jesus had on earth. After the Resurrection, during the 35-year period of the Book of Acts, over 80 references of the miraculous in the ministry of the apostles and the disciples are recorded.

One of the truths of missions is the relationship of signs and wonders to the coming of the kingdom of God in new cultural groups. As the gospel is preached to the unreached, miracles will take place to authenticate the coming of a greater Kingdom into the rule of Satan. When Philip went to Samaria to proclaim Christ, the people saw miraculous signs, and then they all paid close attention to what he said (cf. Acts 8:6,7).

The man most responsible for the persecution of the young church was blinded by a light from heaven. Even the men with Saul were speechless because they heard the miraculous voice from heaven but didn't see anyone. After the Lord convinced a layman named Ananias that he was to be the instrument of God in this situation, Paul received his sight (cf. Acts 9:1-19).

Peter was probably the most sectarian of the disciples. It took the Lord's voice three times in a vision to get him to understand the transcultural emphasis of the gospel. The miraculous vision was the only way to get Peter beyond the Jewish restrictions of the gospel. When Peter and those with him saw that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles and that they spoke with tongues, it was enough to convince them that the gospel was to move beyond the Jewish people (cf. Acts 10:9-48).

God's miracles through Philip brought the gospel to Samaria and thereafter the continent of Africa. The healing of Paul's blindness took the Kingdom truth to the Gentiles as far away as Europe. Signs and wonders at a Roman soldier's house took the gospel to the group most hated by the Jews. When the gospel goes to the unreached, it is accompanied by signs and wonders.

MODERN-DAY PATTERN

The pattern established in the New Testament on the relationship of the advance of the gospel with signs and wonders is true today. Everywhere the kingdom of God is preached, miracles occur showing the power of God and the coming of a New Ruler.

Vietnam

In Vietnam a young man was arrested for running drugs. He met two Assemblies of God pastors in prison who led him to the Lord. The pastors were released after 2 years, and 1 month later the new Christian was released and entered Bible school. After completing his first semester, he went home and preached the gospel to the unreached White Tai tribe. In 1 month, 753 of them from 5 villages responded to the gospel. The kingdom of God came to the White Tai people.

Mongolia

Outer Mongolia was isolated from the gospel for 2,000 years. The people are proud of their ancestral heritage with Genghis Khan. These nomadic people live in gers (felt tents) across the plains north of the Gobi Desert. When a crack came in the door to the country and it was about to open, Assemblies of God missionaries went to see what could be done. With no Bible in the Mongolian language and only a minimum of Christian literature, a crusade was held in the capital Ulan Bator. The first night a young deaf man was healed in the meeting, and others were touched by the power of God. In 3 days, 500 people responded to the gospel. The last night a demon-possessed monk was trying to prevent people from coming to the Lord. In front of 800 Mongolians, the power of God bound the power of Satan. People who lived in fear of demonic power and control witnessed a greater power. The kingdom of God came to Mongolia.

After the monk was cast out of the meeting, people ran forward to the altar. As they came, they discarded their Buddhist prayer papers, their amulets, and their prayer beads. Signs and wonders authenticated the call to follow Jesus.

Myanmar

There are 135 people groups in Myanmar (Burma). Because many are isolated in remote areas, they have yet to hear the gospel. Until a few years ago, one of these groups was the Arakans.

A Buddhist monk heard the gospel by shortwave. He became curious about the God named Jesus, so he left his monastery and came to the capital Yangon. He found the radio preacher Myo Chit, was led to Christ, and turned from his trust in Buddha. The new Christian entered Bible school and after several months returned to his home, burdened to tell the Arakans about Christ. The monks who used to be his companions prohibited the people from listening to the evangelist talk of this new God. All alone in his hometown, the new Christian continued to read the Word of God.

At the time there was a drought in the province. As the new convert read the Scriptures, he came across the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a power encounter--the true God would send fire and rain.

With the Bible as his script, this lone Christian challenged the monks. The farmers heard the word gladly for they needed the rain. The Buddhist monks prayed to their gods, yet nothing happened. The sky was cloudless. But when the evangelist called upon God to show himself by signs and wonders, the Lord sent rain on the land. The people rejoiced, but the monks said it was a coincidence. The evangelist wasn't discouraged. After the rain ceased he said, "Let's try it again to see who really is God: Buddha or Jesus." The monks went through their prayers to no avail, but when the evangelist prayed a second time, God again sent rain. It is easy to understand why there are now several churches among the Arakan people. God is a God who answers by rain.

Wherever the gospel goes, it is accompanied by signs and wonders. After the Ascension, "the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it" (Mark 16:20). Today's missionaries can do the same, for our God never changes.

*Scripture quotations are from the New International Version.

Robert W. Houlihan is Division of Foreign Missions Asia Pacific field director, Springfield, Missouri.