Miracles have been occurring since the creation of the world. The first miracle was, in fact, the creation of our world, and since then miracles have continued. The Bible is full of miracles of God. In the time of Hezekiah the sun went backward ten degrees. Other times the dead were raised back to life, and the sick were healed. But the greatest miracle is the conversion of the human soul.

“The conversion of the human soul is of no little consequence. It is the greatest miracle performed by divine power. Actual results are to be reached through a belief in Christ as a personal Saviour. Purified by obedience to the law of God, sanctified by a perfect observance of His holy Sabbath, trusting, believing, patiently waiting, and earnestly working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, we shall learn that it is God that worketh in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.” –Evangelism, p. 289–290

A sinner who loved sin is changed into a Christian who wants to be good, sanctified, and obedient, willing to sacrifice.

As an apple that is decayed and rotten and no human effort can make it good and fresh again, so also, a corrupted sinner cannot change himself. God alone can change a sinner into a saint—and how is it done?

“And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.” 1 Samuel 10:6

This is what it means to be born again. John and James, the disciples of Jesus, were called sons of thunder, but they were changed into Christlikeness, into loving persons.

Judah, the son of Jacob, along with his brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites. Many years later he offered his own life for his brother, Benjamin. He had changed; it was a complete change in his character.

When Jesus told His disciples how difficult it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, they were amazed. “When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:25–26

Salvation is a miracle of God. It is impossible for us to obtain it by ourselves. It was a miracle of God that Samson could kill a lion with his bare hands. “Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.” Judges 14:5–6

Supernatural power is given to us by the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit miracles start happening. “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them.” Ezekiel 36:26–27

Our life is full of miracles. Every day the Holy Spirit strengthens us to obey God and keep His commandments.

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.” Zechariah 4:6–9

To build the house of the Lord, Zerubbabel needed the Holy Spirit; human strength was not enough. To build the house was like a great mountain, but mountains can be removed. “Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matthew 17:19–20

Sins in our life are like mountains, and not by human might nor by human power can we overcome them. Only by the Holy Spirit will the miracle of God be done and victory will be gained over sin.

The first thing we must do is to receive Christ’s righteousness, “Jesus answered, . . . Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” John 3:5

“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:12–14. We are not debtors to the flesh, we owe nothing to our eyes, ears, or stomach, but by the Spirit of God we must mortify the desires of the body.

One of the signs that show that we are born again by the Holy Spirit is our desire to do missionary work. Paul had the Holy Spirit and that made him want to preach the gospel. “Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Romans 15:19

Teaching us what to say is a miracle of God. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and He will tell us what to say while we are doing missionary work. “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” Matthew 10:19–20

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.” John 16:12–13

To overcome sin is a miracle of God. To remain calm under provocation is a miracle. To overcome our appetite is a miracle. To love our enemies is a miracle. To pray without ceasing is a miracle. To love God more than ourselves is a miracle. To love our neighbour as ourself is a miracle. Choosing to read the Bible rather than watching worthless shows on TV and the Internet is a miracle. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

“He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:29–31

Without the Holy Spirit false Christians will fail and their religion will be lukewarm. It will consist of formal ceremonies and be in name only. Sin will remain in their lives, and they have no power to obey God. They will be ready to die spiritually and give up the faith. They know the truth, but do not practise it. They are building upon a sandy foundation. In the end their punishment will be greater than those who never knew the truth.

“And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:47–48

These types of people do not have their prayers answered; they may say that they are good Christians but that is not so; no miracles happen in their lives. “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:16–17

How does this condition begin? “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

Then this condition continues, “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” Ephesians 4:18–19

And, finally, what is their condition? “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” 1 Timothy 4:2

The voice of the Holy Spirit has then been silenced, and Satan takes control of them.

Jesus said to the woman at the well, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.” John 4:10. Then Jesus continued to explain more about the living water, “Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto Him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.” John 4:13–15

This living water works like a miracle in the soul. “He who seeks to quench his thirst at the fountains of this world will drink only to thirst again. Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, ‘The Desire of all nations,’ is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 187

This living water that God will pour upon us is the Holy Spirit, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit.” Joel 2:28–29

God has not promised just a few drops to fall upon us, but a shower—showers of blessing. “And I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:26

There will be a spiritual revival, God will give His mighty power to help us. There will be love, joy, and peace among us. There will be unity and harmony in our church. These miracles all happen when the Holy Spirit is poured upon us.

The sealing of God’s people is a miracle that is done before the Latter Rain is poured out upon them. “The mighty angel is seen ascending from the east (or sunrising). This mightiest of angels has in his hand the seal of the living God, or of Him who alone can give life, who can inscribe upon the foreheads the mark or inscription, to whom shall be granted immortality, eternal life.” –Testimonies to Ministers, p. 444–445. “The indelible mark of God is upon them. God can plead that His own name is written there. The Lord has shut them in. Their destination is inscribed—‘GOD, NEW JERUSALEM.’ They are God’s property, His possession.” –Testimonies to Ministers, p. 446

“Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come.” –Our Father Cares, p. 328

All who did not receive the seal in their foreheads will be shaken out. After this the next event is the latter rain. “Said the angel, ‘Look ye!’ My attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were mightily shaken. I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying in agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, like a company of soldiers. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through. Yet their features, marked with severe internal anguish, now shone with the light and glory of heaven. They had obtained the victory, and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude and holy, sacred joy. . . .

“They had been hungering and thirsting for truth; it was dearer and more precious than life. I asked what had made this great change. And angel answered, ‘It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.’” –Early Writings, p. 271

“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects of our characters to cleanse the soul-temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall.” –Christian Experience and Teachings, p. 189.  In this manner it will be possible to fulfil the words of Jesus. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48. This condition in the church is a great miracle done by the Holy Spirit. Every day we need to get one step closer to this perfection and keep asking God’s miracle to reach that condition. Amen

Timo Martin