PASTOR OLUWASEYI OSANYINBI
Signs are primarily for the uninitiated. God usually starts dealing with people using signs. As such, it is imperative to be able to interpret signs and know what they are all about. When Jesus was born, everybody saw the star but not everybody understood what it meant. Seeing and understanding signs will help us to position ourselves correctly as touching what God is doing.
MARK 16:17: ” 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.“;
ACTS 2:4: “4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”;
MATTHEW 24:3,15,30: “3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
There are certain signs that follow those who believe. They cast out devils and they speak with new tongues in the name of Jesus. They take up serpents and drink deadly things without being hurt. They lay hands on the sick and the sick recover. As far as we are believers in Jesus Christ, we must not be afraid to step out in the name of Jesus. The only way to know the antichrist is to understand his sign which is the abomination of desolation standing in the Holy Place. God’s secrets are meant to be unveiled unto the Church. There is a sign of the son of man and we have to be able to recognize it. ‘666’ is a sign. ‘6’ is the number of man and ‘3’ is the number of completion. As such, ‘666’ represents the perfection of man which is diametrically opposed to the Almighty God. This explains the massive drive of the nations of the earth towards ‘humanism’, that is, man’s self-love and self-worship. Speaking in tongues of men is a sign to the speakers of that language that God is Sovereign. Such signs serve to convict unbelievers and make them believe in God.
MATTHEW 15:31: “31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.”;
MATTHEW 21:15: “15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased”
Wonders cause their beholders to marvel. People wondered when they saw Jesus heal the sick and made the maimed whole. The scribes and chief priests wondered at the spectacle Jesus caused. The shout of Hosanna by unlearned children got the religious leaders awestruck.
MARK 6:51: “51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.”;
LUKE 4:22: “22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?”;
LUKE 9:43-44: ” 43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples, 44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.”;
[biblegateway passage=”ACTS 3:1-11″ display=”ACTS 3:1-11″]
People were amazed when Jesus silenced the fierce wind that came upon his disciples. The people in the synagogue wondered at Jesus’ gracious speech after He read out His mandate. The wonders Jesus did were no guarantee that he would not be arrested. He made his disciples know this but they seemed not to pay attention. Judas must have betrayed Him because he was sure Jesus was too powerful to be taken. The healing of the man at the beautiful gate led to utter amazement in the synagogue.
We were birthed in signs and wonders and we must close the age with signs and wonders. They are needed to turn a lot of people to God. However, we must be careful since Satan is going to withstand us sign for sign and wonder to wonder. There will be lying signs and wonders. We must not be given to signs and wonders at the expense of God’s leading so that we will not be taken in by falsehood. Ultimately, God’s leading will help us reap the end time harvest.