God made us with a unique set of five senses: smelling, tasting, feeling, hearing, and seeing. They are what make us compatible to live in this natural world He made. Without them, we would self-destruct because we couldn’t make solid decisions. We’d burn ourselves if we couldn’t sense something was hot. We’d run into things if we couldn’t see where we were going. We’d get ran over if we couldn’t hear the cars coming. We couldn’t communicate to save our lives without the use of our mouths. God definitely knew what He was doing when He graced us with these abilities!
But even with these needed senses, we can still stumble if we choose to live by them alone. Neglecting the supernatural, our survival and success in life is limited, and perhaps even fatal.
Supernatural in the Webster’s dictionary means: “Unable to be explained by science or the law as of nature: of, relating to, or seeming to come from the magic, a god, etc.; or departing from what is usual or normal especially so as to appear to transcend the laws of nature.”
How many of us operate in the supernatural on a daily basis? How many of us expect to see a supernatural miracle in a world dominated by the five senses?
As Christians, we have already experienced the supernatural. The first supernatural event that happened was when God spoke, and the world came into existence (Genesis 1, 2). We’re here because of the supernatural power of God!
The second supernatural even occurred in our lives was when we received Jesus as Lord and Savior. God took out the sinful spirit on the inside of us and replaced it with His spirit, sin-free and as perfect as He is. No natural event could have made either of these things happen!
We serve a supernatural God that is unlimited by the natural world we live in. He is a spirit being, supernatural alone in the sense that we can’t see Him. But He is also supernatural in the way He operates. Consider some of the greatest Bible stories we may have grown up hearing. If you’re like me, you may have heard them so many times that you take them for granted. But they are far from insignificant. In a world that celebrates Superman and the Twilight series, these true-life stories from the Bible have been ignored and neglected.
- The Creation of the earth.
- The Flood that destroyed the world.
- Sarah’s pregnancy at an old age.
- The Plagues of Egypt.
- The Fall of Jericho’s walls.
- The sun standing still for Israel’s victory.
- The shutting of lion’s mouths to protect Daniel.
- Jonah’s giant fish rescue.
- Mary’s pregnancy though she was a virgin.
- Hundreds of healing, deliverance, and provision miracles performed by Jesus and the Apostles.
The common denominator to all these stories is that they were done for and through people who served and trusted in a supernatural God. They didn’t naturally occur simply because someone wished them to, or exercised their own power in God’s absence. They had supernatural power working on their behalf.
It is clear that God doesn’t operate by man’s limitations. His mind doesn’t even consider the natural when He moves to do something. When man says something is impossible, God declares that all things are possible.
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
We greatly hinder God’s ability to operate supernaturally in our lives when we forget His supernatural power. When we see catastrophe happening all around us and shake in fear, we stop His supernatural ability to protect us. When we get a bad doctor’s diagnosis that’s rendered incurable, we limit His power to heal us. When we look at our stack of bills and determine that we’re going under, we stop His provision from reaching us. Experiencing God’s supernatural hand at work in our lives is wholly dependent on our faith.
Consider Thomas’ response to hearing the news of Jesus’ Resurrection:
Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (Matthew 20:24-29)
If we wait until we see a confirmation in the natural before we believe, our faith is not in a supernatural God. We are insulting God by saying that He is not powerful enough to meet our need without physical means. We are not operating in faith – the faith that says, “Though I haven’t seen, I believe.”
On the other hand, those who choose to ignore the natural and consider only the supernatural, open the door for supernatural intervention from God Himself. Their faith in God alone pleases God to the point that He will make all things possible!
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)
Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)
For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
The biggest problem in our lives doesn’t stand a chance when confronted by the supernatural power of God. It’s not a matter of how He will do it that matters; it’s knowing and trusting that He will!
“Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45
Christa Madrid 