The scriptures speak to us loudly about miracles. The evidence of them splashes across four-thousand years of recorded Biblical history. From Genesis to Revelation, miracles jump out from the pages filling the heart with hope and expectation. Miracles should be the norm for those who have a lifestyle in God. They are the expected thing. Yet, there are some who say we shouldn’t get our hopes up. That God’s mighty power has vanished like smoke in the wind. The question though is this, where is the evidence of that claim? Where is the evidence of a God who no longer heals or who no longer divides the seas? Recorded history tells a different tale. Not Bible history mind you, secular human history itself testifies that miracles are very much alive. And that’s good news for you because that means you can have a real live miracle by the hand of Almighty God. God loves you. God cares for you and He wants you well. And, He doesn’t play favorites. If He ever healed anybody, He will certainly heal you.

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You can view a basic transcript of this podcast at the bottom of this section.

Accept the Challenge

Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put into operation.
This week’s call is:

Miracles are for you. God wants you absolutely well. Reach out and receive your healing in Jesus Name.

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Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony. Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11).
This week’s question is:

Question: What healing miracle has the Lord done in your life? Please share your testimony in the comments section below.

Episode Resources:

You can find additional information on the subject of Healing in the resources listed below.

1. Why Divine Healing Is Better for Your Life

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 40 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 35 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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Podcast Notes

The Fourth Century

Augustine of Hippo

• Augustine lived from 354 to 430 AD.
• His contribution to understanding Bible truth had a huge impact on the church.
  • Augustine formulated teaching about the grace of God.
  • He honed the doctrine of original sin.
  • He wrote extensively about the Trinity in the face of heretical teachings about Jesus.
    • Some were teaching that Jesus couldn’t have been equal with God since He was begotten.
  • He gave the Western church a clear statement concerning the person of Christ.
  • One of his most famous works was called, ‘The City of God’¹
    • It is said that no other book, other than the Bible, had as much influence on the Middle Ages, then the City of God.
    • From that book, here’s his account of a miracle he personally witnessed.

A miracle that happened at Milan while I was there, when a blind man had his sight restored, succeeded in becoming more widely known because Milan is an important city.… In contrast with this, there are surely only a very few at Carthage who know about the healing of Innocentius, sometime counsellor of the vice-prefecture. But I was present as an eyewitness.—Augustine of Hippo²

• Here’s a second quote from the same book on the same subject of miracles.

I have been concerned that such accounts should be published because I saw that signs of divine power like those of older days were frequently occurring in modern times too.… It is not yet two years since the shrine we have been speaking of was established at Hippo and, to my certain knowledge, many miracles have occurred there which are not recorded in the published documents; and nearly seventy of these documents have been produced, at the time of writing.—Augustine of Hippo³

• So if the age of miracles has passed, as some would insist we believe, what’s this blind man doing miraculously receiving his sight in the fourth century?
• What about the many miracles that occurred in the city of Hippo?
• There were seventy documents attesting to miracles in that city.
• Augustine knew about many other miracles not recorded among these seventy documents.
• There was another shrine in the area, having kept records for a longer period.
• They had a much larger collection of continuing healings.
• In Augustine’s many miracle accounts, of which he was certain to include dramatic cases like the healing of long-term paralytics, he freely cites eyewitnesses.
• Sometimes he expressed his annoyance when someone got healed and did not publicly given testimony to what God had done.
  • Augustine thought they were acting as if the healing were only for their private edification and not also for God’s glory.
• He recounts a less dramatic recovery of his own that he regards as miraculous.
  • He reports his own suffering for several days from tooth pain so severe that eventually, he could not speak.
  • No sooner had his friends prayed for him than it vanished (Conf. 9.4.12).
• He elaborates at special length on a case involving one of his friends, citing also another close friend who, along with Augustine, was a witness of the event.
  • A former official named Innocent was suffering from a long-term painful abscess that a previous surgery and ointments had failed to correct.
  • As anesthesia was not available in those days, patients suffering painful surgeries sometimes went into shock and died, and Innocent was terrified at the prospect of another surgery.
  • Augustine and others prayed for him, but Augustine found himself unable to concentrate on prayer, distracted by Innocent’s wailing to God.
  • If the Lord did not respond to such desperate cries as Innocent’s, Augustine wondered, what sort of prayers might move him?
  • The next morning Augustine and the others returned for Innocent’s surgery. The doctors removed the bandages and then began searching for the abscess that they had repeatedly observed—only to discover completely healthy tissue.
• Miracle reports appear also in the Asian churches east of the Roman Empire.
• According to a report attributed to a written second-century source, the first bishop of Arbil in Mesopotamia was converted through witnessing a Syrian evangelist raising someone from the dead.⁴
• Keener writes the following words in his massive tome on Miracles.

“Personal fourth-century letters that have survived from Christians in Egypt testify that Christians were seeking healing from God through the prayers of trusted holy men. Other probably fourth-century sources likewise indicate that a ministry of healing continued in other parts of the church, although this activity may have become a clerical rather than a lay prerogative. We have no way to verify these reports today, but they do illustrate continuing belief in miracles and in many cases first- or secondhand claims of having witnessed them.⁵

• So, we have Augustine who bore witness to fourth-century miracles.
• Let’s look at some people of God from that era.
• Here’s a man who bridges the fourth century, having been born in the third century but went to heaven in the fourth.

Anthony

• Anthony lived from 251-356 A.D.
• His biography shows Anthony’s work with the supernatural, especially in dealing with demons.
• Here’s a quote from his bio.

We must not boast of casting out devils, not be elated at the healing of diseases, nor should we admire only the man who casts out devils, and account that one useless who does not. A man should observe carefully the discipline of each monk, and either imitate it, strive to excel it, or correct it. To work miracles is not ours; that is the Saviour’s work. At any rate, He said to His disciples: “But do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; rejoice rather in this, that your names are written in heaven.

Hilarion

• Hilarion lived in the fourth century.
• He was an ascetic who lived in the desert much like John the Baptist.
• An ascetic is a person who practices severe self-discipline abstaining from all forms of indulgence.
• By the time Hilarion had been in the desert for 22 years, he became widely known by reputation throughout the cities of Palestine.
• Jerome, who was a fourth-century contemporary, wrote in his ‘Life of Saint Hilarion’ tells of a number of the miracles, healings, and expulsion of demons which occurred during his ministry.
• Here are a few samples:
• “A certain woman of Eleutheropolis, was despised by her husband because, although married for fifteen years, she could bear no children.
  • She approached Hilarion in his solitude.
  • He stood still, and, finally aware of the woman, asked her why she had come and why she was weeping.
  • When he learned the cause of her grief, he raised his eyes to heaven, he commanded her to have faith and believe.
  • He followed her departure with tears.
  • When a year had gone by, he saw her with her son.”
• In a city of Egypt, in a small suburb, a woman who had been blind for ten years was brought to Hilarion.
• The woman said she had given all her money to the physicians.
• Hilarion replied: “If what you lost on physicians you had given to the poor, Jesus the true Physician would have healed you.”
• Whereupon she cried aloud and implored him to have mercy on her.
• Then, following the example of Jesus, he rubbed spittle upon her eyes and she was immediately cured.
• The days of miracles did not end with the death of the last apostle.
• Look at all the evidence to the contrary.
• The good news is the bad news was wrong.
• Jerome concludes the section which he devoted to telling Hilarion’s life by stating, “There would not be time if I wanted to tell you all the signs and wonders performed by Hilarion.
• Someone forgot to tell this fourth-century child of God that the age of miracles was past.

Macrina the Younger

• Macrina the Younger lived from 328-380 AD.
• She was the sister of Basil, Bishop of Caesarea and she also had a brother named Gregory Bishop of Nyssa.
• Gregory, that is Bishop Gregory, wrote a biography of his sister’s life and tells the story of how she was healed.
• He also shares a miracle which was given to him by a military man:
• The details of this particular miracle are very elaborate.
• Too elaborate for this podcast.
• The gist of the story is that this man and his wife were eager to visit a monastery where a person there had a known healing ministry.
• Quoting now from the account:
  • “There was with us our little girl who was suffering from an eye ailment resulting from an infectious sickness.
  • It was a terrible and pitiful thing to see her as the membrane around the pupil was swollen and whitened by the disease.
  • They visited the monastery. After an interval of time, a great lady replied: “I have some medicine which is especially effective in curing eye diseases.”
  • When a message came to me from the women’s quarters about this promise, we gladly remained and disregarded the urgent necessity of starting on our way.
  • When the feasting was over and grace was said and Peter and Macrina having said goodbye to my wife, we started the journey home bright and happy.
  • As they journeyed, the wife said, “What have we done?
  • How did we forget the promise, the medicine for the eyes?”
  • Macrina said, “I was annoyed at our thoughtlessness, and quickly sent one of my men back to ask for the medicine, when the child, who happened to be in her nurse’s arms, looked at her mother and said: “Stop being upset by our carelessness.”
  • She said this in a loud voice, joyfully and fearfully.
  • “Nothing of what was promised to us has been omitted, but the true medicine that heals diseases, the cure that comes from prayer, this she has given us, and it has already worked; nothing at all is left of the disease of the eyes.”
  • As she said this, she took our child and put her in my arms and I, also, then comprehended the miracles in the gospel which I had not believed before and I said: “What a great thing it is for sight to be restored to the blind by the hand of God…”

Saint Basil

• We are still in the fourth century where we meet Basil, a Cappadocian Father.
• His friend Gregory of Nazianzus shares at least two incidents of healings through the ministry of Basil.
• One had to do with the Emperor’s son who had become sick.
• When the care of the physicians failed, Basil was called to the bedside.
• According to eyewitnesses the boy’s “disease relaxed” and had it not been for his father’s interference (going back to the care of the physicians) the boy would have lived.
• Sounds like the father didn’t believe the son was healed, got to meddling and disrupted the faith that was in evidence and when he did that, the disease came back on the child.
• The second incident happened when Eusebius the Bishop called for his help. Eusebius was sick and in pain and was healed.
• Gregory says that Eusebius “never ceased to wonder at and describe the powers of (Basil).”
• Gregory also relates two healings which happened to Basil’s sister Gorgonia.
• The following is Gregory’s description of them.
• This also is a really long account that I will try and shorten up.
• The story is about a woman who was in a carriage being drawn by mules and the mules got spooked and overturned the carriage.
• She was dragged along so until she was seriously injured, crushed and bruised, bones and limbs.
• She refused a physician because she was a very modest woman even in her suffering and because she was trusting the Lord.
• She exhibiting a high degree faith in the midst of suffering, and patience under calamity.
• She was sick in body, and dangerously ill of an extraordinary and malignant disease, her whole frame was incessantly fevered.
• She went in and out of a coma.
• She had paralysis of mind and limbs.
• She seemed beyond human aid.
• Beyond the skill of physicians.
• The tears of her parents did no good.
• What was the medicine for her disorder?
• Despairing of all other aid, she went to the Physician of all and during a slight intermission of the disease, she approached the altar with faith, and calling upon God, with a mighty cry.
• She called to mind all of God’s former works of power, even from ancient and of later days.
• Finally, she imitated the woman with the issue of blood who pressed through the crowd and touched the hem of Jesus garment.
• How did she do this?
• She rested her head with another on the altar, and with a wealth of tears, declared that she would not loose her hold until she was made whole.
• She then applied spiritual medicine to her whole body, the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus, mingling there with her tears.
• And then, according to the account, the power of God came down on her.
• Here’s the exact quote.

O the wonder, she went away at once feeling that she was saved, and with the lightness of health in body, soul and mind, having received, as the reward of her hope, that which she hoped for, and having gained bodily means by spiritual strength.

• Gregory also describes the healing of Basil’s father.
• Here is his description of the father’s illness and healing.
  • His whole frame was on fire with an excessive, burning fever, his strength had failed.
  • He was unable to take food.
  • His sleep had departed from him,
  • He was in the greatest distress and agitated by palpitations.
  • Within his mouth was so full of painful ulcers so he couldn’t even swallow water.
  • The skill of physicians, the prayers of his friends, were of no avail.
  • What then was the response of the God of that night and of the sick man?
  • A shudder comes over me as I proceed with my story.
  • He was raised up by Him who quickens the dead.
  • At first, he moved slightly, then more decidedly; then in a feeble and indistinct voice he called by name one of the servants who were in attendance upon him, and bade him come, and bring his clothes, and support him with his hand.
  • What a miracle!
  • Then, this man after thanking God, took a little food and retired to his bed and enjoyed sleep.
  • His health gradually recovered so that on the first Sunday after the festival of the Resurrection, he went to church.

St Ambrose

• St. Ambrose was born in 339 AD.
• And died in 397 AD.
• Ambrose was the Bishop of Milan.
• When ordained as a bishop his first act was to distribute his wealth among the poor.
• He was an outstanding preacher and teacher, and very outspoken.
• Augustine was influenced by Ambrose.
• The following are some of the experiences recorded by Paulinus in his Life of St. Ambrose.
  • But, when the bodies of the holy martyrs [Protase and Gervase] were raised and placed on biers, I guess this took place at a funeral, the diseases of many were shown to have been healed.
  • Even a blind man, Severus by name, received his sight immediately.
  • Likewise, bodies possessed by unclean spirits returned to their homes with the greatest gratitude after they had been healed.
  • About the same time, there was a certain man of the Arian heresy,
    • The Arian heresy in the 4th century was a belief held by a few that Jesus was more than a man but less than God.
    • That’s not what the Bible teaches.
    • The Bible teaches that Jesus, the Son of God, being equal with God, choose to become a man in order to save men.
  • This man was violent beyond measure.
  • He was harsh and arguing with everybody.
  • This man was in the church one day while Ambrose was preaching.
  • Later, he himself related that he saw an angel there, speaking into the ears of Ambrose as he preached so that the bishop seemed to be proclaiming to the people the words of the angel.
  • By this sight, he was converted, and the faith which he formerly attacked he himself now began to defend.
• Ambrose, in his own writing, on The Holy Spirit states that healings and tongues were still given by God:

Behold, the Father established the teachers; Christ also established them in the churches; and just as the Father gives the grace of healings, so the Son also gives it; just as the Father gives the gift of tongues, so the Son also has bestowed it.”

• The good news is, the bad news was wrong.
• The age of miracles has not passed.
• God was doing miracles and healing the sick, and devils were being cast long after the last apostle died.
• He is the same God as He has always been.
• He hasn’t changed.
• The Word of God that you read in the Bible, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover is absolutely true.

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