BEING EXTRAORDINARY

1. Introduction

a) Do we know that God wants to do extraordinary miracles? The miracles of signs and wonders in our lives.

2. What does the word "extraordinary" mean?

a) The word "extra" means outside the scope or region of or beyond; more than, larger, better than normal.

b) The word "ordinary" means customary; usual, regular, normal, familiar; unexceptional; common.

c) Putting together "extraordinary" means:

i) Not according to the usual custom or regular plan.

ii) Going far beyond the ordinary degree, measure, limit etc.

iii) Very unusual; exceptional; remarkable.

3. What is a miracle?

a) Miracle is an event or action that apparently contradicts known scientific laws and is hence thought to be due to supernatural causes, especially to an act of God.

4. What does God say about "common and ordinary"?

a) 31"Keep my commands and follow them. I am the Lord. 32Do not profane my holy name (do not treat me as common and ordinary), for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the Lord, who made you holy 33and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord." (Leviticus 22:31-33 NIV)

5. What are some of the evidences in the Bible that talk about "miraculous signs and wonders" or "extraordinary miracles"?

a) Old Testament

i) Obedience (double portion)

18"'Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land. 19Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety. 20You may ask, "What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?" 21I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. 22While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in. (Leviticus 25:18-22 NIV)

ii) Elisha's bones (resurrection)

20Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. 21Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet. (2 Kings 13:20, 21 NIV)

iii) Elijah had performed 14 miracles (1 Kings 17 - 2 Kings 2), while Elisha had performed 24 miracles (2 Kings 2 - 13). The last miracle of Elisha's bones made up to Elisha's 28 miracles just as what Elijah said. Elijah said that God would made sure it happened.

b) New Testament

i) Peter's shadow (healing and deliverance)

12The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. 13No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed. (Acts 5:12-16 NIV)

ii) Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul (healing and deliverance)

11God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. (Acts 19:11, 12 NIV)

6. What does God want to do for us today?

a) Today, God wants to perform miraculous signs and wonders for us. He needs a medium such as handkerchiefs and aprons that touched Paul and even Peter's shadow to heal the sick and those tormented by evil spirits.

b) Besides, performing miraculous signs and wonders, God wants to do it in an extraordinary way. The sole reason is that he wants to gain great honor and glory over all our situations in order that we would know that he is indeed God Almighty.

7. Are we willing and ready to be used by God as vessels to touch lives?

a) How?

i) 1The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV)

8. What is God's promise in Exodus 23:25-26?

a) 25Worship (or serve) the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, 26and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span. (Exodus 23:25, 26 NIV)

9. What are the benefits for serving God?

a) Bless with food and water (no lack, sufficient provisions).

b) Take away sickness (enjoy good health).

c) No miscarriages, no barrenness (prosperity, fruitfulness, abundance).

d) Live out the full quota of the days of our lives (enjoy abundant life, longevity).

10. Prayer focus

a) Pray that we are willing to be used by God in extraordinary ways and all honor and glory goes back to him.

b) Expect the unexpected miracle of God's blessings.

c) Expect the unusual miracle of God's provisions.

d) Expect the uncommon miracle of God's working in our lives.

e) Expect the extraordinary miracle of God's healing power.

f) Being "Extra-Extra-Extra-Extra Ordinary."