Based on Acts 5:17-32 (New King James Version)
“Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ‘Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.’ And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, ‘Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!’ Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. So one came and told them, saying, ‘Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!’ Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, ‘Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!’ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.’”
Can God do miracles today? And the answer is, “yes”, because the Word offers this simple explanation: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8. God does not change. His power does not depend on the times, nor on circumstances, nor on political parties, nor on economic stabilities, nor on science and/or medicine. In summary, God can do whatever He wants, wherever He wants, however He wants, and whenever He wants to. And blessed be the Most High for that, because if we did not have such a Rock as a foundation for our faith, our hope would be in vain, and all of us that have entrusted our lives to Him would not get anything in eternity, where things are much more unpredictable and uncontrollable for us as humans (because there is no one that can do anything for themselves in what comes after). If the Lord would change, He would be like everything else (be careful, because there are principalities and powers that can affect the present, the temporary world). But, one question would be, "What are the conditions so that a miracle from God could happen?”
To start, we must see and understand very clearly the way they were done before, just as the Word shows us (because everything God does is subject to His Word). What we read in today’s passage demonstrates to us what should be present for God to want to intervene. What we can see is that the disciples that were miraculously freed by the Lord were serving the Lord. They were not jailed because they were doing something illegal, and far less, because they were doing something that went against God’s commands. Actually, quite contrary. They were unjustly imprisoned precisely because they chose to serve the Lord, and through that, they were being obedient more to God than to man.
Together with this, these disciples were not perfect, but their lives were in order and subject to the Lord’s obedience, because we can see this in their own lifestyle and determination. We are saved by grace, but after receiving such grace from God, the power of God manifests itself differently when a person is subjected to the things of God, and obeys the Word of God, both in their daily living and service. And this “helps” to determine if God will intervene miraculously somehow or not (because this alone does not determine things).
The other factor that should be present for God to intervene is purpose. God will not intervene directly if there is no purpose, if there is not a reason that makes sense to Him (not according to our thoughts). This is something that is very difficult to understand for many people, to be able to see things from God’s point of view. And the reason for why this is difficult for most, even for God’s so-called people, is because they are only focused on themselves, on their own desires and vanities, just as the Lord Himself said it: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9. Many are far away from God’s thoughts, so far away that they are subjected to Satan’s ways, and they do things without even noticing, just like we see it in the next passage: “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’ Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’” Matthew 16:21-24. This is what happens when a person puts their focus on man’s things (they obey Satan). The purpose that was present when the disciples were freed was as a testimony that God is God and that He was with them, so that they could continue with the work, and to demonstrate to the religious that they were fighting with God Himself. And there were many other purposes, not just these. When God intervenes, it is because there is a masterpiece where many things are involved, and in a such way that even transcend time.
Now, there is another thing to clarify, because there are many occurrences that could be seen as miracles, but that God may not necessarily be involved for good (and we need to be very careful here). It was mentioned before that there are principalities and powers that can affect the present world. Not all so-called miracles proceed directly from God, that could be for good. It is necessary to be able to understand clearly what comes from God and what comes from some other source. And the way to be able to distinguish things is through what we explained. If other things happen outside of God, or rather, outside of the parameters of obeying God, they are happening for perdition, because everything that makes man deviate away from God is for perdition, and the enemy and his forces can influence things to cause man to deviate. So then, if you wish to see God’s hand in your life, make sure your life is in order with God, with what God commands. Because also, if you are just looking for a miracle, be careful. You may get just what you want, and the Lord will not be involved. So then, are you living your life for the Lord or for something else? Lord bless! John