When Miracles Meet Obedience
- Bishop Keith Butler
- Jul 5
- 2 min read
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. (John 11:40-44)
Lazarus didn’t rise from the dead because Jesus “tried real hard.” He came out of his tomb because Jesus was anointed, obedient, and walking in the operation of multiple gifts of the Spirit. When Lazarus walked out, three gifts of the Spirit were at work:
• The gift of special faith (to believe and have an inability to doubt)
• The working of miracles (to call forth breath and life into Lazarus’ body)
• Gifts of healing (to heal whatever killed Lazarus in the first place)
When the gift of special faith operates, you don’t hope God will do something; you know without a shadow of a doubt.
You can’t raise the dead with just having sound doctrine and theology. You need power from the Holy Spirit. Now, not every situation you come up to will need a resurrection, but every situation God sends you will call for you to lean in and listen to Him for direction. The gift of faith is as the spirit wills, which means you can’t just force it out; you need to be listening to whether this is God’s plan. Jesus waited to see Lazarus until He was led. He was waiting for the okay from the Holy Spirit. When Jesus said “Lazarus, come forth,” He wasn’t being dramatic; He was declaring what the Father had already told Him.
Practical Application
There’s a difference between spiritual hunger and a holy unction. Just because you want something to happen doesn't mean that’s how or when God wants it.
