Taffi Dollar - Rediscovering The Wonder of God - Part 2
- Watch
- Donate
And so when we look at the things that he has done, we can refer to how in the book of Jonah chapter 1, verse 17, that he performed wonders with animals. He performed wonders with Jonah being swallowed up by the whale. In 1 Kings chapter 17, verses 2 through 6, he performed a wonder with Elijah and the birds. The fact that the scripture says here in the Message Translation, let’s look at that the wonders that he even used animals to be a part of. It says, «God then told Elijah, 'Get out of here, and fast. Head east and hide out at Kerith Ravine on the other side of the Jordan river. You can drink fresh water from the brook; I’ve ordered the ravens to feed you.'»
He’s a wonder this morning. «Elijah obeyed God’s orders. He went and camped in the canyon on the other side of the Jordan. And sure enough, the ravens brought him meals». How can a bird bring steak and potatoes and bread? He’s a wonder. He says, «Sure enough, ravens brought him his meals, both breakfast and supper». Twice a day. «And he drank from the brook». Somebody say he’s a wonder. He also used the donkey over in Numbers chapter 22, verse 28. Let’s look there. He performs wonders through whoever and however, because his will will be established in the earth. He is the end and he is the beginning. He is the first and he is the last. He is the Alpha and he is the Omega and he is our soon coming King, amen.
Look at how he performed wonders through this donkey here or this, look at it in the KJV, KJV. «And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, 'What have I done unto thee, that thou has smitten me these three times? '» A talking… I’m telling you, he’s a wonder today. He says, «What have I done unto thee»? Look at verse 29. «And Balaam said unto the ass, 'Because thou hast mocked me.'» He’s sitting up here talking back. «I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee? And the ass said unto Balaam again, 'Am not I thine ass? '» Whole conversation. Just a wonder taking place. «Upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? Was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, 'Nay.'»
Somebody say, he’s a wonder. My God, my God, let’s keep going. And so when we recognize and we understand this, we realize that God is a wonder and he does wonders and more importantly, he can perform wonders through you and through me. He can perform the same things that we just read about and the lives of his children and already has, his wonder working power has already been manifest. There were mothers who said they could, doctors who told them that they could not conceive. They could not have children, whatever was going on in their reproductive system. And the doctors began to tell them the likelihood and just the fact that these were things that they would never be able to experience. But I’m telling you, there’s a promise that talks about how he’ll make the woman, the barren woman, a mother of children.
Look at Acts chapter 3, verse 7, and then we’re gonna look at a couple of personal things here, wonders that he wants to perform through you and through me. He is a wonder. He does wonders and he wants to perform them through us. And so we have to ask ourselves, how do you think of someone who created everything but he himself was never created. He himself was never created. What if we had more childlike wonder in our lives? How would our interactions with God be different? How would we interact with him in a different way? This is a wonder that the Apostle Paul experienced here.
Acts chapter 3, verse 7. It says, «And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up». This was the guy who was laid at the gate called beautiful. And he was there normally begging and looking for a handout, a hand up for someone to be able to give him the financial things, the physical sustenance. And he says, «Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up». The scripture says, «And immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God». He’s a wonder working God.
Look at Acts chapter 19, verse 7. He wants to do these same wonders in our life. Immediately, things will begin to change. It was just like with the children of Israel and how they were being pursued across the Red Sea and how there were all kinds of things that were going against them, problems that they were dealing with. And then God manifested himself in their life and caused the chariots and everything to be drowned out because he’s a wonder working God.
And the scripture says, «And all the men, all the men were about twelve. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of Tyrannus. And God wrought special». What is that? «Miracles by the hands of Paul». Keep going here. «Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over had evil spirits the name of the Lord, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches». But my point is the hand of Paul was used and the handkerchiefs that were laid on Paul brought about healing in the lives of other people. And as a result, people were made whole, people were restored and their lives were never the same again.
In John chapter 9, verse 25, there was a guy who received the manifestation as God being a wonder working God. Here he says people were trying to figure out what was his situation. He said, «Whether he be a sinner or whether he not be a sinner I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, but now I see». Some of you were blind, in deep despair, depression, down and out, downtrodden, all kinds of things where things were going against you and it seemed as if you had no hope. Until God, the great God of the universe, the God of all creation, the God of all wonders swooped down in his love and mercy and loving kindness and tender love, snatched you out of darkness and brought you into the marvelous light.
And just like that blind man said, «I don’t know it was because I was a sinner. I don’t know if it, because I was born a certain way. I don’t know if I was born on the wrong side of the track. I don’t know if there was a track over there, but I once was blind, but now I’m a new person. I can see». He’s a wonder working God. My God, he’s a wonder working God.
Look at Daniel in chapter 4. Daniel, let’s just skip to Daniel chapter 6. We know that Daniel was cast into the lion’s den and there were things that Daniel went through where that lion’s mouth was closed, shut and all the things that were going against him seemed like they were more prevalent than what was going for him. But Daniel knew that he could not throw in the towel on the miraculous, the miracle working power of God. He had a conviction. He knew that God didn’t bring him that far to let him be defeated, to cause him to fail. And so as a result, we know the story talks about how not just Daniel, Meshack and Abednego that were in there with them, but it was the fourth man that showed up in the fire.
And it got the king’s attention. The king said here, «It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first; that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and the princes, because,» what? «An excellent spirit was found on the inside of him». Skip down to verse 27. «He delivereth and he rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions». He’s a deliverer this morning.
Don’t be moved by what your children are doing. Don’t be moved by what’s going on in their life. He’s a deliverer. You’ll look up and all of a sudden just like that prodigal son came into his right mind. He’s a rescuer this morning. Those who need to be rescued, those who may seem like they’re not in a safe place. He rescues. That’s because he works signs. That’s what he does. He works signs and he works wonders. He is able this morning just like he delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
Listen to this. There was this partner who wrote in to the ministry and he was moved by one of the morning confessions regarding real estate and he says, «They put their house on the market in less than 24 hours from doing the prayer that was prayed». He says, «We had multiple offers in the first three days. We accepted an all cash offer for 1.2, 7 day escrow. We closed that escrow just over a week ago and made about $350,000. The key investor owned company value at $50 million and all the other things that were going along. And so I’m telling you he can do the things that seem impossible because that’s where his specialty lies».
If he has to call the sun to stand still, if he has to reverse gravity, whatever has to be suspended in order for him to be the God of wonders, he will do it in your life. He’s able this morning. There is nothing too hard for our God. My, my, my, he can change things and turn things around. Somebody say, amen. If it’s a thing, he can change it, he can turn it around because there’s nothing too hard for our God. If it’s a person, if it’s a circumstance, if it’s a situation, he can change it, he can turn it around. There are problems that will run from him. Let God show up, you evoke El Elyon in the midst of your situation and see what that problem has to do.
My God, Peter and the disciples were in the boat. They had just finished ministering with Jesus and Jesus said, «Y’all wanna get something to eat? Go ahead and feed the people». Jesus decided to let them go ahead. Then all of a sudden that night, Jesus just appears out of nowhere and shows up walking on the water. My God, it scared them so bad. They didn’t know who it was. They said, «It must be a ghost, it must be a phantom, it must be something». And Jesus said, «No, it is me, come».
And I’m here to tell you this morning storms run at the sound of his name. Situations have to bow. Others are inspired just like we read with Daniel how Darius was inspired to come and promote and exalt him. Others are inspired to come to your aid and assist you. He’s a God of wonders. He will cause you to walk in undeserved favor. I don’t care if he has to get a bird or a dog or a whale or a donkey or a cat or a moose or a giraffe, rhinoceros, an Ape, a gorilla. Whatever he has to do, he is the God of wonders. He’ll make them talk. He’ll come in walking on water. He’ll make them bring stuff to you just like they brought breakfast and supper to Elijah. He’ll turn them into DoorDash. Uber Eats whatever you need. I got you. You are mine. You belong to me, whatever you need. I specialize in signs and wonders and miracles. That’s my name. That’s who I am. But it is our humility that will turn situations into proven results.
So we just have to stay in a place of humility. I like what Mary said in Luke chapter 1, verse 34. Let’s turn there and we’ll wrap this up. She says, «Then said Mary unto the angel, 'How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? '» She didn’t know about the God of wonders. «And the angels answered and said unto her, 'The Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.'» Oh, he’s healing somebody right now in the name of Jesus. Just check yourself where something was tumor growth, whatever he is healing right now in the name of Jesus. «The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God».