PLANT THE CHURCH--MANIFESTATIONS
(Message 24 in the series: PLANT THE CHURCH)

"And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen." Jn.21.25.
    The Bible does not enumerate every detail of how God moves and how He blesses His people. For instance, if you have a car business; the Bible never says that He blesses car businesses--but He does. What the Bible does say is that He will bless whatever you put your hand to when your life is lined up to the way of the Word.
    Yes, satan has manifestations, signs and wonders, just like he did when Moses' serpent swallowed up Pharoah's serpents.
    Yes, flesh can be psychologically and emotionally manipulated.
    So, you are going to have to choose what and who you are going to believe: satan, flesh, or God's Word.
    God's Word, Jesus said, that God gives good things, and that if you trust Him and ask Him, He won't give you bad things. Matt.7.7-11;  Lk.11.9-13.
    Holy faith believes God's Word and receives manifestations of God.
    Unholy faith, fear, moves in skepticism, criticism and derision, and always causes schism, within oneself, and, between others. Fear opens the door to the manifestations of the enemy.

MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD IN PEOPLE'S LIVES AND PEOPLE'S RESPONSES TOWARD GOD IN THE BIBLE
Falling and laughing. Gen.17.3
Laughing. Gen.21.6;  17.17;  18.12,15;  Ps.59.8
Falling. Jn.18.6;  Ac.9.4;  Rev.1.17;  Ez.1.28;  2.2;  3.23,24;  44.4;  Dan.8.15-18, 27;  10.8-10;  1 Cor.14.25
Being set up from lying position. Ez.3.24;  Dan.10.10
Couldn't stand. 2 Chron.5.14
Couldn't enter. Ex.40.35
Deep sleep. Gen.2.21;  15.12;
Shaking, quaking and trembling. Ez.12.18;  Habk.3.16;  Dan.10.7,11;  Mk.16.8
Jumping and spinning. Habk.3.18; ("rejoice"Heb. "jump for joy");
    Zeph.3.17 ("joy" Heb. "spin violently")
Silence. Zeph.1.17;  Habk.2.20
Could not speak. Ez.3.26;  Dan.10.15
Bow head and worship. Ex.4.31
Lifting hands. Ps.63.4;  134.2;  141.2;  1 Tim.2.8,9
Shouting. Ps.132.9;  Ps.27.6 ("joy" Heb. "shouting")
Drunken behavior. Ac.2.13,15
Doubt and skepticism. Ac.2.12,13
Clapping. Ps.47.1
Joyful sound (noise). Ps.81.1;  95.1,2
Making a loud noise. Ps.98.4
Prayer out loud. Ps.55.17
Silent prayer. Neh.2.4
Grief in spirit. Dan.7.15;  Jn.11.38
Dancing. Ps.149.3;  150.4;  2 Sam.6.16
Kneeling down. Ps.95.6;  Ac.20.36
Speaking and singing in tongues. 1 Cor.14.15
Prophesying. Lk.1.67;  1 Cor.14.31,39;  Ac.21.9
The appearance of fire resting on about 120 people who were filled with the Spirit
    and spoke in tongues. Ac.2.3
People preach and speak in languages they have never learned. Ac.2.5-11.
People interrupt the preaching by being filled with the Spirit and speaking in
    tongues. Ac.10.44,45
Being transported. Ac.8.39; 2 Ki.2.11,16
Appearing. Lk.24.36
Vanishing. Lk.24.31
Having terror from the Lord's presence. Lk.24.37
Running. 1 Ki.18.46
Earth splitting open by praise. 1Ki.1.40
Earth splitting open and "swallowing" people in judgement. Num.16.30-34
Fire coming down from the Lord and burning up people who provoke Him with
    false worship. Num.16.35
All being healed. Matt.8.16;  Ac.5.16
Praising and talking about God all the time. Ps.71.8,24
Playing timbrels. Ps.68.25;  Ex.15.20
Bold public preaching. Ac.2.14-40
Corporate audible prayer. Ac.4.23-30
Shaking of premises. Ac.4.31
Earthquake. Ac.16.26
People supernaturally killed for lying to the Holy Spirit. Ac.5.1-11
Person going blind supernaturally for resisting the gospel ministry. Ac.13.9-11
Person eaten by worms and dying supernaturally for not giving God the glory.
    Ac.12.23
People released from prision supernaturally. Ac.12.5-9;  16.26
Shackles just fall off of people's arms. Ac.16.26
Locked door opens of it's own accord. Ac.12.10
Person accidently bitten by poisonous snake without harm. Ac.28.3-5
People get healed and delivered from demons by contact with cloths from the
    body of a Spirit-filled minister. Ac.19.11,12
Dead people raised back to life. Ac.9.36-41;  20.9,10
Apparently dead person raised back to life. Ac.14.19,20
A bush that was on fire but did not burn. Ex.3.2
Cows that changed color by just seeing peeled sticks. Gen.30.37-39
A man throws a stick on the ground and it becomes a snake, and, it swallows the
    sticks of magicians who do the same thing. Ex.7.10-12
Waters turn to blood. Ex.7.19. Frogs everywhere. 8.5-7. Lice. 8.17. Flies. 8.24.
    All cattle die by disease, but none die of Israelites. 9.6. Boils come on Egyptians
    9.10,11. Hail mingled with fire so that crops were destroyed, but not where
    Israelites were. 9.23,24,26. Locusts, so you couldn't see the ground, that ate up
    what remained of the destroyed crops. 10.5. All the locusts were blown into the
    Red Sea. 10.19. Thick darkness that could be felt for three days, but Israelites
    had light. 10.22,23. All the firstborn of woman and beast die just by a man
    walking out among the people, but the Israelites, who have put the blood
    of the passover Lamb on their houses, are not touched by death. 11.4,5.
An almond rod, that is laying in the tabernacle, buds, blooms, and bears almonds.
    Num.17.8
The sun and moon stand still for about a day, at a man's word, so he can finish
    killing some people. Josh.10.12,13

This list is by no means exhaustive. The point is, when you encounter God, there will often be reactions and responses. As God moves, so does satan and flesh. The test of it all is this:
1. Is the name of Jesus Christ and His finished redemptive work being exalted and proclaimed?
2. Are God's purposes being advanced? i.e. lives to be made faithful to Him and fruitful in the kingdom.

Often, it takes time to see the long-term evidences and fruit. Jesus said you would know them by their fruit. And, many start out true and later begin to miss the mark. That is why we all must "try the spirit". We must first test or evaluate our own spirit, to see that we are "on target" with our own lives. This is not a once-in-a-while thing. It is a constant way of life. As we cast the "splinters" out of our own eyes, then we can see clearly the beam in our brother's life so we can have compassion and help him overcome it.

We don't need to be afraid of manifestations. We just need to bring all things to focus on Jesus and His redemptive work so that souls are saved, discipled (trained), and sent to the nations of the world with the gospel of Jesus. All manifestations of God are given for this one ultimate purpose.