7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. — 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
The word “working” is the Greek word energema which means inner workings or to cause an effect or the cause of action. The word “miracles” is the Greek work dunamis which means power or to be able or capable. The working of miracles is the causing of an effect of power. The working of miracles is the demonstration of power. The working of miracles is prevalent in both the old testament and the new testament. The Gift of Faith is the using of authority to release power through speaking or a command or decree. The Gifts of Healings relate only to healings. The Gift of the Workings of Miracles is the power and the demonstation of power.
Moses and the Working of Miracles
1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. 2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 5 That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. 6 And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.— Exodus 4:1-9
Moses after he was called by God to go back to Egypt and deliver the children of Israel complained that the children of Israel would not believe him. God gave him three signs which were the working of miracles.
- God gave him the ability to turn his rod into a serpent and turn it back to a rod
- God gave him the ability to put his hand into his bosom and pull it out leprous and put it back into his bosom and pull out again and make it normal again
- God gave him the power to take water from the river and pour it on the ground as blood
Through the working of miracles Moses was able change the form of things (the rod, his hand, the river water) into other forms. The working of miracles is the working of power. The working of miracles and the gift of prophecy were the most prevalent gifts used in the old testament. The ten plagues of Moses were the demonstration of the working of miracles. The prophets Elijah and Elisha operated in the working of miracles.
Elijah and the Working of Miracles
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. — 1 Kings 2:8
Elijah the prophet operated in the Gift of Faith, the Gifts of Healings and the Working of Miracles. He operated in the Gift of Faith the most. Here in this text he demonstrated the working of miracles by taking his mantle and smiting the water making it divide so that he and Elisha could go forth on dry ground.
Elisha and the Working of Miracles
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. — 2 Kings 2:12-14
Elisha the prophet also operated in the Gift of Faith, the Gifts of Healings, and the Working of Miracles. He operated more in the working of miracles than Elijah did. He requested for a double portion of the anointing of Elijah. The prophet Elijah told Elisha if he witness his taken up to heaven he had the double portion. He saw Elijah taken and the mantle of Elijah fell from him. Elisha saw the mantle picked it up and used it to smite the water and walked back to the other side on the dry ground.
4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. 5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. 6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. — 2 Kings 6:4-7
Another time the prophet Elisha functioned in the working of miracles was when one of the son of the prophets was cutting down a tree and the head of axe he was using fell into some water. Elisha took a stick and turned it into a magnet and the axe floated to the top and they retrieved it.
Jesus and the Working of Miracles
14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. 15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. 16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18 He said, Bring them hither to me. 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. 22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. — Matthew 14:14-25
Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish and fed five thousand men beside women and children. It was the power to multiply food. Another time Jesus did a working of miracles is when He walked on water.