There was a man in my town who was paralyzed and in a wheel chair. He was a friend of my Uncle's and was at
family gatherings from time to time. I saw him in his wheelchair, in pain and unable to walk. At the time I saw him,
the doctors had given him a device that "turned off" the nerves in his spine so that he could be free of pain at least
for a little time. But, most of the time he was in constant pain and ihe could not walk.

A long time ago he had been able to walk, but he fell off a scaffolding at work from a very high level, and his spine was injured to such an extent that he could no longer walk. That was how it was. He was paralyzed.

One day, he went to a healing service in a town about 50 miles away from where he lived. He actually went to pray for someone in his family; I think it was his daughter who was quite ill at the time. He went there to pray for someone he loved.

The church was packed. He manuevered his wheelchair into the entrance, just above the last aisle. Then, Jesus
worked a miracle. He was called out to the front of the church from the altar. He didn't even have hands laid on him! A Word of Knowledge was given from the Lord, and he was singled out--something like this: "The man in the wheelchair, at the back of the church--rise and be healed in the Name of Jesus!"

He looked around in wonderment. Everyone was starring at him in the congregation. Then the healing was called out again. This time he rose out of his wheelchair and WALKED down the ailse!! His legs were carrying him down that aisle! This was the first time he had walked since that accident so many years ago! He was completely healed by Christ!! Instantly healed!

He came home, and the first person he visited was his doctor. He walked onto the porch, rang the doorbell (the doctor had his office in his own home) and the doctor answered. He was STANDING there in front of a man who knew medically that this was indeed a miracle! The doctor examined him and said he shouldn't be walking, but he was!!! The doctor said this was indeed a miracle!

In all the time that the man had been in the wheelchair, his muscles had atrofied and his legs had no muscle tone--but he walked into that doctor's office completely healed! Praise God! The amazing thing was that he could stand and walk on limbs that should not have held him up--let alone walk! But, Jesus had healed him, and he walked!!!

The town I lived in is sufficiently small that news of the healing was heard of practically overnight. It spread like wildfire. Everyone marveled. The entire town knew Jesus had done a miracle!

The local newspapers wrote it up. It was undeniably Jesus, and a miracle! Everyone rejoiced!

After his healing the man went about telling how Jesus had healed him, and praising the Lord everywhere he went. He always wore a big cross around his neck to remind himself and others who had healed him. In time, he had a healing ministry himself. Once a little baby was ill, he laid hands on the child in the Name of Jesus, and the baby
got well!

It's interesting to me that this man. who is now in heaven--he went home to Jesus some years ago now--had not
gone to the healing service for himself, but for someone else whom he loved. Jesus healed him, healed him instantaneously and completely. Maybe his selflessness had something to do with it, but whatever it was--Christ
had touched him! Just like the paralytic who was healed and carried his mat home. Just like the woman with the issue of blood!

I really think the Lord's Glory was constantly witnessed in this man, and that his life became a beacon of faith for
Christ, and hope for others. The healing was a constant reminder of God's love and goodness.

That was a real miracle. Everyone in my town knew it was! Everyone!

Jesus definitely healed Him!!! Praise the Name of Jesus!

EW2

http://www.jesus.org.uk/dawn/1997/dawn9707.html

I can't find a link for 2 boys that survived a lightning strike. One of the boys, the lightning actually passed through, and he was completely unharmed. The other boy was injured. The one unharmed is a Christian.

It has always made me wonder why God does not perform those awesome things now. Is it just fables and He can't really do them (I mean, parting a sea for His people is BIG,BIG,BIG)! The apostles experienced them all the time like they were commonplace. Demons were everywhere and were cast out. Or does God only use it when ushering a new age, new kingdom administration?

To sum: I believe God can, but He so rarely does it's HARD to believe He will!!

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

It doesn't say when God will answer, concerning the idols, and it also doesn't say they are actually praying to the idols, just that they have taken them in their heart. I suppose it can be implied, but I don't see this as a clear answer that He will definitely answer. He will never give His glory to another. The OP is very clear that it was a non Christian praying for a miracle, but it doesn't say anything about any idols, or mediums.

I think God answers a sincere heart, Saved or not. I believe He leads some people to Salvation by answering prayers like that, but I just don't know that He would grant such a miracle if it caused other people witnessing it, to follow after a false god and religion.

God is not the author of confusion, and that definitely would cause confusion about which religion is the true way to Salvation.

I was watching a movie the other day about a non-christian missionary who prayed for a miracle, and got one. This lead to quite a few of the people he was trying to convert accepting his religion. Now, the movie claimed to have been based on a true story, and it made me wonder...

Does/will God do miracles through people who do not do it in the name of Jesus?

Will God work through people who do not acknowledge him?

I am not asking if God will answer the prayers of non Christians. I'm asking if God will answer the prayers of people who are not praying to him, and do not give him the glory.

Say I couldn't walk, the doctors could do nothing, medically there was no chance of getting better. If I were to pray to a statue, with the intention of giving the glory to the statue, and leading other people to worship the statue, might God choose to heal me even if it would lead others to worship the statue?

Yes God can and does answer people according to their idols.

Eze 14:4 Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols [of self-will and unsubmissiveness] into his heart and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity [idols of silver and gold] before his face, and yet comes to the prophet [to inquire of him], I the Lord will answer him, answer him according to the multitude of his idols,

Eze 14:7 For anyone of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who separates himself from Me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity and guilt before his face, and [yet] comes to the prophet to inquire for himself of Me, I the Lord will answer him Myself!

Also consider King Saul when he inquired of an medium to raise up the spirit of Samuel. We know from other Scriptures that it is an abomination to God to consult with mediums, and that the dead are really dead until the resurrection. So when the medium raised up a spirit, it really wasn't Samuel, but God answering Saul according to his idols. You can read all about it in 1Samuel chapter 28.

If you or anyone is interested in the state of the dead, check out this article titled:

'An Encouraging Word About Death' [What is the State of the Dead?]

http://bible-truths.com/death.htm

Hope this helps

Peace

gdriggs

I am reminded of the sons of Sceva, who were casting out demons "in the name of Jesus who Paul preaches", and they got quite a beating from those demons! That would have given God the Glory, and yet even the outcome gave God the Glory as well as making it apparent that safety is provided to those who are Saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, not faith in those who are in Christ Jesus.