Do you need a miracle in your life? Are you at a place where there is nothing more you can do, and you need God to act? Sometimes we just simply need a miracle. Here in Acts 3, we have the account of the miraculous healing of a lame man. There are several things we learn from this account about miracles.

A miracle requires expectation (v. 5). Peter and John were on their way to a pray meeting. As Peter and John approached the temple, they came across a lame man who was brought there daily to beg for money. Peter looked sternly at the man and told him to look upon them. In verse 5, the lame man gave heed to them and was expecting something from them. The lesson we learn is that in order to experience a miracle, there must be an expectation. Now, as in the case of the lame man, what you are expecting may not be what God does. God has a way of going beyond our expectations. The lame man was expecting some money or some food or some other type of gift. However, what God had planned for him was far greater than what he expected. Read Luke 7:1-10. Here we find an example of a man who expected a miracle. He knew that if Jesus just said the word, his servant would be healed. My friend, do you expect a miracle? When you pray, do you pray expectantly? You will never see the salvation of your friend or loved one, unless you expect it. You will never see healing unless you expect it. You will never have provision unless you expect it. As a church, we will never see revival unless we expect it. We will never grow unless we expect it. We serve a miracle working God who is still in the miracle working business today. There is nothing that God cannot do. The question is: Do you believe it? Do you expect it?

A miracle is performed with authority (v. 6). As Peter and John spoke with the lame man, they told him that they have no money to give him, but they did have something far greater. They told him to get up and walk in the name of Jesus. Peter and John are not the ones that brought about the miracle. It was Jesus. A miracle will never take place in your life without the proper authority. The only one that has the authority to perform a miracle is Jesus. The only way to experience a miracle is to have faith in the one that has the authority to make it happen. Do you have faith in Jesus? Are you following Jesus daily? Without a continual daily life of faith, you cannot expect a miracle.

A miracle produces change (v. 7-8). This man was not just given the strength to slowly learn to walk again. He did not check in to a rehab center to exercise his legs. He was completely healed! He not only walked, but he ran and he jumped. Talk about a change! You see, when you experience a miracle, your life will be changed. You will never be the same again. The problem with most of us is that we want the miracle, but we don’t want the change that comes with it. We want God to do something great as long as it does not require any change on our part. Could it be that God has a miracle waiting for you, but He is holding it back because you do not really want your life to be changed? A miracle will produce change. Sometimes we miss out on miracles because God knows we will not accept the changes that comes with it.

A miracle leads to praise (v. 9). The lame man gave glory not to Peter and John, but to Jesus. A miracle will always lead to God receiving the glory. Think about this: You may be praying for a miracle, but God does not give you the miracle because He knows that you will not give Him glory for it. If we want God to do big things in our lives, then we must live a life of worship and give Him glory even in the small things. Before God will give you a miracle, He must be assured that He alone will get the glory. When God does give you a miracle, make sure you give Him the praise and let everyone know that it was God and not you. If you don’t, you may never see a miracle again.

A miracle causes wonder and amazement (v. 10). All the people who saw the lame man walking was filled with wonder and amazement. When you experience a miracle, it will cause others to be in awe and it will lead them to Jesus. Every miracle that God does will accomplish two things: it will bring Him glory and it will bring others to Christ.

Miracles do happen. However, they happen according to God’s plan and in His time. Miracle or no miracle, we must faithfully follow Jesus and give Him all the glory and praise.