Signs and Wonders

  In the last days, as we are in now, who will do signs and wonders?

Normal Christians? Or false teachers and false prophets?

Jesus warned that in the last days there would be a great falling away, that many would fall from the faith.
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I believe we are definitely in the last days, and there is a great falling away occurring right now. It has been since the mid 90's and began with the "Toronto Blessing" in Canada. The charismatic movement in the church is deceiving millions or billions of "Christians" around the world. There are 10 times more Charismatics than there are Baptist Christians. Half of the Protestants in America are identified as Charismatics and 30% of Catholics in America even are Charismatics.

But "Broad is the path that leads to destruction."

So why is the appeal so strong to draw billions to the Charismatic movement?

Signs and wonders.

But what does the Bible say about signs and wonders in the last days?

2 Thessalonians 2:9

"The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders."

Matthew 24:24

"For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."

Revelation 16:14

"For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty."

What are these signs? Healings, miracles etc.

Revelation 13:13-14

The prophet "performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived."

Is there an account of someone in the Bible that was able to do signs and wonders apart from God? Through the power of black magic? Yes.

Acts 8:9-13

"But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic."

Satan can do anything that God can do, including heal people. Why would he? To lead many astray and away from God.

Exodus 7:10-12

"So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs."

Revelation 19:20

"And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur."

Matthew 24:1-51

"Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray."

Jesus says false teachers will "come in my name." Meaning they will be outright professing Christians. They will look like they are complete Christians, and so deceive many.

1 Corinthians 14:32-33

"The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints."

This means that any time God's actual Holy Spirit is present, people are in complete control of themselves and their bodies. After all, one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. Also God would not bring confusion to any group of people. He is a God of peace and order, not chaos.

Unlike what you will see in this video. This is the great falling away warned of by Jesus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbVYalAE5-8