When should we expect signs and wonders from God?

from the old testament

• God used signs and wonders, such as prophecies and miracles, to validate His message and messengers. For example, Moses brought water from a rock (Exodus 17:1-7), Elijah brought down fire from heaven (1 Kings 18), and Elisha cursed a group of young men who were mocking his position as the prophet of God (2 Kings 2:23-24).
• God also used signs and wonders to provide specific aid to people on a case-by-case basis, such as when He provided for a widow and her son in 2 Kings 4:1-7. Often, this was more an indication of His grace and mercy than His power and authority.

from the new testament

• God used signs and wonders to validate who Jesus was. Jesus pointed this out to the Jews who challenged Him: “If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father” (John 10:37-38). Jesus’ miraculous acts were intentional demonstrations that validated Him as the Messiah and the Son of God.
• One of the most profound ways Jesus demonstrated His divine power was through healing. For example, in John 9:1-7, Jesus heals a man born blind. This healing was not just a physical miracle but also a sign of Jesus' power over spiritual blindness, a metaphor for the salvation He offers.
• Jesus didn't heal everyone. John the Baptist was beheaded (Matthew 14:1-12). Paul lived with a "thorn in his flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7). Jesus’ signs and wonders had divine purpose and were done according to God’s sovereign plan, not just to wow the crowds.
• Jesus also demonstrated His authority with signs and wonders over creation, showing that He was not bound by natural laws. In Mark 4:39-41, Jesus calms a storm, commanding the winds and the waves to be still. The disciples, amazed, ask, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!" This event showed that Jesus held power over nature, proving His identity as the Creator.
• In John 6:16-21, Jesus walks on water to reach His disciples who were struggling in a boat during a storm. This miraculous act pointed to His divinity and His ability to overcome physical limitations.
• Jesus performed several resurrections, demonstrating His authority over life and death. In John 11:38-44, He raises Lazarus from the dead after four days in the tomb. This validated His claims of being the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25) and also served as a precursor to His own resurrection.
• The sign and wonder of Jesus' own resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10) was the ultimate validation of His divine identity. By conquering death, Jesus proved that He was the Son of God and that His promises were trustworthy.
• Jesus also demonstrated His power over evil spirits. In Mark 1:23-26, He casts out an unclean spirit from a man in a synagogue, and the people are astonished at His authority. These exorcisms served as a clear sign that Jesus had authority over spiritual forces, proving He was sent by God to defeat the works of the enemy.
• Many signs and wonders Jesus performed were direct fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies, confirming His identity as the promised Messiah. For example, when the imprisoned John the Baptist sends his followers to Jesus to ask if He is the Messiah, Jesus answers, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor" (Matthew 11:4-5). These miracles directly mirrored prophecies in Isaiah 35:5-6 and Isaiah 61:1-2, pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promises.
• The Transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-9 revealed Jesus’ divine glory. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. This event was a powerful confirmation of Jesus’ divine nature and was accompanied by the voice of God declaring, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." It was a moment of validation not only to His disciples but to all who would later read the account.
• Jesus stopped performing miracles for those who did not believe, as their unbelief prevented them from truly understanding His message. When He was rejected in Nazareth, Scripture says, "And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief" and that “he marveled because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:5-6). Miracles serve to build faith, but for the unbeliever, they are not effective in changing the heart.

implications for today

We do not need signs and wonders to validate God’s messenger or message today. With the completion of God's Word and Jesus coming to earth, prophets are not the primary method by which we learn God's will and character. Instead, we are to trust in God individually and let Scripture guide our hearts. But, like the miracles God used to introduce Himself to His early followers, He still sometimes validates His message by showing seekers and new believers His power in miraculous ways. When someone first comes to Christ, they are often miraculously healed from a particular sin, they may see their prayers answered in powerful ways, and they may be suddenly aware of God's work directly in their lives.

The mistake is in assuming God will always interact with us in this way. Christians are to mature spiritually, relying on the Bible, leading from the Holy Spirit, and a strong faith in God's goodness and power rather than through signs and wonders. Signs and wonders are powerful, but they do not last. Often, we forget what was done. God does work through signs and wonders, so we can hope and pray for a miraculous deliverance; however, we also need spiritual maturity to accept that God acts according to His plan and our best. An unanswered prayer is not a sign that God deserted us, but that He has something planned we can't yet see. Our faith is based on something more solid than signs and wonders. Spiritual maturity and grounding in God’s Word allows us to take these signs and wonders and build on the faith God is already working in and through us.

For those who have rejected God and only ask for His help with bitterness and selfishness should not expect God to come to give them the miracle they want. Today we see this with people who demand, "God, I'll believe in You if You give me money" or, “God, I’ll believe in You if You heal my friend.” There are many who walk away from God because a loved one has died, with bitterness and anger toward God coming in because He did not act how they wanted Him to act. If we don't have faith to trust God with our lives and we don’t trust Him with what He has already shown us, it's entirely reasonable that miracles, signs, or wonders won’t satisfy our bitter demands either.