A church member confesses their heart now resists praying for miracles after learning Reformed theology.
The episode is a sermon from the Segunda Igreja Batista em Goiânia, part five of a series on 'Signs, Prodigies and Miracles' based on Hebrews 2:4. The pastor begins by framing the topic as sensitive due to theological impasses like cessationism versus continuism and conflicts between Pentecostal and Reformed traditions. He shares a personal anecdote about a church member who, after embracing Reformed theology, felt a crisis in praying for miracles, which the pastor attributes to human incredulity rather than theology itself. The sermon argues that Reformed believers, who emphasize God's sovereignty, should be the first to pray for miraculous manifestations of God's glory for evangelism and believer delight. It critiques both extremes: those who expect constant miraculous healing and those who slip into naturalism by not praying for divine intervention. The pastor examines biblical patterns, noting that miracles were not continuous in Scripture but concentrated in key redemptive moments like Exodus or Jesus' ministry. He references John Piper's view that there were fewer miracles in the Bible than imagined and more today than realized, emphasizing that Christian faith is based on Christ's work, not miracles. Practical application includes a prayer model adapted from Matt Chandler's experience with brain cancer, teaching listeners to pray for healing while submitting to God's will. The sermon ends with a communal prayer for healing and liberation, tying the theme to the church's evangelism campaign.
