CCF International Church

Perspective by Apostle Pedro Amancio 

Comunidade Bíblica Vivendo com Cristo (CBVC Chapero, Rio de Janeiro)

Signs and wonders are not merely demonstrations of power, but the tangible manifestation of God’s Presence, which generates rest, security, peace, and victory amidst chaos and danger. It’s not just about recognizing that God performs signs, but about understanding the purpose and responsibility that these signs carry in the present time.

We live in a time of information overload and many doctrines, but also a lack of confirmation from the Holy Spirit. In this season, God is separating what is merely theological discourse from what is the living Word. This is an exaggerated season of unbelief generated by excessive religiosity without power. The Manifest Presence of God, with signs and wonders, has the function of breaking down false spirituality.

Just as Nicodemus recognized God in Jesus through signs, in this season the church and the world will only recognize the authenticity of the message if it comes accompanied by the Manifest Presence.

1 – The Manifest Presence is the Foundation of Rest.

Stephen and Philip were not official apostles of the Twelve; they were deacons, but they performed signs.

In this season, God is taking signs and wonders out of the exclusive domains of famous leaders or apostles and placing them in the hands of qualified servants, filled with the Spirit.

The calling for this season is the body of Christ; understand that the Manifest Presence is not a hierarchical privilege, but a condition of life. Philip, a man who was a table servant, entered Samaria, and the entire city was taken over by the power of God. This indicates that in this season, God is raising up ordinary people, but of integrity, to make a difference in the cities.

Rest in times of danger is the result of an environment where the Glory of God dwells.

Just as in 2 Chronicles 5:13-14, when the cloud filled the temple, the priests could not remain standing. When God’s presence manifests itself in cloud, fire, and wind, external threats lose their power to shake the believer. The manifest presence brings spiritual stability to the environment, confirming that God is there.

2 – Season of Rest Through Shaking.

The list of manifestations—cloud, fire, wind, tremor, and prostration—shows a pattern where God shakes what is natural to establish His supernatural. The shaking is not a sign of defeat, but an invitation to rest under His sovereignty. It is in the midst of chaos that God positions us to see the salvation He Himself is working.

The world is experiencing an exaggerated season of homicides, corruption, war, and economic, political, and emotional tremors. Our role is to rest in obedience to God’s Word, trusting that each tremor has a purpose of liberation.

The ABC perspective teaches us that God uses the tremor (Acts 16:26) to open doors and loosen chains. In this season, instead of fearing the shaking, we should understand that the tremor did not come to destroy Paul and Silas, but to break the chains and open the prison doors.

In this time, God is using the world’s upheaval to shake everything that can be shaken, so that which is unshakable—His Kingdom and His Church—may remain in glory.

The Cloud – Represents direction – There is a season to pause and wait for God’s direction.

The Pillar of Fire – God is guiding through the darkness. If the season is dark, the promise is that the Lord’s pillar of fire will illuminate the specific path for His people.

Prostration – God is bringing down the pride of this season; that which rises up against the knowledge of God will be brought down. For the believer, prostration is not defeat, but the position where we receive the touch of Christ’s right hand and hear “Do not fear.” This word brings rest when we humble ourselves before the Most High.

The Presence manifested through praise generated an earthquake that brought freedom and rest to Paul, Silas, the jailer, and his family.

3 – Season of Superiority

The Church is entering a season of declared spiritual confrontation. Just as in Egypt and Carmel, the Manifest Presence with signs serves to demonstrate who the true God is in the midst of a pluralistic society full of idols.

In this season, the signs will have a legal and prophetic character; they are to silence false prophets, false pastors, and false apostles and prove that the LORD is God. The water in the trench represents the Word of God in impossible situations. God will send consuming fire exactly where the enemy thought it impossible for divine manifestation to occur.

Expulsion of demons and healings for people under the dominion of evil. Imposition of God’s authority over danger, bringing light where there is darkness. In times of danger, the human tendency is to doubt whether God is still in control or whether the messenger is truly sent by God. The signs and wonders function as a seal of authenticity for unbelievers.

When Nicodemus recognized Jesus, he understood that the signs proved that God was with Jesus. People seek the manifest authenticity of God in our messages.

4 – Season of Balance for the Apostolic Church

From ABC’s perspective, an excellent observation was made: John the Baptist didn’t perform miracles, but he was a great man sent by God. This is a balanced analysis to be observed, and we must be careful not to think that miracles have ended.

There is the extreme of not believing in miracles, the manipulated, forced, and spectacular miracle. This is a difficult season for faith, to think that without spectacle there is no God.

John the Baptist reminds us that character, the voice in the wilderness, and preparing the way of the Lord are as important as miracles. The church needs the power that worked in Philip and Stephen to preach effectively.

The Holy Spirit is forming a people who have the humble character of John the Baptist to point to Christ and not to themselves. John the Baptist had rest even in prison because he knew he was sent by God.

The church has the divine mission of confirming the Word of salvation to all people who are in danger, lost, and oppressed; they must believe to find rest.

This is a season in which the church is in need of authentic men accompanied by a deep fear of the Lord, with a lifestyle that reflects the glory of God.

CONCLUSION

In this season, the signs and wonders are not a spectacle, but the seal of God’s Manifest Presence. The Lord is transferring the power of the spotlight to servants of integrity, demonstrating that anointing is not a hierarchical privilege, but a condition of life for those who are filled with the Spirit.

The natural and spiritual upheavals we experience are not meant to destroy the Church, but to open doors and loosen chains, as in the earthquake in Acts. While the world trembles, the pillar of fire guides those who trust in divine direction.

There is an open confrontation against the idols of this generation, but the fire of the Lord still falls upon the wet altar to prove that He alone is God. However, amidst this intensity, we remain in the balance taught by John the Baptist; the character and humility of pointing to Christ are as fundamental as miracles.

Our calling is clear! Do not compromise His Presence; seek only inner qualification, for the Word will not only be heard, but seen, witnessed, and confessed that the LORD is God. Praise be to God.

Notes extracted from the Book “Rest in the Day of Perils”  – ABC Resource 

SIGNS AND WONDERS

Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

The Presence of the Lord was confirmed by accompanying signs.

Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

Acts 8:6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

Both Stephen and Philip were qualified deacons, full of the Holy Spirit. They were operating from the Manifest Presence. Nicodemus acknowledged that God was with Christ because of signs and wonders in His ministry.

John 3:2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

The purpose of signs and wonders :

To demonstrate the power of God

• cloud (Numbers 9:19)
• Pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21)
• Rushing mighty wind (Acts 2:2)
• Earth tremor (Acts 16:26)
• Cloven tongues of fire (Acts 2:3)
• Angelic visitation (Daniel 10:5,6 Acts 12:7,8)
• Healing (Luke 5:17, Luke 7:21)
• Miracles (John 2:9, Luke 5:6)
• Casting out demons (Mark 1:26, Matthew 8:32)
• Involuntary Prostration (Acts 26:14)

John 18:6

6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

Revelation 1:17

17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.

2 Chronicles 5:13,14

Signs and wonders demonstrate the power of God in His Presence

To demonstrate His superiority over all the gods

• the ten plagues of Egypt through which God showed that He was above the gods of Egypt
• God’s demonstration of His superiority over Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:36-39)

To demonstrate His Deity. 

Notice the centurion’s confession :

Matthew 27:54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

To confirm the Word

Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

To aid belief

John 4:48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

Signs and wonders disrupt personal confidence and inspire faith in God. The Philippian jailor believed  (Acts 16-34)

Authenticate the man of God

Romans 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— 19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.

The absence of signs and wonders does not mean that a person is not a man of God. John the Baptist did no miracles but he is a man sent by God.

Signs and wonders manifest the Lord’s sovereignty over all creation, both in the natural and spiritual realms. It reveals His power and displays His glory and it serves to strengthen the faith of His people.

On Mount Carmel, Elijah challenges the people who gathered to accept the God who answers by fire

1 Kings 18:24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”

The call and authority of Elijah was validated by the sign (fire). 

We must understand the spiritual condition of the people in Israel. There was widespread idolatry. The people simultaneously worshipped Jehovah and Baal. 

In this present day, Baal is represented by people who zealously pursue a hedonistic (pleasure seeking), materialistic, immoral, mammon worshipping culture rather than the worship of the Lord. This apostasy has led to the erosion of the culture of God’s people.

Elijah needed a miracle that would demonstrate beyond any doubt that the fire that came was supernatural; this fire creates extremely intense heat that is able to cause water to vaporise and the twelve stones to be pulverised. This is no ordinary fire.

This sign brought the people to a place of decision :  “The Lord He is God, The Lord He is God”.

This is the purpose of the sign, to bring reform, to restore the faith of an apostate people back to God; to reveal the power and Glory of the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Supreme Sovereign Lord.

THE GREATEST SIGN FOR ALL HUMANITY

Next week believers will remember the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection. Jews will celebrate the Feast of Passover.

To those who are perishing, this would be the greatest sign and wonder. 

Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The scribes and the Pharisees expected Jesus to perform a sign for them because they based their faith on their sight. The response of Jesus was specifically directed to scribes and Pharisees. His disciples already knew that He would die on the Cross and be resurrected on the third day.

Jesus referred the scribes and the Pharisees to the prophet Jonah’s time of three days and three nights in the belly of the whale. Jesus told them that He would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The sign would be revealed AFTER HIS DEATH on the third day – HIS RESURRECTION

This was Paul’s great desire; Paul voluntarily yoked himself to Christ, suffered great loss in the pursuit of a greater knowledge of Christ and the power of His resurrection; being in fellowship of His sufferings. 

Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

This is the experience of the Apostle Paul concerning his suffering for Christ

2 Corinthians 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

Paul would be a great sign and wonder to all those who met him. The sufferings of Paul did not diminish his deep concern for ALL the churches because he was yoked to the LORD OF THE CHURCH