Fear, Pride and Unbelief by Merwin aka Balaam's Nazarite Donkey

Wow...
Just got through reading all the posts on this one, now I've got to go back and read the original question because there was WAAAAY too much "straying" going on...

"How can we claim to believe the Bible, continue to wonder why "I can't do, what I BELIEVE God said, and then...NOT LISTEN TO SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, "I'VE HAD A REVELATION? Why do we do that?"

Short answers... unbelief & pride.

Okay my response to the question is likely going to be fairly long, and, so it will take about 30 minutes to put it together. BRB

As I expressed my previous opinion, in my "short answers", I am hoping that this larger reply will be taken as an illustration of that, though I would like to add one characteristic to the "short answers" and it is fear.

Typically, when God moves through the believers to accomplish unbelievable things, HE doesn't give "the used" or, "the vessel" time to think about it. Our thoughts (our flesh) has a way of interfering with God's intentions.

Matthew 13:
58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Unbelief... will raise its fleshy head in many forms and nearly always because we have had time to think about it.

Pride on the other hand can be even more damaging to the operation of gifts within the believer because it allows our flesh to attempt to include itself into "the why" the miracle happened, even to the point of ownership.

Matthew 17:
4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

The wonderful thing about God in reference to our pride is, when we are in danger, HE diverts us, humbles us, and otherwise "busts" us on our presumption. We would... as in the Matthew 17 example, want to build a "ministry" about what HE included us in.

This "pride issue" is usually counter productive to the measure of faith we are all given, and makes the believer on the sidewalk fearful and intimidated by that prospect, or even downright confused about its value.

Conversely, I believe that when these miraculous things take on an intense reality for our time, it will be when we are going about our business as usual lives, and God moves on us kind of by surprise like the examples below.

Acts 3:
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Peter and John had been going in and out of the temple many times and was passing by the lame man, "...whom they laid daily at the gate" but this day, the Apostles were moved upon by God, without any forethought by them, to address the lame man's condition.

In like manner, Paul (example below), endured the possessed woman many days until God moved and grieved him into action.

Acts 16:
16 ¶ And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

In both of these cases the immediacy of the moment and the move of the Holy Spirit in an instant, is likely what occurred. I say likely, because that is the Bible description in both cases, it does not indicate that God ministered to them over days to enhance their thought processes to accept the possibility of themselves being used in this way. In every respect the descriptions show a "suddenly" account and a divine appointment, a "Moed".

And all this, is not me saying that "Healing Ministries" are evil and that they do not have their uses in God... I am not saying that at all.

For in the verses below God, through Luke who wrote the Book of Acts we have the example of a "healing ministry" (not capitalized intentionally), that is thriving to the point where the Sanhedrin felt is necessary to take action to try to stop them, by arresting Peter.

Acts 5:
11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.
13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.
14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid [them] on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

So... in answer to my best friend's question...
"How can we claim to believe the Bible, continue to wonder why "I can't do, what I BELIEVE God said, and then...NOT LISTEN TO SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, "I'VE HAD A REVELATION? Why do we do that?"

Short answers... fear, unbelief & pride, are too short, and too simplified. But, that is what it boils down to.

The fear aspect is one that causes us to bury our talents, but in reality it is part of the same coin as pride. Pride is one that if the talent is given and we are to do something with it we must develop it into "something" ...God obviously expects me to be the next Oral Roberts or Joyce Meyer.

Our fleshy pride very rarely translates "Ministry" to mean the impoverished and persecuted early church of Jerusalem.

And unbelief, is also closely attached to fear. Jesus spoke to His disciples constantly about their having "little faith". Unbelief can be a condition that comes and goes with the believer and Jesus is 24/7 working within us to counter it.

I believe that when the believer on the sidewalk, such as yourself, finds his/her self being "moved upon" to perform miracles it will not be for the purpose of turning them into the next mega church or Bishop, Apostle or TV Evangelist. It may be to have them simply be used by Jesus for one or many of His divine appointments, and yes a ministry can develop from that but then that is also up to God.