Supernatural Multiplication

The New Testament records two instances of Jesus and his disciples multiplying fish and bread to feed large crowds. Jesus gave thanks to the Father and then the disciples distributed the food to everybody. After everybody ate and was full, there were plenty of leftovers for later. You can read these stories in Mark chapter six, and Mark chapter eight.

My grandmother (Grammy) told me a remarkably similar story of a supernatural multiplication miracle that happened when she was a missionary with her family in Brazil. This happened when my dad was a teenager. I am telling this story as accurately as I can since I am relying on what Grammy told me.

What is really remarkable about it is that my grandfather (Pappy) never was “baptized in the Holy Spirit.” He desired the gift of speaking in tongues but never “got it.” But he had faith to multiply ham! He was a trucker who loved to do disaster relief work and help people in any way that he could.

My grandmother spoke in tongues, but it was in secret. She could have gotten in trouble if the missions agency which they worked with knew about it. Grammy now attends a Baptist church and most of her friends are very traditional. She is not your typical “holy roller!” Even though she secretly spoke in tongues, for most of her life she rejected stories of people having visions or similar experiences. Then she fell on the ground for hours and was taken to heaven, sat on God’s lap, and healed. She also saw heaven again in a near-death experience. But those are stories for another time!

Multiplying Ham In Brazil

My grandparents were missionaries living in Belem do Para, Brazil, for about three years. I would guess that this was in the ’70s, since my dad was a teenager. Their house was in front of the airstrip where Bible translators arrived from the jungle. When the airplanes full of missionaries arrived, they went to my grandparent’s house for dinner.

Ham was a rare and expensive commodity at that time in Brazil, but somebody had brought a two pound canned ham with them on the airplane from the US, and given it to my grandparents as Thanksgiving gift. That Thanksgiving, an airplane came in on the airstrip. They had about fourteen guests, besides their family. There were almost twenty people, and there was very little food! Grammy said to Pappy “How are we going to feed all of these people?”

Grammy told me that he looked at her and she saw in his eyes that he was full of faith. He said, “Just cut it up and give it to them.”

They passed the plate around, and everyone had firsts. They passed it around again, and everyone had seconds. They passed the plate again, and some people had thirds. After everyone had finished, there was still enough ham left over for them to make ham sandwiches for the next few days. It was remarkable that a 2-pound ham in a can could feed so many people!

This is one of many stories which I thank God for, and which are worth recording and remembering. I thank God that we have such stories to tell my little daughter about her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Were I to tell all his wonders they would be more than could be numbered! (Psalm 40:5)

Supernatural Provision

Matthew 6:25-33 (NRSV)“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things, and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Besides Jesus multiplying the fish and the loaves, Scripture contains other stories of supernatural provision and supernatural multiplication. Check out 2nd Kings 4:1-7 for the story of how God supernaturally multiplied oil for a widow so her sons who were sustaining her would not be sold into slavery. 1 Kings 17:1-16 tells the story of how God supernaturally provided for Elijah by sending birds to bring him food, and then by commanding a widow to feed him and multiplying her flour and oil. Luke 5:1-11 and John 21:1-14 record two different times that God miraculously provided for the disciples through a word of knowledge that Jesus gave. Matthew 17:24-27 tells the story of how God paid the temple tax for Peter and for Jesus by providing a coin from a fish’s mouth. Check out our article When To Give Out Of Need And Expect Supernatural Provision.

Do you believe that God’s nature is the same today as he was in the Bible? One of his 7 redemptive names is The Lord Our Provider! He still has compassion for his children and sees their needs. I’ve personally heard more than one person share testimonies of the fuel in their gas tank multiplying so it never ran out, for as long as a year! Heidi Baker and others have experienced supernatural multiplication of food many times.  Let these testimonies teach you to develop a deep trust in God’s nature as your provider.

Next: Supernatural Rain In My House Part 1

This is just one of the stories from the second book in the Heaven Now Trilogy, I Will Awaken The Dawn. If you liked this post, you may want to check out my Heaven Now book trilogy. It contains many similar insights into understanding simple gospel truths and exercising heaven’s dominion on earth. It’s also filled with testimonies of what happened when I put these truths into practice. I’m sure these books will encourage you and help you learn to walk as a heavenly person. Not only that, but your purchase supports our missionary work in Brazil and in every other place we go!