As a young boy more than two decades ago, I attended a Bible study class in Jinja District. In that class, a question was asked: how can one spot a fake miracle? The checklist provided in that day is one I think has never been more relevant, as more and more masqueraders prey on God’s people in the name of performing miracles.

Jesus warned us that “false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders” (Matthew 24:24). This means not every miracle performed “in the name of Jesus Christ” is truly of Him.

A similar revelation—that performers of miracles may not be of God—is found in Matthew 7:21–23. That passage records some people trying to gain access to eternal paradise by flaunting their credentials, saying, “Did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?”

What was Jesus Christ's response to them? “Away from me, you evildoers!”

How then can we today discern between genuine and fake miracles so that we do not become prey for evildoers? Below are five characteristics of miracles recorded in the Bible that can help us identify the fake—those not consistent with these patterns.

1. Advertisement of the miracle performer

It is estimated that Uganda has over nine million WhatsApp users. Question: Did you ever see a WhatsApp advert inviting you to subscribe? WhatsApp, like Facebook, became popular through word-of-mouth promotion.

If people can widely share information about something as small as an application, how much more eager would they be to tell others about a miracle that restored the normal physical functionality of their body or that of another?

Neither Jesus Christ nor any of the apostles advertised the miracles they performed by showing off empty coffins, wheelchairs, or crutches of the resurrected or healed. In fact, Jesus Christ, on the contrary, often demanded secrecy from those He had healed (Matthew 9:30; Mark 1:43–44).

God’s power does not need to be advertised because God is not in the business of showing off. There is already enough evidence of God’s immeasurable power in all of creation as Romans 1:20 tells us.

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” 

2. Scheduled miracles

Miracles in the Bible were never scheduled as though God’s power could be calendarised.

Neither Jesus Christ nor the apostles gave advance notice to people, telling them that there was a miracle “with their name on it” awaiting them on a particular day.

Can a human being schedule when God will work miraculously? 

God acts according to His sovereign will, not human programming.

3. Special events for miracles

Biblical miracles happened in the ordinary course of life, as Jesus Christ or God’s servants were moved by compassion or God’s power to intervene in miraculous ways.

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick,” before proceeding to feed at least 5,000 of them (Matthew 14:14–21). When the crippled beggar at the temple gate called Beautiful asked Peter and John for money, God moved them to give him much more—restoration of his walking ability (Acts 3:2–8). All non-scheduled events.

Nowhere in Scripture do we see Jesus or the apostles organising and inviting people to “miracle crusades.” People were healed wherever Jesus Christ or the apostles found them.

4. Same miracle-performing method

Jesus healed in diverse ways. He laid hands on some (Mark 6:5), spoke a word to others (Mark 2:11-12), used mud for a blind man (John 9:6), and even healed from a distance (John 4:50-53).

It was no different with the apostles. Sometimes it was through a spoken word, other times it was not. Scripture even records that for Paul, a handkerchief placed on him carried the power to heal people—God was performing miracles through Paul without his knowledge—Acts 19:11–12. This variety demonstrates that the power was of God, not found in a ritual.

The Bible provides ample proof of God’s diverse methods of intervention in human affairs. God does this to prevent familiarity from breeding contempt because God punishes contempt— Numbers 20:12.

Today’s predictable “formulas” for miracles—where the afflicted must always be touched or fall to the ground—are inconsistent with God’s modus operandi. 

5. Dependence on the faith of the receiver

While Jesus sometimes asked if someone believed (Matthew 9:28), miracles were not ultimately dependent on human faith. For example, Lazarus did not believe before being raised from the dead (John 11:43–44). Likewise, the widow’s son in Nain was lifeless when restored (Luke 7:14–15).

I have often heard “miracle performers” claim that a person did not receive their miracle because they lacked faith. Can you name one person in the Bible who failed to receive their miracle due to insufficient personal faith?

Let us not be deceived by displays of power. Miracles can be faked or even performed by evil powers. The surest way to discern what is of God is to measure every miracle against God’s Word—for God cannot contradict Himself.