Note 4 at 1 Cor. 2:4: Paul demonstrated what he taught through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. He didn't just preach doctrine. He lived it and proved the validity of his doctrine through miraculous signs and wonders. This is the pattern for all true ministers of the gospel.

There is not very much attention given to the miracle part of Paul's ministry in the book of Acts. Acts focuses on the travels of the apostle Paul and the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles. Yet there are some glimpses into the miraculous occurrences that happened in Paul's ministry.

On Paul's first missionary trip, he saw Elymas the sorcerer smitten by God (Acts 13:6-12) on the island of Cyprus (see note 2 at Acts 11:19, p. 638) and a cripple walk who had never walked before (Acts 14:8-10) in Lystra (see note 4 at Acts 14:6, p. 655). Paul also saw the supernatural power of God manifest when he was stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19-20). God miraculously raised him up.

On Paul's second trip (see note 1 at Acts 18:22, p. 683), he cast a spirit of divination out of a girl (Acts 16:16-18), and he was miraculously delivered from the Philippian jail by an earthquake (Acts 16:23-35).

Towards the end of his third trip (see note 2 at Acts 18:23, p. 684), Paul raised the young man Eutychus from the dead (Acts 20:7-12). However, it is obvious that many miracles took place that were not recorded in detail in the book of Acts.

Acts 19:11-12 describes special miracles accomplished by Paul so that handkerchiefs or aprons were passed from his body to sick or demon-possessed people and they were set free. In Acts 19:13-17, it refers to Paul casting out demons in a manner that would lead one to believe this was a common occurrence in his ministry.

So there are only four times recorded in detail where Paul demonstrated the supernatural power of God in ministering to others. Twice the miraculous power of God was demonstrated in his own life. Yet, Acts 19:11-17 makes it very clear that the supernatural was a normal part of Paul's ministry.

Paul also makes reference to the way that the gospel was confirmed to these Corinthians in this very letter (see note 5 at 1 Cor. 1:7, p. 859). However, the book of Acts does not record any supernatural manifestations of the miraculous power of God in Corinth. Therefore, it is certain that Paul operated in the miraculous demonstrations of the Spirit of God much more than what the account in Acts relates.