John 14:12 (NKJV)

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Eisegesis: 

We should use our abilities to do great spiritual and supernatural works by declaring and commanding things to happen even more than that of Jesus Christ.

Exegesis:   

Jesus did not mean that we would do the works that Jesus could not do but rather that we would continue the works of Christ. The word greater here is in terms of quantity and not quality. Furthermore, even the ‘greater works’ that we would perform are still accomplished through His Spirit within us.

This verse is a proof text for many in the hyper-charismatic groups who claim that they constantly have supernatural encounters and experiences by simply declaring things to happen. 

But Jesus in this verse did not mean greater in the sense of a more sensational experience but rather in terms of magnitude (quantity).

He emphasized that He would be leaving behind a group of victorious believers who would join in doing His work of spreading the good news to more people and more places than Jesus ever did. 

Background of this verse:

We know that the disciples also performed miraculous works as Jesus had (Acts 5:12–16; Heb. 2:3–4), but those physical miracles were not the primary motive or intention that Jesus had in mind.

The word greater here is in reference to quantity and not quality. The ministry of Christ has been continuing for 2,000 years, and Christians all over the world have been doing the work of Christ in His name, and so in terms of numbers, we are doing greater things.

Jesus, over His 3-year ministry, had a limited outreach to Gentiles (Mark 7:26), but the disciples’ ministry (particularly Peter and later Paul) would reach the entire world with the Gospel. As a result, the number of believers in Christ has grown far beyond the hundreds (Acts 1:15; 1 Cor. 15:6) that were numbered during His lifetime.

Practical application of this verse

Rather than focusing our time on trying to do the supernatural or spectacular, we should focus on those works that the Lord has placed in our paths. Instead of trying to manufacture a miracle or a prophetic moment, we should pursue people in our lives with the Gospel.

When Jesus spoke of His followers performing greater works, He was referring to the extent of the spiritual miracle of salvation.

Certainly, there is nothing more greater than sharing the life-altering, life-saving, and life-giving news of Jesus Christ with someone.