Are you satisfied with surface prayers? Do you want to grow deeper in your faith? When I pray, I want to see His glorious promises and will fulfilled. In Matthew 9:29 it states, “…according to your faith, be it unto you.”
Prayer deepens our relationship with God and demonstrates our trust and utter dependence upon Him. It demonstrates our faith in Who He is and in what He can do. Jesus set the example for us by always praying to His Father. In following His example, we ought always to pray in faith about everything too.
God’s Word says in Mark 11:20-24:
“20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” 22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
We know that God is not man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). So, we should expect to see the power of prayer in our daily lives even today.
Prayer should not be seen as a means of our getting God to do our will upon earth, but rather as a means of getting God’s will done upon earth. His wisdom and knowledge far exceeds our own. We should request in faith, but humbly submit to His leading in all things.
In looking back at Mark 11:20-24 we see the importance of faith in connection with prayer. Peter points out the withered fig tree to Jesus and He answers, “Have faith in God.” What did a fig tree have to do with having faith in God? The fig tree by its leaves gave the appearance that fruit was present when it was not. Though Jesus did not explain His action in cursing the tree, some believe by judging the tree, He was demonstrating how the nation of Israel’s hypocrisy would be judged. No doubt Jesus cursed the tree for its own hypocrisy (giving a false appearance of having fruit). Moreso, it was a good object lesson to the disciples and us in not being hypocritical in exercising our own faith. We are not to put on an outward appearance of having faith when we are really doubting in our hearts (see vs. 23).
The instruction was to “Have faith in God.” “In God” is of utmost importance. Whom or where our faith is placed makes all the difference. By not taking everything to God in prayer (Phil. 4:6-7), it may reveal that our faith is in ourselves or someone or something else to fulfill our desires and needs. The lack of prayer to God can expose the level of our faith or where our faith is actually being placed.
Going further in these verses, Jesus challenged them about praying in faith regarding casting the mountain into the sea. Casting a mountain was a phrase not to be taken literally but used to describe overcoming seemingly impossible difficulties. It takes unwavering faith to remove an immovable obstacle. Have you ever had any in your life? The illustration of casting an enormous mountain into the sea is an extreme example of the absolutely impossible. That is the point. Having faith in God can accomplish the impossible.
We may as well not pray at all if we do not come to God having faith in His ability and desire to answer our prayers. For without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Also, James warns us that when we do come in faith, it cannot be mixed with any doubt (James 1:5-8). We are not to expect anything from the Lord with a doubtful, double-minded view in approaching Him. Forget even asking if you are not going to have faith in God for the impossible. Every act of faith though must rest upon God’s Word. Romans 10:17 states, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Continuing in Mark 11, verse 24 states, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
The reason we can believe to receive is because we have prayed in faith (being confident that it is His will having been revealed in His Word and by the inner witness of His Spirit).
When we are really living in communion with the Lord and praying in the Spirit, we can have the assurance of answered prayer before the answer actually comes (vs. 24 “believe that you receive them, and you will have them”). Faith accepts it as good as done even though the actual answer is still future. Hebrews 11:1 states, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” If we pray in this way, we can give thanks for the result before we see it. From His Word we have prayed in faith according to the will and purpose of God. Our faith continues to operate in leaving the timing and details of the answer to God in His eternal wisdom. We have His promise that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much (James 5:16-18).
Faith and prayer are inseparable. We can pray in faith knowing no situation is too difficult or impossible for God. He is all-knowing and almighty, so He knows what is best in any given situation. Therefore, in faith we can pray as Jesus, “Not my will, but Yours will be done” (Luke 22:42). Praying like this is not on the surface, but deep in faith.
Paula is compassionately committed to biblically teach and mentor women who desire to be renewed in their minds by God’s eternal Word so their destinies will become a reality. She goes beyond sharing biblical principles to practical application for everyday living.
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