Believe You Receive
In Mark 11 which we noted yesterday, Jesus made some very bold statements in verses 22-24 regarding prayer. This passage is the golden passage for all people of faith and prayer. Those who practice this passage, who are doers of this Word, get results in their lives.
Mark 11:22-24
And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
This is Jesus talking. He is telling us what to do. It is a command.
HAVE FAITH IN GOD! If He tells me to have faith in God, my response should be: Yes, I have faith in God. I am going to add here that it does not make any difference whether you “feel” like you have faith in God or not. He said it. I believe it. With this decision in mind, let’s go to the next verse, believing that we have faith in God. Believe it for yourself right now. Are you ready for the next verse?
Jesus says: Speak to the mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea. Don’t doubt in your heart. Believe those things you say come to pass. You shall have whatever you say.
Let’s break this down in terms of prayer. Speak to the problem. This is what you say: “Be removed and be gone (something in the sea indicates gone, can’t be seen or detected anymore). I have the ability to believe. I have the ability not to doubt. Therefore, these things I say come to pass. I have what I say.” Yes, this is direct and to the point. You do what He says, and you have what He says.
Jesus caps this passage off in the next verse by saying: Therefore, I am going to put into practice what I just told you and SAY to you: “Whatever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive it and you will have it.” Once again, He is very direct and to the point. What do you desire? Pray. When you pray (right then), believe you receive it. Then you will have it.
I can hear lots of you right now saying: That’s easy for you to say. It doesn’t work for me. Well, it just did. You said it doesn’t work, and it doesn’t. I also have to practice this in the face of many contradictory circumstances. Sometimes those circumstances seem overwhelming and the answers to prayer seem lost in the distance somewhere. What both of us have to remember is that circumstances do not have the final word. God does. He says that we will receive what we believe and say when we pray. Period! End of paragraph! End of discussion! WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE? Are you willing to stand for it, regardless of the time it takes for you to receive it? I must remind you that God has already given it to you. The time frame involves your believing and receiving it. If you don’t back down, you will get it. God is no respecter of persons. If it worked for one person, it has to work for all people.
JUST HOW IMPORTANT IS PRAYER! IT IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE AIR WE BREATHE.
STAY THE COURSE! STAND STEADFAST WHEN TIMES ARE EASY OR TOUGH! TRUST GOD! HE IS YOUR SOURCE AND EVERLASTING PLACE OF REFUGE AND STRENGTH!