WEEK 2
Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
KEEPING IT SIMPLE
It seemed that some saw their prayers answered; it seemed others did to receive what they prayed. Some were rescued and were delivered; others suffered and perished. Just what is prayer, and does it work?
This takes patience, time and discipline to energize and create a prayer life that gets results, but in doing so you will change your life!
I will add one scripture verse each week (as permitted) to the previous day’s verse until we have a complete picture of what the Bible says. And, as we go, we will have the opportunity (and the encouragement) to put the Word of God into practice – daily.
These words are straight forward and the meaning is easy to determine; and a face value reading of these words of Jesus leaves little room for an alternate understanding. But context is everything. Let’s look at the verses that precede and follow this verse:
Mark 11:20, “As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. Verse 21. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
Verse 22. And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
Verse 23. Truly, I say to you,
- whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and
- does not doubt in his heart, but
- believes that what he says will come to pass,
- it will be done for him.
Verse 24. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it (aorist tense – are continuing to receive it), and it will be yours. Verse 25. And whenever you stand praying,
- forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Now, let’s look at the context of these words elsewhere in the Bible and see if they harmonize, agree and confirm this message:
Matthew 21:20, “When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” Verse 21. And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. Verse 22. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Verse 8. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
John 15: 7, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
1 John 5:14, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
AND I SAY, AGAIN
Therefore, (because of this), I tell you (I say to you; I command and thereby lay this matter to rest), whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Prayer is never easy. Having and building your faith is not easy. This takes persistence.
Luke 18:1-8, “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. God will give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
Luke 11:5-8, “And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistent impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.”
You can do this. We can do this. Let’s pray!
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
Week 3: Coming Soon.
Whitestone Fellowship 