Mark 11:20-24
20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 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.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
In today’s passage, Jesus connects two important concepts: prayer and faith. And we know from other scriptures that unless our prayers are united with faith, we shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:6-7). But what is the basis for our faith? Are we to believe that God will give us whatever we ask?
Jesus began by saying, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). This is the foundation for prayer—trust in the Lord. If our requests are incompatible with His teachings, we have no reason to believe He’ll answer. Nor should we expect to receive if the motive is our own pleasure (James 4:3). As Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane demonstrates, ultimate trust in God says, “Yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
First John 5:14-15 tells us we can count on God answering requests prayed according to His will. Our prayers should, therefore, be anchored to Scripture because apart from the Bible, we don’t know His will. But as we fill our minds with God’s Word, our desires and requests begin to align with His. When that’s the case, we can confidently expect to receive whatever we ask. And in those instances when we’re not sure of His will, the Spirit intercedes for us (Rom. 8:27). Even the obstacles in our life are no problem for the Lord. Nothing in harmony with His purpose will be impossible for us.
God doesn’t turn a deaf ear to the supplication of His children. As a loving heavenly Father, He protects, provides, guides, and cares for us. He has proven His love by sending His Son. Surely we can trust Him with all our other concerns.
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