Role of belief in answered prayer

Mark 11:24 (NASB)

Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you. 

Jesus uttered these words two days after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem that today we celebrate as Palm Sunday.  Obviously He had little time left with His disciples before He would be led away to be crucified.  One of his final teachings to them was the vital importance and role of faith in their prayer lives.  It is important to be bold in your prayer life (Acts 2:42, 4:24, 12:5, 28:28-31). 

You see most pro golfers standing behind the ball in stillness before addressing and hitting the ball.  What are they doing?  They are imagining the shot that they are about to hit.  It’s the power of the mind over matter.  It is getting the mind and the emotion into the game as much as the body.  Imagination is a very powerful tool.  Have you ever been to Disney’s Epcot theme park in Orlando and visited the Imagination! Pavilion?  The emphasis is to allow your imagination to be free and enable your mind to be as creative as possible.  The more you imagine/envision something happening, the more likely that it actually will.  But, you need the discipline of imagination and the will to follow up on your visions.

Faith to believe that whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive requires imagination.  Just like the imagination of a child who believes that anything can happen, that is the kind of faith Jesus was telling His disciples then and telling you right now that you should have.  In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 18:3 that you need to convert and become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven.   

Think about it, faith requires imagination although imagination is not faith.  Faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).  To have faith that God answers prayer, that you are destined to live forever in heaven, that God loves and cares for you, does that faith not require your imagination.  You cannot see these things of faith, but you can imagine them.

Some days you will have strong imagination to believe; other days your imagination might be weaker, but that does is not the same as having strong or weak faith.  Ron Rolheisser (http://www.jknirp.com/acrisis.htm) wrote about J. R. Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings, being a key person to help C.S. Lewis accept Christianity. After listening to Lewis object to certain aspects of the faith, Tolkien suggested to him that his resistance was not so much a question of belief as it was of imagination: "Your inability to understand stems from a failure of imagination on your part."

You cannot “out-imagine” what God can do when you pray within His will.  Just read Ephesians 3:20 where the word for “think” can be translated as “imagine”.  You cannot put boundaries on God so you cannot falsely think that God is incapable of answering any prayer you ask.  You simply must believe that He can answer and He will although often we do not understand His answer if the answer is not what you were hoping for.

What are you praying and asking about right now?  Do you truly believe that you will receive what you are asking for?  Be sure that your prayers have the right motives (James 4:3).  Be sure that you have asked for your sins to be forgiven and that you harbor no wickedness in your heart (Psalm 66:18).  If you are a married man, be sure that you are treating your wife with honor (I Peter 3:7).  Imagine your prayers being answered.  Even pray for the Lord to strengthen your faith to believe (Mark 9:24) in this promise of Jesus that He will answer your prayers. 

“Don't think God is listening to your prayers? Indeed He is. But He may have higher plans. -- Max Lucado

“I asked God for strength that I might achieve. I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked for health that I might do greater things. I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy. I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men. I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am, among all men, most richly blessed.” — Unknown

The Lord's many promises

Psalm 145:18-20 (NASB)

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.  He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him.  He will also hear their cry and will save them.  The LORD keeps all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. 

Note all the promises in this passage.  The Lord is near, the Lord will fulfill your desires, the Lord will hear your cries, the Lord will save you, the Lord will keep you and the Lord will destroy the wicked.  At least six promises in these three verses.  Let’s look at them more deeply.

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth

When you call upon the Lord, you are demonstrating the act of faith and He responds to those who show faith.  I believe that the phrase “call upon Him in truth” refers to an act of faith based on what you read in your Bible since the Bible is truth (John 17:17) and calling in the name of Jesus since He is the truth (John 1:14, 14:6)

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him

To fear God is to reverence Him, to have utmost respect for Him and it shows by the way you think, speak, and act.  Read Psalm 25:12-15 that is a beautiful description of who is the man who fears the Lord.  Read Psalm 37:4 that describes desires of the heart fulfilled. 

He will hear their cry

Here is one of many promises in Scripture that God hears you whenever you cry out to him.  The Old Testament is full of stories of how God heard and answered the cries of His people.  God will hear the cries of His children as long as you are in reverence to Him.  However, He will not hear your cries if you regard (treasure) wickedness in your heart (Psalm 66:18)

He will save them

The Hebrew word used for save means to deliver, to rescue, to give victory.  Claim His promise to help you in this way as long as you remain faithful to Him and give him your utmost respect and honor. 

He will keep you

This promise reminds me of the promise of Jesus in John 10:27-29 that no one can snatch the sheep of God out of the Father’s hand.  He will never leave you or forsake you as His follower (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 12:5). 

All the wicked He will destroy

Wicked people are those in God’s sight who are guilty of sin and have not been forgiven.  All Christians are forgiven so you can never be destroyed.  All others cannot be assured of this.  God is a loving Father, but He is also a just Lord who clearly states in His Word many times that the wicked will be destroyed.  Do a Bible study yourself and find all the passages that teach this.  But, realize that those who seek the Lord will find Him and never be viewed as wicked by Him, regardless of your sins, because you have the Spirit of Christ within you and that is whom God sees in you.  

Which of these promises strikes you the most right now?  Why?  What action(s) will you take as a result?  

Pinnacle of faith

Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIRV)

The fig trees might not bud. The vines might not produce any grapes. The olive crop might fail. The fields might not produce any food. There might not be any sheep in the pens. There might not be any cattle in the barns. But I will still be glad because of what the Lord has done. God my Savior fills me with joy.

The book of Habakkuk explores the question of why and whether God permits evil to exist unpunished.  Just like in our day, Habakkuk was seeing evil people flourish and questioned God’s justice.  Basically, in chapter 1, Habakkuk was complaining to God.  God’s answers to these complaints are given in chapters 2 and 3.    

In Habakkuk 3:12-15 God’s cataclysmic judgments are described.  Habukkuk, in verses 16-17, shares his understanding of the meaning of God’s judgment. Such judgment means famine (fig trees, vines, olive crop, fields are all unproductive) and death (no sheep or cattle).  In recent past, and, for many, current economic crisis, many people might easily identify with Habakkuk’s observation of limited, failing, and loss of resources.    

However, in verse 18, Habakkuk reached a pinnacle of faith.  Regardless of what might happen, regardless that he himself might be part of God’s coming judgment, he will express his gladness because of what the Lord has done.  No matter the circumstances he will rejoice, realizing that the joy he experiences comes from the Lord.

Note in this ancient passage that gladness and joy originate from the Lord.  Joy is true happiness. Human happiness depends on the “happening” and often what is happening in our lives is not joyful.  Many times in Scripture joy is used in the midst of difficulties we all experience because joy is the foundation for finding peace and contentment even in difficult times.  Biblical joy is peace of heart and mind that that comes from complete trust that God through Christ is in control of all circumstances, regardless how troublesome they might be, and will not leave nor forsake you.

Are you in a situation like Habakkuk where you see so much evil and don’t have the proper perspective like God would have?  Are you a complainer and, as such, tend to forget the grace and joy of the Lord?  Despite whatever negatives might be happening in your life, can you find a way, with the Lord’s help, to be glad and to be filled with joy? Spend some time reading and meditating not only on Habukkuk 3:17-19, but also other passages such as Psalm 23, Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 40:10 and 40:31, and Philippians 4:1-13.     

Don't put your trust in other humans

Isaiah 2:22 (NLT)

Don’t put your trust in mere humans.  They are as frail as breath.  What good are they? 

This meditation was written during the global financial crisis of 2008.

How appropriate a verse like this is during these times of economic meltdown when we hear and read about so many corrupt corporate executives and inept politicians. I have seen, and perhaps you have too, corporate bigshots act so high and mighty and expect underlings to fawn and seek favor from them. Don’t you think that victims of scams and from crooks like Bernard Madoff now heartily agree with the words of this verse?  Think of people who have revered their pastors only to learn that those pastors were scam artists or, worse, perverts.  Will they ever trust another human again?   Likely you have been “burned” or otherwise taken advantage of by others in whom you had put your trust.

 The intent of this verse and my examples is not to unfairly put down all humans, and certainly not pastors, many of whom are trustworthy, sincere, and honorable.  However, the context of Isaiah 2 is the coming of a “day of reckoning” before the “terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty” against the pride and loftiness of man.  If you are going to trust anyone, it should be the Lord.  If you are to believe anyone, believe in what the Lords says through His Word, not what someone says that is not based or backed up by truth of the Bible.

Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.”  Again, this is a verse that contrasts your relationships with other humans against your relationship with God.  You are not ever to fear another human, including your boss, but you are to fear and trust the Lord. 

The last segment of Isaiah 22:2…….. “What good are they”?  This is not stating that people are no good, that you are no good.  Have you ever said that about yourself?  You know that it is wrong!  It is wrong to think this way about yourself.  You are created in the image of God.  You are loved by God.  You are to love others as you love yourself.   Just keep a healthy view of Scriptures like this and, for example, Jesus’ statements about family in Luke14:26 in that such statements are not to be taken absolutely but relatively.  Relative to God, man is lesser in all respects.  You should never put your trust in another person in place of God.  Trusting others---those who earn and deserve it—takes second place to trusting God. 

Scripture is also clear that you should not trust yourself above trusting God.  Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.”  So who in your life might you be trusting or depending on more than God?  What must you do to reverse this?  Who or what can help you to increase your level of trust in the Lord?   

God will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go

Psalm 32:8 (NIV) 

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

Have you ever prayed for divine guidance?  Divine guidance not only for you, but also for your loved ones?  I try every day to lift up my loved ones and ask the Lord to protect them and give them divine guidance.  When I pray this request one of the verses I am thinking of is this one. 

The Lord makes a wonderful promise here.  He promises to instruct and teach you in the way you should go.  And as you are going, that is, as you are living your life, hopefully in faith and obedience to Him, He is continuously counseling you and watching over you.  It’s not just one thing He is doing, but four things He is doing to enable you to live your life wisely, abundantly, and successfully.  And please note that this verse emphasizes that God is personally is involved in instructing and teaching and counseling you and all the time watching over you.  This is God speaking, not some limited human being.  Remember this.  

At first glance, the words instruct and teach seem redundant.  Yet they are different.  The Hebrew word for instruct means to be prudent, circumspect, wisely understand, and prosper.  So God’s instruction basically aims to enable you to be wise in His ways and to prosper because of your wisdom.  His instruction will enable you to make right and wise choices in your life, choices that will allow you to prosper with respect to being rich in certainty, security, and peace of mind. 

The Hebrew word for teach means to throw, shoot, cast or pour.  God will direct you in the way you should live your life.  He will take special aim with your life with a specific purpose in mind.

The Bible is God’s instruction and teaching book.  II Timothy 3:16-17 says that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, correction, reproof, and training for righteousness.”  You need both teaching and instruction to live your life the way God created you to live it.  His Word gives you His instructions and by studying His Word, His Holy Spirit teaches you how to live.

How does God counsel you and watch over you?   The Hebrew word for counsel means to guide or advise.  God is willing personally to be your travel guide for the rest of your life if you will let Him.  All you have to do is to pray each morning, “Lord, please guide me this day to do the right things and make the right decisions”.  However, besides prayer, you also need that daily intake of His Word.  By enabling you to remember what His Word says, He counsels you when you are praying where He will bring to your mind something that you have heard or read from His Word that gives you the appropriate guidance.  And then while you are going about your daily business in your life, all the things you do, God is watching over you.  His “hedge of protection” (Job 1:10) surrounds you.  His angelic forces are with you to help you react properly to situations around you.  Your true nature is revealed not by your planned actions, but your unplanned reactions and such reactions are based on who truly controls your heart and mind.

This verse of four promises applies throughout your life.  It applies when you are growing up, as you are making decisions about what to do with your life, especially your choices of career and future spouse.  It applies in your role as spouse, parent, career worker, leader, neighbor, and servant.  And it applies in all the decisions you make, some you make intentionally asking the Lord for His guidance and others you make without intentionally asking Him but He is there anyway working out situations supernaturally so that the path you take, the direction you go is where He wants you to go.  It’s His blessing beyond comprehension and all you can do is marvel and humbly thank Him through your words and attitudes and actions.   God has a special plan and purpose for your life and He is willing to give you the tools to fulfill His plan and purpose. 

Are you sincerely interested and willing to allow the Lord to be your life-long instructor and teacher and guide?  There are indescribable promises and possibilities implicit in this verse, but it also takes your daily willingness to open your heart and will to allow Him to lead you.