Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. (Matthew 21:21)
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. This is the next verse in Matthew 21. Powerful stuff, isn't it? But what does it mean? How can I pray and make it so? Similar verses can be found in Mark 11:23-24, so they must be important, meaningful to us as we learn to follow Jesus.
Faith coupled with prayer are two mighty resources we as Christians possess. Our faith has been nurtured and blossomed over time. Hardships, grief, illness, worry, pain, and heartache all contribute to the development of our faith. When we face the most difficult of times, when we find ourselves on our knees begging God to help, faith grows.
During these seasons I have found that my prayer life also grows. I learn how to talk to God, ask for what I need and then I can rest in the knowledge God will provide. My prayers mature and before I know what is happening my faith has matured right along with my prayer life. "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16)
I expect miracles, but I also know that I may not recognize the miracle at the time because it comes from God. His vision for me will be different than mine. His timing for answering my prayer is usually different too. Prayers are not to manipulate God. Sometimes God will say no to our plea because He has a better plan.
Isaiah 55:8-9 says it so well. When we are in tune with God and His ways, our time spent in prayer will develop our faith and the prayers we utter can be said with confidence and assurance. God hears.
I read this somewhere recently, "Fight all your battles on your knees and you will win every time.
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