Scripture Reference: Mark 11:22-24

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

Faith speaks of believing and trusting. Trusting is acting upon belief. For example, we can believe that a plank over a stream will hold our weight. Actually walking over the plank reveals our trust. True faith is trusting my life with all its cares in God’s hands. Do I believe that the Lord knows what is best for me, or that I know best? Do I become upset and distrust God when I fear that He will not do things my way, or am I upset and distrust myself when I do not do things God’s way?

Prayer requires faith: believing in God, trusting in God, and placing our expectations in God. When trusting in God, we must believe “that He is” (Hebrews 11:6) as well as who He says He is. We must believe His Word. When we trust God, we desire His will to conquer our will so that it aligns with His. When we place our expectations in God, we attest and believe that God is almighty, and our hearts strive to be one with God’s will.

Verse 22 emphasizes that we must have faith first. We need to desire God and His will, in order to pray according to it. When we do not pray in faith, we pray for the wrong mountains to be removed. Many mountains exist, not only mountains of outward problems, but also mountains of our own sinful, personal desires, plans, and thoughts. These mountains often oppose God’s plan and the promotion of His kingdom. James writes, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). In other words, not according to God’s will, but rather placing your own will first and foremost.

When we pray believing, we not only place our faith in God, but also in His will as expressed in His Word (John 17:17) and His promises (1 John 5:14-15). Do you believe that God is true to His Word and promises, that He will bless His Word and promises so that they will bring forth fruit?

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
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