Numbers 1:1-54; Mark 11:12-25; Psalms 47:1-7; Proverbs 14:25
NT: “Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for — believe that you have received it and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”” (Mark 11:22-25 CSB)
Have faith in God. That statement prefaces and frames the rest of Jesus’ lesson on prayer. Answered prayer doesn’t rely on just having enough faith. Answered prayer comes from faith in God. Seeing mountainous obstacles be moved out of the way doesn’t just happen because you want the obstacle moved badly enough. The obstacle moves when you have faith in God – you know that He desires to move it, and you know that He can and will move it as you trust completely in Him. Just believing that I will receive a new car, or a new house, or a great job doesn’t force God’s hand to act. When God says, “I want to bless you with a car… I want to provide a home for you… I am going to promote you and give you favor as you follow Me… when we believe those words and place our faith in the One who gave those words, then our prayers are answered. Answered prayer also requires us to keep clean accounts with people. If we walk in unforgiveness, we hinder God’s work in our lives. The reason we can forgive others is because we have faith in God… that He will work on our behalf… that He will bring a just conclusion. Everything is predicated on our faith in God. Miracles don’t just happen because we want to see a miracle badly enough, and convince ourselves that a miracle is going to happen. Miracles occur when God says “Trust Me to make a way where there is no way,” and we have faith in Him to do it.
Psalms: “Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a jubilant cry. For the Lord, the Most High, is awe-inspiring, a great King over the whole earth. He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet. He chooses for us our inheritance — the pride of Jacob, whom he loves. Selah God ascends among shouts of joy, the Lord, with the sound of a ram’s horn. Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our King, sing praise! Sing a song of wisdom, for God is King of the whole earth.” (Psalms 47:1-7 CSB)
This is the God we place our faith in – The Most High, awe-inspiring, great King over all the earth. When we praise the name of God… when we verbally laud His attributes and unwavering faithfulness, it increases our faith in Him. And when we place our faith in Him, He moves on our behalf. So clap your hands. Shout to God with jubilant shouts. Sing praises about Him… sing praises to Him. Allow the truth of who He is to be on your lips, and ring in your ears, and resonate in your hearts and minds. Allow your faith to rise, then stand in awe and be amazed at God, as He moves on your behalf.
Jamie Hicks 