When you pray (3)
The communion we have in prayer is a vital aspect of our Christian walk and anyone who will pray and have prayers answered must be full of faith. Prayer in the end is simply faith – it is to rest on God’s power and not our abilities, to trust in God’s way and leading and not our capacity to think things through.
Mark 11:23-24;
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.
We have hitherto seen that when we pray (which is in speaking), we receive answers; we have whatsoever we say, that’s what the believer has. How wide and comprehensive is that “whatsoever”, there is no limit to the authority, it opens up to every praying child a vista of infinite resource and possibility.
Jesus has committed such great power and authority to faith in prayer, however, there is a way to wield that power. We are not to use the authority and access we have with the divine to cause harm, wreak havoc or to destroy men, that’s the opposite of the nature of God.
In an instance in the book of Luke, Jesus took a stance we must see:
Luke 9:52-56;
52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
If Jesus hadn’t stopped them, would there have been fire? Certainly! they’d have what they say! But would it have been God’s will? Certainly NOT!
Jesus teaches how to direct the authority we have to ask and receive, how that it should tend towards salvation, not destruction.
We must not be found misusing the name, we must not pray for people to die- that can never be God’s will and way!
We must know HOW to use the power. It is to bless not to blast, it is to make alive not to kill. This was how Jesus modelled directing power to us – he healed the sick, raised the dead, calmed a raging storm, miraculously provided for people yet he never cursed any, never made anyone sick, or killed anyone – This is a worthy example to us all.
When you pray, ask and receive in the will of God.
Say: I know I receive that which I ask, I give direction to God’s power to bless lives and not to bring any down, for I am like my father.
Daily Bible Reading Plan:
Bible Reading – Nehemiah 13
TEACHING OF THE DAY
Explaining God in Christ – Series 1 (5)