Prayer is our most powerful gift when done in faith. E.M. Bounds described the power of prayer in saying, "We can do nothing without prayer. All things can be done by importunate prayer. It surmounts or removes all obstacles, overcomes every resisting force and gains its ends in the face of invincible hindrances." God loves to move when we pray. He is not a God who forces his will on his people, but in love waits for us to capture his heart and ask him to move and work in our lives and the lives of others. There is no more important task before us today than to learn what it is to pray in faith.
Mark 11:22-24 says, "Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Jesus illustrates an important link between prayer and faith. When we have faith that God will move as he has told us he would and we pray in response to that faith, the impossible happens.
Conversely James 1:5-8 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." Where faith positions us to receive from God, doubt has the opposite effect. Scripture is clear that the prayers God responds to are prayers of faith. God has given us purpose here. He longs to co-labor with his people. Our job is to capture his heart in spending time in his presence and pray boldly in response to his faithfulness.
You and I have been given the incredible gift of conversation with a God who longs to move in response to our prayers. What obstacles stand in your way today? Where do you need a miracle? Who needs prayer around you? Spend time capturing the heart of your heavenly Father and praying with boldness. He waits to respond to your prayers and do the work only he can do.
- http://www.first15.org/first15/165-first15-june-14 -
Mark 11:22-24 says, "Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Jesus illustrates an important link between prayer and faith. When we have faith that God will move as he has told us he would and we pray in response to that faith, the impossible happens.
Conversely James 1:5-8 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." Where faith positions us to receive from God, doubt has the opposite effect. Scripture is clear that the prayers God responds to are prayers of faith. God has given us purpose here. He longs to co-labor with his people. Our job is to capture his heart in spending time in his presence and pray boldly in response to his faithfulness.
You and I have been given the incredible gift of conversation with a God who longs to move in response to our prayers. What obstacles stand in your way today? Where do you need a miracle? Who needs prayer around you? Spend time capturing the heart of your heavenly Father and praying with boldness. He waits to respond to your prayers and do the work only he can do.
- http://www.first15.org/first15/165-first15-june-14 -
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