Faith

The following verse has been on my mind of late and I would like to relate to you some thoughts I have on it.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Of course, there are those who abuse this text by teaching that it gives us a blank check to get from God whatever we want. The sovereign God is not a magic genie at our service to grant our any and every wish. Scripture has examples of faithful souls who desired things and prayed for them, yet they did not receive that which they desired. Moses desired and prayed to enter into the Promised Land, but he was denied (DEU 3:23-26). David prayed for his baby son to live, but the baby still died (2SA 12:15-19). Paul besought God three times to remove his thorn in the flesh, but it remained (2CO 12:7-10). Nowhere does Scripture ascribe God’s denying the desires of these men to their lack of faith. So how do we reconcile this with our verse in MAR 11:24?

One of the rules of studying Scripture is to compare “spiritual things with spiritual” (1CO 2:13). These spiritual things are the things of Scripture. So we must compare Scripture with Scripture to get the full picture of what Scripture is teaching. If we compare the promise of MAR 11:24 with 1JO 5:14-15 we will find the boundaries of “what things soever ye desire.”

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Observe that we may “ask any thing.” And we are assured that “whatsoever we ask” we will have. That sounds just like our Lord’s promise in MAR 11:24. However, notice that “anything” and “whatsoever” are qualified by the prepositional phrase “according to his will.” We may ask anything that is according to the will of God. And when we do so, we can be assured that “we have the petitions that we desired of him.” The key is asking according to the will of God. And we can know the will of God because it has been revealed to us in His written word.

Now consider some things that Scripture teaches are the will of God. It is God’s will for us to work to earn our own bread.

Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

It is God’s will for us to control our tongue and our anger.

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

James 1:19 ¶Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

It is God’s will for us to attend church.

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

It is God’s will for us forgive those who trespass against us.

Mark 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

It is God’s will that we not live in the fear of man, or things, or events.

Luke 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

1 Peter 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Now if we ask God to help us to do these things, we are asking according to His will. And asking according to His will, we are assured that “we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” However! Our verse in MAR 11:24 places one more condition on our receiving “whatsoever we ask” and that is the condition of faith. Read it again:

“What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

If, for example, I ask God to help me control my anger, I must believe that He will do what I ask. If I do not believe He will help, then I will not receive the help. It is as simple as that. So the reason we do not make more progress spiritually, is because we lack faith! It is as our Lord said to his fearful disciples on one occasion:

Mark 4:40 Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

Am I facing difficult decisions? Do I need wisdom? James teaches that it is ours for the asking provided we ask in faith.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

So considering that a lack a faith lies at the heart of our lack of spiritual progress, we would do well to adopt this prayer:

Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

“Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (EPH 6:23).