PRAY FOR IT BELIEVE IT AND RECEIVE IT

PROCLAMATION

“ ‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.  ‘Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours.’ ”  Mark 11:22-24 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  As Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives.  Jesus sent two of His disciples into town to get Him a colt that had never been ridden. (Mark 11:1-3)  When they returned with the colt, they threw their cloaks over it and Jesus sat on it.  Some of them spread their cloaks on the ground in front of Jesus while other spread palm branches in front of Him as He rode into town.  Some went ahead of Him and shouted, “Hosanna!” (Mark 11:4-10)  When He reached Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out those who were buying and selling.  He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.  He said, “Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer?  But ye have made it a den of thieves.” (Mark 11:15-17)  The next morning, as they saw the withered fig tree which He had cursed on the day before, Jesus said to His disciples, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:20-24)

APPLICATION
Jesus, The Christ, cursed a fig tree which did not produce any fruit (Mark 11:13-14) and it withered and died. (Mark 11:20-21)  If we are not going to produce any fruit for The Lord God, then what good are we to Him?  We are known by the fruit which we produce. (Matthew 7:20)  We should have faith in God.  This is not so that He would grant us our selfish desires, but that His will might be done in our lives.  If we pray for something, and believe that we will receive it, then we shall receive it; that is, if it brings glory to God.  For whatever we do, we should do it all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)