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)

WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM CHRIST?

PROCLAMATION

“Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’  The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’  Jesus stopped and called them.  ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ He asked.  “Lord,’ they answered, ‘we want our sight.’  Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes.  Immediately they received their sight and followed Him.”  Matthew 20:30-34 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to the Apostle Matthew.  While He was still in Judea, Jesus taught them the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. (Matthew 20:1-16)  As He was leaving Judea going to Jerusalem, He predicted His death to His disciples for the third time. (Matthew 20:17-19)  As Jesus was leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. (Matthew 20:29)  Two blind men sitting on the side of the road heard that Jesus, The Christ, was passing by and they yelled, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.”  The crowd rebuked them, and told them to be quiet, but they yelled even louder.   When Jesus asked them what they wanted, they answered, “We want our sight.”

APPLICATION

What do you want from Jesus, The Christ?  If you could only get one thing from Him, what would you ask for?  Most of us have a long, “shopping list” full of things that we want, but we have not given much thought to prioritizing that list and identifying the one most important thing that we want.  Most people want “things” or silver and gold or wealth untold.  But like the parable which Jesus taught of the Rich Man whose barns were full, who tore down his barns and built bigger barns to hold more goods.  He was told, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.” (Luke 12:20)  As a child I was taught that if I could be granted three wishes, I should ask for good health, long life, and happiness.  Now, all I want is to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant … enter into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matthew 25:21)  Again I ask, What do you want from Christ?  Do not listen to the crowd, seek The Lord God.  Whatsoever you do, do it all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

ASK AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU

PROCLAMATION

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to the Apostle Matthew.  As Jesus continued to preach His Sermon on The Mount, He told them if you ask you will receive, if you seek you will find, and if you knock the door will be opened for you.  He went on to say that an earthly father would do this much for his child, think of how much more your heavenly Father would do. (Matthew 7:7-12)  He said wide and well-travelled is the road which leads to destruction, but narrow is the road which leads to life and only a few go that way. (Matthew 7:13-14)  Then Jesus went on to compare and contrast the true and false prophets and disciples. (Matthew 7:15-23)  He ended His Sermon on the Mount with a discussion on the wise versus foolish builders.  When He finished speaking, the people were amazed at the things He said and the authority with which He spoke. (Matthew 7:28-29)

APPLICATION

The only way that we can ask our heavenly Father for anything is through prayer.  Believers will receive that which they pray and ask our heavenly Father for, as long as they ask for it in the name of Jesus, and as long as it is according to the will of God. (John 15:16)  We know that all things that we ask for in prayer, believing, we will receive. (Matthew 21:22)  If we keep His commandments and do those things which are pleasing in His sight, then whatever we ask of Him we will receive. (1 John 3:22)  In order to be granted whatever we ask for, in the name of Jesus, must glorify God, The Father. (John 14:13)  The Lord God wants us to seek after Him, He wants us to seek His face. (1 Chronicles 16:11)  He knows us, and He has great things in store for us which we cannot imagine. (1 Corinthians 2:9)  There are some doors which only The Lord God can open, and which no man can shut. (Revelation 3:8)

ASK FOR IT BELIEVE IT AND RECEIVE IT

Proclamation:

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”  Mark 11:24-25 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Mark as he received it from the apostle Peter.  He began this chapter presenting the events which surrounded the entrance Jesus made into Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-11) including the cursing of the fig tree which did not bear any fruit, (Mark 11:12-14 and 19-21) and the overturning of the tables of the money changers in the temple. (Mark 11:15-18)  Jesus told His disciples to have faith in God.  He said that they could move mountains if they believed in their heart that they could. (Mark 11:22-23)  Then He told them that whatever they asked for in prayer would be theirs, if they believed that they would receive it.  He also told them to forgive others who had wronged them so that God in heaven would forgive them of their sins.

Application:

First of all, if we do not have faith in God, then praying is useless.  “Without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)  Secondly, we must truly believe in our heart and not doubt that we will receive that which we ask for in prayer.  When we pray we must believe that it is already done.  However, we need to make sure that what we ask for is consistent with the will of God and that it will give Him glory.  Thirdly, we must forgive those who have done us wrong before we can be forgiven for the wrong that we have done. (Matthew 6:15, Mark 11:26, and Luke 6:37)  We need to pray for the inner strength to move the mountains of problems that we face daily, or pray for the strength to climb them. (Ephesians 3:16)  We must all do our part in kingdom building for The Lord.  Those of us who are nonproductive and not fruitful will soon wither away and be removed. (John 15:1-2 and 15:6)

ASK FOR IT BELIEVE IT AND RECEIVE IT IF

Proclamation:

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; and the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Luke 11:9-10 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke begins this chapter with the response of Jesus to a request by one of His disciples to teach them how to pray. (Luke 11:1)  After He taught them the words to the model prayer He began to teach them other things.  He told them that they would be given that which they ask for; they will find what they are looking for; and any door they knock on will be opened for them. Then Jesus responded to those in the crowd who thought that He was able to cast out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of the demons.  He told them “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.” (Luke 11:17-20)  A woman in the crowd yelled out “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”  But Jesus replied to her, “Blessed rather are those who hear The Word of God and obey it.” (Luke 27-28)  Jesus told the crowd that they were a wicked generation which always asked for a sign and He would not give them one. (Luke 11:29)  He then pronounced woes (great sorrows or distress) on the Pharisees and the experts of the law. (Luke 11:37-53)

Application:

Jesus was talking to His disciples, His students, when He said ask and you will receive.  The same applies to us today.  However, we need to be careful regarding what we pray for.  We will be given what we ask for if what we ask for is in keeping with His will and if it will give God glory.  We must have faith in God and believe that we will receive what we ask for, then we will receive it. (Mark 11:22-24)  The sincere prayers of the righteous are productive. (James 5:16)

PUT YOUR HOPE AND TRUST IN THE LORD GOD

Proclamation:

“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your word.  Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God.”  Psalm 119:114-115 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This is the fifteenth part, Samekh, of this twenty-two part psalm.  While David is continuing his conversation with The Lord God, he interjects a comment to the worldly evildoers telling them to leave him alone. (Psalm 119:115)  He did not want anything to hinder him from keeping The Word of God.  Then he asked God to sustain him and help him keep His commands. (Psalm 119:116-117)

Application:

We cannot serve to masters. (Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13)  We cannot walk God’s way and walk worldly at the same time. (John 8:12 and Ephesians 2:2)  People who try to do that are referred to as double-minded.  Double-minded people are unstable in their thoughts and their ways. (James 1:8)  They are divided in their thoughts and they are inconsistent in their beliefs.  The Lord God made it very clear that He did not like “wishy-washy” people and referred to them as “lukewarm”, they were not hot or cold. (Revelation 3:15-16)  Believers are not perfect, we occasionally fall into sin.  However, when we give in to our sinful nature, we do not change our belief in God and we know that sinning is wrong.  We pray and ask Him to forgive us, and to help us walk the right straight and narrow path.  Because of our faith and trust in The Lord, we know that if we humble ourselves and ask Him, He will forgive us and help us. (2 Chronicles 7:14 and 1 John 1:9)

ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE IT IF YOU BELIEVE IT

Proclamation:

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Mark 11:24-25 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, which He spoke to His disciples, as recorded by the Apostle Mark, on the day after He drove the money changers out of the temple.  Jesus said when you pray and ask for something, you must believe that you have already received it and it will be yours. Then He said when you pray, if you are holding anything against anyone, forgive them.  This was one of the lessons that Jesus taught His disciples during the week prior to His crucifixion.

Application:
When we pray and ask for something that gives God glory, we will receive it if, and only if, we believe it.  We should believe and act as if it is already done.  However, we should not ask for anything while we are harboring an ill will against our brother because of a wrong done to us.  We must first forgive them before we ask for what it is that we want.  The point here is that we should not ask to be blessed while we are mad at someone.  Let’s not allow negative feelings cause us to miss out on a blessing.

PRAY FOR IT AND THEN PREPARE FOR IT

Proclamation:

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."  Matthew 21:22 (KJV)  The New International Version of The Holy Bible reads: "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (NIV)

Explanation:

The Apostle Matthew recorded these words which Jesus spoke to His disciples after He spoke and the fig tree withered.  He told them that if they had faith, and did not doubt, they could speak to a mountain and tell it to throw itself into the sea, and it would be done.  Jesus told them that they would receive whatever they asked for in prayer, if they had faith, and believed without a doubt that they would receive it. 

Application:
As believers today, we need to increase our faith in The Lord.  When we pray and ask for something, we need to begin to prepare to receive it.  We shouldn't just pray for it, we should believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt that it will happen and then prepare to receive it.  We should act like it is already done.  If it is in His will, it is already done. (John 15:7)  We could do so much more if we sincerely prayed and believed. (James 5:16)  Pray for it, believe it, prepare for it, and receive it.

ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE

Proclamation

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seek finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus, The Christ, which He spoke to His disciples and to the surrounding crowd during His Sermon on the Mount as recorded by the apostle Matthew.  Jesus told them that whatever they asked Him for would be given to them.  This is clarified in another Bible verse, “And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that The Father may be glorified in The Son.  You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it.  If you love Me, keep My commands.” (John 14:13-15)

Application:

Jesus said that we can have what we ask Him for.  He also said that we will find what we seek and opportunities will be opened up to us.  We do not have what we want because we have not asked The Lord God for it. (James 4:2)  If we pray for it and if we believe that He will give it to us, then we will receive it. (Matthew 21:22)  There are, however, some underlying conditions to this.  First, this only applies to believers.  If He is not your Father, do not expect that He will give you what you ask for.  If you do not believe in Him, don't waste your time asking Him for things.  Secondly, this only applies to things that will help us to give God Glory, not things to glorify or pacify or pleasure ourselves.  If we ask for something that is inappropriate it will not be granted. (James 4:3)  Thirdly, in order to get the "... any thing ..." we want from Him we must keep His commandments.  By keeping His commandments we show Him that we love Him. (John 14:21)  If we love Him and truly want to please and glorify Him then we will get what we ask Him for.

THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR US

Proclamation:

“However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no mind has conceived’ the things God has prepared for those who love Him.  These are the things God has revealed to us by The Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NIV)

Explanation:

This quotation by the Apostle Paul in a letter to the believers in Corinth was taken from the prophet Isaiah. (Isaiah 64:4)  These words are often incorrectly thought to refer to the wonders of heaven which we will receive after death but they actually refer to the human wisdom regarding God that He has prepared for believers on earth. (Corinthians 2:1-5 and 2:13)

Application:

Things may be rough for us now but we should hang on in there because better days are coming.  As we go through life here on earth, God intervenes and acts on our behalf, guides, directs, protects, and blesses those of us who believe and wait on Him.  Waiting upon The Lord shows our love for Him.  Our faith, hope, and love of God is not all about the things which will come to us later, a "pie in the sky" mentality.  We love Him for who He is and what He has done.  Because He loves us, He blesses us.  He has blessed us in the past, far too many to count, He is blessing us now, and He will bless us in the future.  There are some blessings which will be given to us in the "here and now" if we just wait upon The Lord.  Some things and blessings we want that we don’t have now because we didn’t ask God for them, or because they were totally inappropriate. (James 4:2-3)  Whatever believers ask for in the name of Jesus will be granted, if it gives God glory. (John 13-14)  If we ask, in His name, we will receive it and we will be full of joy. (John 16:24)

Pray Seek Him And Be Persistent

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."  Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew from The Sermon on The Mount.  Jesus told His disciples that they would receive what they asked for, they would find that which they seek, and if they knock on the door, it will be opened for them.

Jesus spoke these words directly to His disciples, and indirectly to all believers.  As believers we should humbly pray and ask God for that which is according to our needs. (John 14:13)  We should act in a responsible manner and seek to follow His way, and obey His Word. (John 12:26)  When we knock on the door, we may have to knock more than once.  This suggests persistence in our efforts, knowing that He will hear us, and He will see us, and He will reward our efforts.  He will open doors for us which no man can close. (Revelation 3:8)  We just need to pray, to seek His way, and to be persistent.

Ask And Receive The Desires Of Your Heart

"Delight yourself in The LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to The LORD; trust in Him and He will do this ..."  Psalms 37:4-5 (NIV)

This psalm was recorded by King David, a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22), to the believers to exhort them to delight themselves in The Lord and to trust in Him.  David said that if they did this, The Lord would give them the desires of their heart.

If we delight in The Lord, He will give us that which our heart desires.  However, if we truly delight in The Lord, in His way and in His Word, then that which we desire will be the right things, things that are in keeping with His will.  We have not because we ask not, or because we ask for the wrong things. (James 4:2)  If we trust Him, whatsoever we ask for, in the name of Jesus, will be given to us, as long as what we desire and ask for gives God glory. (John 14:13)

Ask Believe And Receive

"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."  Matthew 21:22 (NIV)  The King James Version reads: "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." 

These are the words of Jesus as He spoke to His disciples on His way back to Jerusalem from Bethany, where He had spent the night, on the day after He had driven the money-changers and merchants from the temple.  Jesus told them that they would receive whatever they asked The Lord God for in prayer if they believed that they would receive it.  

There is power in the prayer of the believer.  Jesus, The Christ, said that we would receive whatever we asked for in prayer. (Matthew 7:7 and 21:22)  However, there are some conditions which relate to this.  First, we must believe in Him, and believe that He can grant our requests. (Hebrews 11:6)  Second, we must ask for things that will give God glory. (John 14:13)  Third, we must be sincere in our requests. (James 5:16)  Fourth, we must not ask for things for the wrong motives, or for our lustful pleasure. (James 4:3)  If we ask for anything which is consistent with the will of God, and which we desire in order to give glory to God, then our prayer requests will be granted, but only if we believe.

Ask God For What You Want

"... You do not have, because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."  James 4:2-3 (NIV)

James, the half brother of Jesus, wrote to the scattered believers in Christ and told them that they have not because they ask not.  He also said that what they asked for, they did not receive it because they asked for things for the wrong reasons. 

We have not because we ask not.  We should ask God for what we want.  Jesus told His disciples that whatever they asked for in His name, they would receive.  (John 14:13, 14:14, 15:16, 16:23, & 16:24)  We are disciples of Christ, so that also applies to us today.  There are, however, times when we ask for things and do not receive them.  That is because we ask for things to increase our worldly pleasures.  Jesus said that He would do what we ask in His name so that He could give glory to God, The Father. (John 14:13)  If what we ask for is not designed to give God glory, we should not be surprised when we do not receive it.  God may choose to bless us with the desires of our heart, things which may not give Him glory, if we delight in Him, in His way, and in His Word.  (Psalms 1:2, 37:4, & 112:1)  So, ask God for what you want, you just may get it.