PRAYER
Receive as you Ask

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer,

believe that you have received it and it will be yours"

(Mark11:24).

  It's a wonderful thing to know that we serve a loving God who enjoys listening to us when we pray. But do you know that it's His pleasure and desire to see us get the answers to our petitions. It's one thing when you're talking and no one's listening. That can actually be annoying but thank God that Jehovah is an exception. We can ask God and be assured that all our requests will be granted! Now that's amazing to hear; it's not my idea but what the Word of God says and it is impossible for God to lie.                        

But there are times when it seems that people actually do pray but it's as if the answers never come. And they end up discouraged and disappointed. Why? Was God lying or was He partial in His word? Certainly not. God is a giving God and He is ALWAYS GIVING. The issue is do we receive what He is giving? Our theme text explains to us that not only is there the principle of "ask and you shall receive" but there is another side to it that bears equal importance. And that is, "RECEIVE AS YOU ASK." Someone may say "If it's just receiving, then there's no big deal to it." Well that's true in a way but how do you receive from God? It all boils down to faith. No man can receive anything from God or please Him without faith. Faith is the fundamental principle of Christianity. We were saved by it, and our entire journey or adventure as I like to call it, is one of never ending faith. It's sad to know that a lot of Christians don't know much about faith, seeing that it plays a very important role in their lives. Remember without faith, it is impossible to please God.

You see, God responds to faith. It's what moves him. Faith does not rely on sight, logic, feelings or common sense. That means even if it doesn't sound reasonable, even if I haven't seen it yet and I don't feel right about it; if God says so, I believe it and that's the end of the discussion. It's that point where you start accepting in your heart that you are who God says you are, you can do what God says you can do and you have what God says you have. Faith takes God at His word and makes that word a reality.  

Some might say "Well that's just it. I don't have faith,” that's not entirely true.  God has given to every believer a measure of faith – Romans 12:3. And the beauty of it is that no matter how small your faith may be, it can still move mountains, physically and otherwise. The issue really is that many don't build their faith and they hardly ever use it. What's the use of being a believer if you don’t use faith?            

Faith comes by hearing God's Word. In fact, through continuous exposure to God's Word, we build it up. And your faith shows in the confessions of your mouth. Why? Well for one, faith is of the heart and secondly the mouth is an overflow of a man's heart. When you see someone speaking fear, you know that his heart is low on God's Word. But by far, one of the most thrilling aspects of faith is that faith is now! This is what differentiates faith from hope. Hope is for a future belief, faith is a now belief. Faith takes God's Word and makes it a present reality. Abraham became the father of many nations when he believed God's Word not when Isaac was born. His faith made God's Word a reality before it manifested physically. God's Word will only work when you accept it in faith. How does that relate to prayer and receiving with faith? Do you know that the minute we pray, God answers us immediately? But we only see the reality of it first by faith and then it manifests in the physical. 1 John 5:14, 15 says, "And this is the confidence that we have in him that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." 

So, God listens and He answers prayers but He'll answer when we pray according to His will. So what is God's will for us? Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that His thoughts towards us are of peace, good, and not of evil. God desires your happiness and all the blessings He has freely bestowed on us are recorded in the bible. So when we pray the Word of God in faith, God says that He answers. So now it's up to you to accept that answer in faith. In other words, believe that you've received it because God's Word says so. Even though you may not see it physically yet, have faith! Abraham believed and so became the father of many nations but Isaac came physically some years later. Don't let doubt rob you of that answer. God is always giving. But we need to receive in faith. When faith is present, the impossible become the most unimaginable of miracles. Remain blessed.    

   S. Monye – ©CDMI