Can We Have What Ever We Say?
In Mark 11:22-24 Jesus does say, "whatever
you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be
done for you." Does this mean that faith is a force that makes whatever
we believe and say come to pass? No, it does not! According to Jesus'
own words here, it is God, not the believer, who actually brings the
thing about. Thus, Jesus says, "it will be done for you," not "you will
do it"; "believe that you have received it," not "believe that you have
taken it." And this will happen when we pray, that is, when we ask God.
So, our faith is to be in God, not in our faith or in our words.
Elsewhere the Bible clearly stipulates conditions
for receiving answers to prayer. For example, we are told that we must
abide in Christ and have His Word abiding in us [John 15:7]; that we
must not ask with wrong motives [James 4:3]; that we must have our earthly
relationships in order [e.g., 1 Pet. 3:7]; and that what we ask must
be according to His will [1 John 5:14]. While it is wrong to use these
verses as excuses never to ask God for things, it is also wrong to ignore
these verses and teach that one can get anything one wants in prayer.
Our understanding of prayer must be based
on everything the Bible says. God is a personal, sovereign Father who
loves us, who knows better than we do what is best for us, and who works
mysteriously through even evil circumstances to bring blessing to us
and to others. We cannot twist God's arm, nor are we little gods who
can command whatever we wish into being. We are God's little children,
who must depend on God for everything and trust God even when our prayers
seem unanswered.
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