Prayer#9

      In these Vs. here we see another passage where Jesus taught on prayer. He's talking about faith and prayer. You can't very well talk about faith without talking about prayer, and you can't very well talk about prayer without talking about faith. They go hand in hand.

      I. Let's look at the same account in Gospel of MARK, this is really the only reference that deals in depth with the subject of prayer in MARK.

                  A. So MARK devotes a great deal of attention to this account. MATT told the story in 5 Vs. Where MARK takes nearly twice as many Vs. to tell the same store.

                              1. MARK 11:12‑14, 20‑24

                              2. When were studying the Gospel, it's a good idea to find out what the other writers of the Gospels said about the same incident.

                                          a. That way you get a fuller understanding. One author might bring out something in more detail.

                  B. In MATTHEW'S account, Jesus said, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

                              1. Mark put it a little differently, it says in (MAR 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}.”

                                          a. The scripture says that if you pray and believe, you shall receive.

                                          b. Sometimes people don't receive, and they say the reason for their unbelief is that it might not be the will of God.

                                                      i. I think that people are too quick to use that as an excuse. Sure there are times that we don't receive because it's not the will of God.

                                                      ii. You can't ask for something that is not the will of the Father, and we know enough on what the Father's will is and what His will is not.

                                                      iii. We know that we can't ask for someone else's wife or husband.  We can't ask God to take some one's life. Things like that.

                                          c. So then what are some of the things that we can ask for?

                                                      i. All the promises of God, We can ask for the good and perfect gifts. God only wants us the have the best.

                                                      ii. Hah, but, what if I want another job, but I don't know if it's God's will for me to stay where I am or not.

                                                      iii. The Lord wants us to have the desires of our heart. (MAR 11:24) Says, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive {them}, and ye shall have {them}.”

                                                      iv. In (1SA 8:21) The Lord gave a king to the children of Israel because they desired a king.   [it may not have been God's will]

                              2. Look with me to DEUT 12:7

                                          a. Notice that he says, “In all that ye put your hand unto.” In all that you do.

                              3. Look at DEU 15:10

                                          a. God is saying that we will be blessed in whatever we are doing. Whatever it is that we're doing, when we're putting our hand to the plow and being diligent in it, being faithful to God, we will be blessed.

                                          b. Now of course there are some occupations that God will not bless; like being a bartender (you're participating in getting people drunk)

                                                      i. God won't bless anything that is sin or would lead people into sin.

                              4. Look at DEU 28:8 The Word of God says that we will be blessed in ALL that we put our hand to.

                              5. Jesus said if you're asking in prayer, believing, you will receive.

                                          a. What if someone asks for 10 million oil wells?

                                          b. If they have the faith for 10 million oil wells then they'll get them.

                                          c. But I doubt that you have the faith for 10 million oil wells.

                                                      i. I sure don't.

                                                      ii. Let me give you another bit of information. When you ask for someone to agree in prayer with you; don't ask someone that won't be able to believe God with you. It won't do any good.

      II. In John's account of what Jesus said about prayer, not one single time does he use the words “faith” or “believe.”

                  A. Lets look at one of his examples.  JOHN 15:7‑8

                              1. WHY was it unnecessary to use the words “faith” or “believe” in this passage of scripture on prayer?

                              2. Because there's no problem with faith IF His Words abide in you.

                                          a. What does (Rom 10:17) say, “So then faith {cometh} by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

                                          b. When His words abide in you faith will also abide in you.

                                          c. There is only a lack of faith when His Word doesn't abide in you.

                  B. Now a person may be giving mental consent to his belief in God's Word.

                              1. He could stand up shake his fist, jump up and down and declare that he believes the Bible is the inspired Word of God, from cover to cover.

                              2. and still not really have the Word of God abiding in him.

                  C. Notice that Jesus didn't JUST say, “If ye abide in me...”

                              1. If He had stopped there, we would automatically have it made as born‑again Christians.

                                          a. In the new birth we do already abide in Christ.

                                          b. But the scripture goes on to say, “and my words abide in you...”

                              2. Turn over to ROM 10

                                          a. We're going to see in this chapter that the “Word” is called the “Word of Faith”.

                                          b. ROM 10:8

                                          c. If this Word abides in you, it will cause faith to build up in your heart.

      III. Turn with me over to PSA 119:130.

                  A. When we know the Word, we're not praying in the dark. We have the light.

                              1. Look at PSA 119:105

                              2. Our pathway is lighted or lit when we have the Word.

                                          a. If we have a lighted pathway, we can walk in that light.

                                          b. In (1JO 1:7) it says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another...”

                                                      i. That doesn't say a thing about standing in the light.  It says WALK.

                                                      ii. To walk means action.

                                                      iii. As we receive God's Word, we've got to put it to action.   Prayer is that action.

                  B. As we walk in the Light that God's Word sheds in our pathway, we will get results in prayer.

                              1. The Word of God illuminates our path and it gives us the faith to get our prayers answered.

March 10, 1990 TFC and Sun AM 7/26/92 WOLCC