“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Matthew 21:22
I was watching a sermon by the late Dr. Myles Munroe and in one of the points he made about prayer, he stated that “prayer is a license for heavenly interference on earth” – and his anchor verse for that statement was Matthew 21:22. As I underlined the verse in my bible the word “IF” caught my attention and so two days later I decided to interrogate what that word means and how its application affects the reality of that verse in our lives. (Also, notice how this week’s word and last week’s word are quite similar – in such scenarios I always believe that God is trying to tell me something).
A simple google search of the definition of “if” provided the following: “introducing a conditional clause – on the condition or supposition that, as in the event, or on the condition, that something happens….” Using this description/definition of the word “if” and applying the same within the context of this verse, this means that our prayers are answered only if we believe! I really like how God puts this on us and our ability to believe in what we are praying for – because at the end of the day He has the power to do that which we are asking for. So the question is do you believe?
As I was studying this verse I was reminded of Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see”. Confidence implies believing in something, because when you are confident about something then you are able to believe in it. Then I also thought of Matthew 17:20 – “He replied, because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here to there, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” This connection blew my mind – because my faith which is my confidence in what I hope for, believing for and praying for – can be as small as a mustard seed, and this will still lead to answered prayers, because I would have believed in what I am praying for, and God will meet my belief and my faith.
Like I said last week, I yearn to live a prayerful life – that is founded on the word of God. The more time I spend in the word of God, the more I realize the power that God has given us – and this is such a privilege.
Dear God,
We thank you for a new week; we pray that you continue speaking to us. May we study your word and hide it in our hearts. Teach us O God how to believe in what we are praying for, that you may answer our prayers and that we may present prayers that are pleasing to you. Your word O God is such a powerful tool for us as your children, may we learn to study it more and to rely on it all the days of our lives. Be with us this week O God – in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Have a blessed week!
