Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

The Power of Believing Prayer

MATTHEW 21:22: And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

In today’s scripture, Jesus gives us one of the most staggering, encouraging, and challenging privileges in the Christian life; prayer, but more importantly, believing prayer. Let’s look at believing prayer along the three words found in the previous sentence – staggering, encouraging, and challenging.

First the staggering truth in the power of believing prayer. The Creator/Redeemer tells us, “Ask whatever you will, and believe it will be answered.” The One who spoke everything into being with His Word has promised He would hear and answer our prayers. And since the All-powerful God gives this invitation, we may rest assured He is able to do all that we would ask of Him. The Apostle Paul would affirm the power of God that enables Him to answer any of our prayers according to His will – Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen(Ephesians 3:20-21). Whether the answer from God might be “yes”, “no” or “not now”, it will never be “I cannot.” Stagger over this truth with awe, child-like faith, and boldly ask big things from our Big God.

Next be encouraged by the power of believing prayer. How so? We do not come in prayer to a reluctant God or hesitant Heavenly Father. Just the opposite. We approach the God who delights to answer our prayers and provide our very needs through believing prayer. Seeing the willing heart of God to answer our prayers builds confidence to come to Him knowing we are approaching the God who delights to give His children good things by answering believing prayer.

Finally, fight the challenge for believing prayer by exercising faith and not give into our wavering emotions and feelings that fuel unbelief. We know this experience all too well, the battle between with doubt and faith. Sometimes we pray but struggle to believe God wants and will answer our prayers. We tend to wear the title penned by John Newton, “unbelieving believers” when it comes to praying. And our emotions are strong and willing to pull us away from the promise of the Lord of answered prayer. In this conflict, intensify our efforts to “look unto Jesus” and start right now. The more we look on Him and see the Author and Finisher of our faith, the less we look at ourselves which is always a source of unbelief in prayer.

Believing prayer. It the language of love between God and His redeemed children. It is also an invitation – an invitation to boldly come to the throne of God and ask whatever we wish. And do so with confidence to our God who hears and answers the pleas and cries from His children.

PRAYER: “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”

QUOTE: “When praying, expect the Lord to answer with a ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘not yet’ and then boldly wait on Him.”