In FAITH, Believing...the Wayfarer 11/23/15

In FAITH, BELIEVING

(The true power of prayer)

²² And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

(Matthew 21:21)

The true power of prayer lies not in the one doing the praying, but in the ONE hearing the prayer, and the BELIEF of the one praying, the FAITH of the one praying in the one to whom prayer is offered.

Without that FAITH, that essential BELIEF, it is an exercise in futility, meaningless words spoken, perhaps repeated over and over only in the hope of someone, or something hearing that prayer.

When a car is taken to a mechanic to be fixed, there must exist the belief that the mechanic to which it is taken is competent to do the required repair, or it would be taken elsewhere, where the belief in the competence does exist.

The same applies to the soul.

James 5:16King James Version (KJV)

¹⁶ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Note that effectual fervent prayer is effective of a righteous man, not one that holds righteousness within himself, but recognizes that righteousness is of God alone.

Again, vain repetition is inadequate, ineffective, an exercise in futility.

The effectiveness of that prayer relies on the HEARER, not the giver!

Isaiah 64:6King James Version (KJV)

⁶ But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Matthew 6:7King James Version (KJV)

⁷ But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Prayer, all prayer must be given in FAITH, in Belief. Without that faith and belief it is wasted time and words.

With that FAITH, comes power, not the power of the person giving that prayer, but the power of the ONE hearing it and having the power to grant that prayer!

(Mark 9:14-29)

¹⁴ And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.

¹⁵ And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.

¹⁶ And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?

¹⁷ And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

¹⁸ And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

¹⁹ He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

²⁰ And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

²¹ And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

²² And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

²³ Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

²⁴ And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

²⁵ When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

²⁶ And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

²⁸ And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

²⁹ And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Pay close attention to what transpired within this passage of scripture!

First this father had faith and belief in Jesus… enough so to go to him in asking for a specific need to be addressed … faith that HE was capable of providing that specific need and its solution.

Yet on hearing Jesus tell him that belief was required, his simple request was that that belief be strengthened enough  to become adequate to Jesus for the thing that had been asked of him.

Second, the disciples asked why they could not meet that need.

His answer was that prayer and fasting were required. That prayer had to come through the one capable of getting it through to the Father, that one was and is JESUS alone!

When the woman with the issue of blood came to Him, again she had to come in faith and belief…and did so!

(Matthew 9-20-22)

²⁰ And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

²¹ For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

²² But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

The same thing occurred with the centurion who came to Jesus requesting a specific need be met.

Matthew 8:8-10

⁸The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. ⁹For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this [man], Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth [it]. ¹⁰When Jesus heard [it], he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Again, the power that provided the answer for the specific need asked was provided, not merely asking, but by FAITH.

The same applies to all needs that are addressed to God, first FAITH must exist in HIM and in Christ Jesus to provide for that need.

The voices of unbelief must be drowned out by that Faith… must be overcome with the security of the knowledge that what is being asked has indeed been heard and will be granted!

That faith must be IN JESUS, not in any man, in the grace, given by God, only through that Faith in who Jesus IS  and HIS capability to deliver on the promise that he sealed with his own blood for those who will only BELIEVE and have that Faith in HIM.

That Faith is not to be found in the teachings of any man… in any book written by a mere man…in any single solitary thing that you can do, but in what has been done for you by HIM.

Ephesians 2:8-10King James Version (KJV)

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

That saving grace is only available through faith in Jesus… All answers to all prayer can come only through the power of the ONE who holds that power.

It cannot come from man …. It must come from Jesus, and through HIM alone.

(Matthew 21 18-20)

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen

And AMEN, Come quickly Lord Jesus!

the Wayfarer