Mountain Moving Faith and PrayerSample

Believing and Receiving 

Read Matthew 21:18-22 

The die was now cast. Jesus was in the vicinity of Jerusalem and his final rejection and crucifixion were looming. Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree was not a fit of pique due to its lack of fruit. It was a symbolic prophetic action displaying the truth that because of their lack of spiritual response and fruit, Israel would be judged by God (like the fig tree).  

But our focus is on Jesus’ statements about faith. At first glance, they appear to be concerning. It seems that Jesus was promising that human faith would not only produce miracles but would result in every single prayer being answered. At face value, this is dangerous territory. A young pastor emailed me today: “Yesterday I was praying with a young adult girl who had just been diagnosed with a serious disease. Her boyfriend had been hinting to her that if she got her words right and her faith right then she had the power to be rid of her disease.” That theology is a recipe for guilt and pain and disillusionment. Not at all like big little faith.

One of the clearest biblical examples of a faith prayer not being answered was Paul’s prayer for healing in 2 Cor. 12:8. Three times he pleaded for Jesus to release him, but Jesus said, “No. I have better plans for you.” So what do Jesus’ statements about faith mean?

We need to understand what faith is. It has two main components: 

1. Faith that Jesus is in charge and has the power to do anything. This has been our focus in these devotions. It doesn’t have to be a huge faith, just a consistent even stubborn belief and trust that Jesus can do what we ask of him. In a secular, prosperous world this kind of faith easily diminishes. We desperately need to believe for more as Jesus says in this Scripture. 

2. Faith that Jesus is in charge and has the power to do best/right. In a broken world, God’s best is not always evident to us. Paul thought that healing was best, but God knew that weakness would be better. We think that a particular job will be best, but we don’t get it and find that God has much better plans for us. Sometimes we see this in hindsight. Sometimes we have no idea what God is doing. But Jesus always does what is best. Faith means really trusting him and not limiting him to our agenda. 

Both these aspects of faith are essential. If we only believe that God can do anything, we will try to press him into our agenda. What we think is best. If we only believe that God does what is best, we will not bother to believe for his miraculous power to work and we’ll miss out on moving mountains. 

But if we believe with all our heart that Jesus will do more than we could ever imagine and that Jesus will always do what is best for us and his kingdom, then our prayers are answered, and mountains end up in the sea. When Jesus said to the father of the demonized boy (see last devotion), “Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mk. 9:23), the father’s response was “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.” That sounds like a great prayer to finish this plan. Please pray it with me.