How do you think the body of Jesus would be changed if instead of crying out to God to hear us, and supply our needs and wants, we made a decision to believe the Gospel? What if we just made a simple decision to take God and Jesus at their Word? Would such a decision change our prayer lives? Here is some food for thought:
Jesus said that He was God in the flesh. He came to the earth to teach us what our relationship with Him should be.
“I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE: NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME. IF YE HAD KNOWN ME, YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN MY FATHER ALSO; AND FROM HENCEFORTH YOU HAVE KNOWN HIM AND HAVE SEEN HIM.” (John 14: 6 and 7).
Did you catch the “AND HAVE SEEN HIM?î
So, then if Jesus was God come to earth to teach us how to relate to Him and He loved each of us so much that He ransomed us from the evil one by His life, death, burial and resurrection; how should we communicate with Him?
Consider the following teaching from Jesus:
“THEREFORE, I (Pay very close attention to this declaration of authority. Jesus is stating clearly that He in the form of God in the flesh is proclaiming the following promise!) SAY UNTO YOU, WHAT THINGS SOEVER YE DESIRE, WHEN YE PRAY, BELIEVE THAT YE RECIEVE THEM, AND YE SHALL HAVE THEM”. (Mark 11:24) Note the qualification of the promise.
Jesus instructs us that we must believe at the time that we pray that we receive, and then we shall have whatsoever we desire. The timing issue has two commands and rewards. We believe (make a decision to be fully persuaded beyond the shadow of a doubt) that (1) We receive the thing we pray for! (2) We receive it at the time we pray for it, whether we see it or not. The two rewards are that (1) We will receive the desires of our heart when we pray (2) Whether we see those things at that time, with our natural eye, or not.
When I am asked, “Pastor Allen, why did I not receive what I prayed for?” My answer is always the same. “You did!” The response is frequently the same, “but why hasn’t that thing manifested?” The answer is always the same, “It did”. The follow up question is usually,” Then why can’t I see it?” The answer is always the same,” You don’t have to.” Believing something you can see is not living by faith. In fact, we have been taught to “believe it when we see it”.
Therefore, when we do not see the thing that we desired when we prayed, we make a decision to believe that we did not receive it. Then, we question God about why he has not given, or will not give us the desires of our hearts. This is exactly what Jesus referred to as demanding a sign. Here is Jesus’ teaching on this subject:
“Then certain of the Pharisees answered, saying Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them,” AN EVIL AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION DEMANDS A SIGN: AND THERE SHALL BE NO SIGN BE GIVEN TO IT, BUT THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAS: FOR AS JONAS WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE WHALES BELLY, SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH.” (Matthew 12: 39 and 40)
What Jesus means by this statement is that if the fact that He died, was buried, was in the bowels of the earth for three days and three nights and then rose from the dead, walked the earth performing miracles in front of hundreds of eye witnesses, ascended to the Father and is alive today; is not enough evidence to make us believe without requiring the sight of physical evidence, then we are beyond hope.
If in fact Jesus is whom He claims to be, and His Words are all truth, then consider this promise from Jesus: “VERILY, VERILY I (note again the declaration of authority of the issuer of the promise to come) SAY UNTO YOU THAT HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME, THE WORKS THAT I DO SHALL HE DO ALSO; AND GREATER THAN THESE SHALL HE DO; BECAUSE I GO TO MY FATHER. AND WHATSOEVER YE SHALL ASK IN MY NAME, THAT WILL I DO, THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED IN THE SON. IF YE SHALL ASK ANYTHING IN MY NAME, I WILL DO IT.” (John 14:12-14)
If 2 Timothy 3:16, ” All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is good for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” is true, and…
“ACCORDING AS HIS DIVINE POWER HATH GIVEN UNTO US, ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO LIFE AND GODLINESS, THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM THAT HATH CALLED US TO GLORY AND VIRTUE.” (2 Peter 1:3)
And Jesus meant what He said, when He said: ” DID I NOT TELL YOU THAT IF YOU BELIEVED, YOU WOULD SEE THE GLORY OF GOD?” (John 11:40)
And Jesus meant what He said, when He said: ” BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND ALL OF THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU” (Matthew 6:33)…
Perhaps, we would do well to pray in the following manner: Try saying the following prayer out loud, Several times every day and see how your life changes…
PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAIES YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS! PRAISE YOU JESUS!
THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU JESUS!
PRAISE Y0U DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAIES YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD! PRAISE YOU FATHER! PRAISE YOU DADDY GOD!
PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST! PRAISE YOU HOLY GHOST!
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!
