Sunday, October 28, 2018

The Prayer of Faith

Do you ever feel like God doesn't hear your prayers? You may be depending on your feelings and not on faith. One thing is for sure, doubt or unbelief does not receive answered prayer. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6). The prayer of faith pleases God.

Faith knows that God answers prayer. Faith receives from God. The prayer of faith takes God at His word concerning His promises in the Bible. Let the Bible be your prayer book. Notice the promises. Believe them. Pray them back to God. Then, you can say with the psalmist, "I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and supplication" (Psalm 116:1).

Do you have trouble believing God really will answer your prayers? Confess that to Him. He already knows your thoughts. Ask Him to work in your heart. Rest in the Lord to do in you what you cannot do for yourself. Answered prayer begins in your heart. When faith lives in your heart, you have confidence in God to answer prayer. Jesus said, "Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them" (Mark 11:24).

Trying to have faith simply will not work. Only the Holy Spirit can give you faith to receive from God. Faith is trust and reliance upon God. Faith stands upon the promises of God in the Bible. The same Holy Spirit who inspired the authors of the Bible is the one who works faith in your heart. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).