Message of the week:

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. ” (Mark 9:23)

God’s will for us is to always move forward in the Christian life in faith while we are contending and pursuing in prayer to see the manifestation of His promises in our lives. The majority of the body of Christ today is in a misconception that prayer moves God to work in our lives. The truth is just the opposite. God has already moved through His Son Jesus Christ on this earth. He has done His part in the eternal blood covenant made with us through His Son. Now it is our part to act upon His Word in faith in full cooperation with the Holy Spirit in order to experience His promises in our life. So, what prayer does is it moves us from the inside out. In other words, prayer activates the application of faith working in us and makes us effective receivers of the answer to that particular prayer. Undoubtedly, we will require the help of the divine helper – The Holy Spirit in this process who actually delivers us the promises of God in this physical realm.

In many places in the scriptures, especially in the Old Testament the Bible refers the righteous crying out to God for help from above. In Psalms, 34, it says, “The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” (Ps 34:17) We must know that God has accounted the perfect righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ to us, but He has never promised us a trouble-free life. But what He has promised us “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Heb 13:5) No matter whatever challenges we face in life, He will be with us carrying us through all of them victoriously. A classic example from the Old Testament wherein the people of God received the answer of their cry unto God is in the book of 1 Samuel 7, where God delivered the Israelites from the hand of the Palestinians. We read that due to the rebellion and sin against God the arc of the covenant representing the presence and the glory of God had departed the Israelites for twenty years. Finally when the turned away from their wicked ways and sins to God and asked forgiveness accompanied by prayer and fasting and crying. The prophet Samuel led them in this process of repentance. Immediately after that when the Palestinians heard that the Israelites have assembled in Mizpeh, they went up against them. The scripture says, “And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him.” (1 Sam 7:7-9) So while we cry out to God for His help we must not stop there, but rather move forward in faith, believing we have received what we have asked for, according to His will which is revealed in His Word. Therefore, it is imperative to have the knowledge of His Word. Faith is actually saying, that I believe, that I have received. Prayer is a powerful tool given to us for using in our daily life targeting every situation with the Word of God. But we got to be strong in faith in order to receive the manifestation of His Word.

In order to become a strong receiver, we must first search out areas in our lives where doubt and fear are prevailing and blocking us from receiving the answer to our prayer. Then bring it to the Throne of Grace in order to receive grace and mercy in the time of need. Many a times it has been seen in the lives of the believers that the answer of a particular prayer came as part of a divine plan upon a specific person’s life but not at the receiver’s end. As for example if we read the book of Acts chapter 12, from verse 1 to 17, we read the account of the supernatural deliverance of the apostle Peter from imprisonment. On one side, we read that ceaseless prayer was being offered unto God for Peter. But when the Lord had send His angel and took Peter out from the prison, he came at the house of Mary the mother of John wherein many were gathered in prayer. The scripture says, “And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.” (Acts 12:13-15) In other words here we see that God is present, the answer is ready but there was no recipient. On other occasion when there is unbelief mixed with faith it blocks the expectation even to believe for something good to happen. A similar case took place with the healing of the demon possessed boy and his unbelieving father who was the real deal in the account of the gospel of Mark chapter 9. When the disciple was unable to heal the case was brought upto the Master. The father had asked the Master in unbelief that if He can help his boy in this matter. The Lord answered, “So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.”But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.” (Mark 9:21-25) This unbelieving father represents the majority of the believers today in the body of Christ who are in unbelief and are not experiencing the victory which they are looking for. Let us therefore bring all those areas of unwillingness to obey the Lord before the Holy Spirit and follow His leading while we pray, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Therefore as we do that we are going to move forward in faith.