Series: God’s Terms And Conditions [#3]
RECEIVING WHATEVER YOU PRAY FOR
Matthew 21:22
Introduction:
Jesus had just entered into Jerusalem as the people shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David”. We call this event Palm Sunday. From there, Jesus went into the Temple and cleared everyone out because they had turned the Temple into a shopping mall. Jesus told them that the Temple was to be a house of prayer. Jesus then left town for the evening. The next morning, as Jesus entered back into Jerusalem, He was hungry and passed by a fig tree; but it had nothing but leaves. Jesus cursed the tree and it immediately withered. The Disciples were shocked and Jesus explained to them that if they had faith they could do the same. Immediately after saying that, Jesus makes the conditional statement that we are going to look at today.
Matthew 21:22 (NIV)
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
If…
1. You believe whatever you ask for in prayer.
This statement sounds pretty simple. If you really believe in whatever you pray for, you will get it. I have to tell you that there have been many things that I’ve prayed for that didn’t happen. I believe that God can restore Tharon’s sight and I have prayed for that many times; but Tharon is still blind.
1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us- whatever we ask- we know that we have what we asked of him.”
So how is it that I have not received what I prayed for? There are several answers to this; but the first thing that we must cover is the fact that faith and belief are tied together. If you don’t have faith in who Jesus Christ is; then you can’t believe in Him as your Savior. If you are not saved; then God is not going to hear your prayer, therefore it won’t be answered.
Now, we do need to understand that often times we don’t receive what we ask for because it is not in God’s will. This is where it gets interesting. If you know the will of God and believe that God can deliver; then you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
We have to be extremely careful that we don’t take this verse out of context. When we do take this verse out of context, then things like the “name and claim it” theology take place. This is the theology that all you have to do is say it out loud and it is yours. If you don’t receive it, that’s because you don’t believe.
Then…
2. You will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
The then in this statement is pretty self-explanatory. You will get whatever you ask for in prayer. I will point out that Scripture does say that we have not because we ask not.
Conclusion:
Again, let me give you 2 things to be cautious about:
Naming it and claiming it is not Biblical and will not work.
Don’t stop praying for things because you don’t think that it will happen.
