Scripture

“You can pray for anything, and if you have have faith, you will receive it.”

Observation

This follows on from the cleansing of the Temple. Now, the blind and the lame come to Jesus, and He heals them. The children in the Temple are crying out, “Praise God (literally, Hosanna) for the Son of David!” The leaders are indignant.

The next morning, as Jesus returns to Jerusalem from Bethany, He sees a fig tree. He expects to find some figs. When he discovers the tree has no fruit, he curses it, and it withers immediately.

Jesus tells His disciples that if they have faith and do not doubt, they can do things like this. We can pray for anything by faith and receive it.

Application

Jesus says things that seem too definite, too open-ended for our taste. We always want to hedge His promises and water them down.

Jesus says that we can pray for anything and, if we have faith, we will receive it. There are no limitations, no ifs and maybes. It is like this: Faith → prayer → receive

He isn’t promising to fill our selfish desires or to grant what is physically impossible such as the ability to leap safely from tall buildings.

Faith is about trusting in Jesus, and that is based in relationship. The promise is not a blank cheque to get everything that we think we should have. It is more of a promise that what we need in our walk with Jesus, He will supply.

Prayer

Lord, I believe, please increase my faith. Amen.