Prayer of Faith

Scriptural Text:

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Prayer, God’s Will And

Prayer, God’s Will and

When children first start to color, they have two problems. First, they might choose colors that are inappropriate. Secondly, once the colors are chosen, they have a difficult time keeping the colors within the boundary lines. As they mature and keep on coloring, they learn to keep within the guidelines and to choose the appropriate colors, resulting in a satisfying picture.

As children of our Heavenly Father, our prayer life often resembles a child’s coloring. At first, we don’t know what to pray for nor do our prayers stay within the guidelines of His will. As we mature and continue praying, though, we pray for the right things and stay within His will, resulting in a satisfying prayer life.1023

Prayer, God’s Will and

When children first start to color, they have two problems. First, they might choose colors that are inappropriate. Secondly, once the colors are chosen, they have a difficult time keeping the colors within the boundary lines. As they mature and keep on coloring, they learn to keep within the guidelines and to choose the appropriate colors, resulting in a satisfying picture.

As children of our Heavenly Father, our prayer life often resembles a child’s coloring. At first, we don’t know what to pray for nor do our prayers stay within the guidelines of His will. As we mature and continue praying, though, we pray for the right things and stay within His will, resulting in a satisfying prayer life.

(NKJV) praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, ...

18praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

In , “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,” and in , “Praying in the Holy Ghost.” Indeed the whole secret of prayer is found in these three words, “in the Spirit.” It is the prayer that God the Holy Spirit inspires that God the Father answers.

The Holy Spirit: Teacher and Guide right at hand to help us (, ), “The Spirit helpeth our infirmity” ()

Romans 8:26 ESV

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

The disciples did not know how to pray as they ought, so they came to Jesus and said, “Lord teach us to pray.” We know not how to pray as we ought, but we have another Teacher and Guide right at hand to help us (, ), “The Spirit helpeth our infirmity” (, R. V.). He teaches us how to pray. True prayer is prayer in the Spirit; that is, the prayer the Spirit inspires and directs.

When we pray in the Spirit, we will pray for the right things and in the right way. There will be joy and power in our prayer.

If we are to pray with power we must pray with faith. In

Jesus say, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer.

There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer. (John Wooden)

Jesus say, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

24Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

esus say, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

John Wooden

But how does real faith come? Note: Rom. 10:17

answers the question: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” If we are to have real faith, we must study the Word of God and find out what is promised, then simply believe the promises of God.

Jesus demonstrated the lesson of power through prayer and faith by destroying the fig tree().

Jesus' great power over the physical world (v.19)

Which is,

applicable to a human life (1) picture of hypocrisy, of false living (2) If we give the appearance of righteousness, then God expects us to bear righteousness

If a tree is living, it is expected to bear fruit( , ). That is its purpose for living. If it does not bear fruit, it is useless and good for nothing but to be cut down and burned (cp. ). Note another fact: the more alive a tree is, the fuller it appears and the more fruit it is expected to bear.

[Point] Some things will doom us: hypocrisy, false profession, uselessness, purposelessness, and no fruit. The cursed fig tree symbolizes all this.

Jesus' great source of power: faith, not doubting (v.20-21).

Jesus' great source of power: faith, not doubting (v.20-21).

God’s power is released through faith (, ; , , , , )

God’s power is released through faith (, ; , , , , )

ou will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 17:20 (ESV) — 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

(ESV) — 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

See also

Matthew 17:20 (ESV) — 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

(ESV) — 23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

(ESV) — 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" ().

"For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" ().

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" ().

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" ().

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" ().

"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" ().

Praying in faith

Jesus' promise of power to us is through prayer and faith (v.22). [, ; ]

(ESV) — 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Matthew 21:21–22 (ESV) — 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

(ESV) — 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

(ESV) — 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

First of all, it is important for us to understand that prayer is only effective if the right tool is used for the right job.

The Prayer of Faith - The Power Tool of Prayer Used in conjunction with other kinds of prayer (Eph. 6:18), the prayer of faith is one of the real power tools in our tool belt of prayer (Martin, David Lee. The Prayer of Faith)

(Martin, David Lee. The Prayer of Faith)