Keep the Switch of Faith On
ICS Daily Devotions
Matthew 18:19 (NKJV) Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
What we have prayed for in the prayer of agreement is done in heaven the moment we say “amen”, but it will take some time for it to be manifested on earth. During this period, we must keep the “switch of faith” turned on.
The devil will attempt to bring a bad report to make us waver, but we must resist him and his “fiery darts” of doubt by refusing to talk about the problem, but talk about the answer instead.
We should return to the Book, Chapter, and Verse (BCV) that God has given us to counter the doubt that the devil is putting into our heads. The BCV is the revealed will of God for us, and it gives substance to our faith. We are not moved by what we see or hear, but we have anchored our faith in God’s Word of promise.
1 John 5:14-15 (Amp) This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us. And if we know [for a fact, as indeed we do] that He hears and listens to us in whatever we ask, we [also] know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted to us] the requests which we have asked from Him.
It is essential to diligently seek God to know His will. God’s Word is His will. God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of Man that He should change His mind. He will fulfil His promises to us. That’s the kind of faith and remarkable confidence we can have in God once we have sought His will for the particular situation, and trust that He has heard our prayer of agreement and we will receive what we have prayed for.
If the person who prayed the prayer of agreement with us is also journeying with us, we should remind each other to focus on the Word, to remember that God has heard our prayers, and to focus on God rather than the circumstances.
While waiting for the answer to be manifested on earth, we should also offer the sacrifice of praise. After the prayer of agreement, our vocabulary should shift to thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the highest expression of faith, saying, “I have it now, despite not seeing it yet”. Offer a sacrifice of praise by using your voice as a “trumpet sounding forth the blessings of the Lord”, declaring that the work is already done!
Finally, we need to act on the agreement in prayer because faith without works is dead. Like Simon Peter, we must be willing to “launch out into the deep” on the Word that we have received, even if it seems illogical to the natural mind (Luke 5:4).
Reflection: What practical steps can you take to keep your “switch of faith” on while waiting for the answer to your prayer to become visible?
Sermon Series： The Power of Two: Unleashing the Heavenly Force of the Prayer of Agreement
