Believe That You Have Received
ICS Daily Devotions
Mark 11:24 (NKJV) Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Faith is not established on what we can see, feel, or hear through our natural senses. If we believe only after seeing the result, faith is not required.
Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
The Bible tells us that the only way to please God is through faith. This means that when we have faith in God, we trust His character, the promises of His Word given to us, and the fulfilment of His covenant obligations to us.
The Christian life is a life of faith, from now into eternity. Faith in God is a very personal matter between God and us. No one can walk this path of faith for us; we must develop our faith in God ourselves.
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” In our prayer lives, faith means, “I have it now, even though I do not see it yet!” When you pray the prayer of faith, you are convinced that you have the answer from the moment you pray.
What gives substance to our faith is the Word of God, specifically the Word of promise given to us personally. That is where we anchor our faith, even though we have not yet seen the promise fulfilled in the natural realm.
We are generally uncomfortable when we cannot see, feel, or obtain enough information about certain matters. This creates anxiety within us until all the evidence is before our eyes. Unfortunately, the Kingdom of God does not work this way. Everything must be done by faith in God and His Word.
We need to develop our faith muscles by exercising faith in the little things before believing God for greater things. Faith is found in the heart—the spirit man—and not in the mind, although renewing the mind makes it easier to have faith in God. An unrenewed mind hinders a Christian’s faith in God.
Situations and circumstances always seem impossible whenever God asks us to do something; therefore, we need faith to trust Him. Faith believes that He is whatever the Word of God says He is. Faith also believes that He is a rewarder and giver of all things to those who diligently seek Him.
Reflection: When you pray, do you believe you receive an answer immediately, or do you wait for visible evidence before believing? How is the Holy Spirit challenging you to deepen your faith?
Sermon Series: The Prayer of Faith
