Living 4 Him

“Whatever you ask when you pray, believe that you will have it and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 (New Matthew Bible)

I have a small plaque hanging in my kitchen with large words that say “Prayer Changes Things.”  Below those words are smaller words quoted from the Bible verse above, “When you pray, believe.” These four words, taken literally, led me to add believing to my prayers. 

Jesus spoke these words in Mark as part of a larger lesson on faith.  The disciples discovered the fig tree Jesus had cursed the day before (“May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”) dried up. Their surprise in the quick withering prompts Jesus’ opening statement, “Have faith in God.”  These four words “Have faith in God” link to the four words, “When you pray, believe” creating a formula to ground our prayers in the words we believe.  

Jesus’ words point to the faith that fuels our prayers, injecting power into every prayer we utter.  It looks somewhat like this:

The need:  A friend’s cancer has returned.

“Lord, I believe you created ____________.  I believe  you know exactly what she needs.  I believe you are with __________ in every moment.  Bring her the stamina and strength she needs.  Bring her healing and hope.  I believe you can provide for her in every way.  Thank you for hearing these prayers.” 

Activating our faith when we pray centers our souls on God, calms our hearts with God’s word and connects us to God’s highest approach to meeting the need.

Believing while praying centers our souls. Often when we come to God in prayer, our souls might feel twisted in turmoil, unsure of what words will convey what we need.  Believing slows us down to focus solely on God’s greatness; who he is and what he can do.  Centered on God, our souls lock into the power God wants to share with us.

Believing while praying calms our hearts.  As we settle into what we believe about God, our minds are often drawn to what we have learned in scripture, God’s holy word.  The energy of God’s word acts on his terms, able to do all things, influencing our hearts with a peace that covers our worries and controls our inner thoughts.

Believing while praying connects us to God’s ways. We seek God in prayer because our ways are ineffective.  We need the guidance of God to achieve God’s best for us.  When we believe, we connect with God’s methods, God’s purposes, God’s greatness. 

Believing while we pray reminds me of a short poem I wrote almost 20 years ago.

I won’t ask “What?”

I won’t wonder “Why?”

I won’t worry over “How?”

I won’t seek “Where?”

I’ll remember WHO. 

When you pray, believe in the One who can do all things.    

Reaching in (allowing God’s word to work in your soul): Read Mark 11:22-25 for the full account of Jesus’ lesson in faith. For further study, look up the varied translations of Mark 11:24 to deepen the essence of Jesus’ words.

Reaching out (taking God’s word into the world): What is one of your greatest needs at this moment?  Take a few minutes to look at the situation through God’s eyes and tell him what you believe.