Have Faith in God

Mark 11:22,23 - And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 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.

Do not have faith in yourself – as the rich young ruler in Mark 10:21 – Give all that you have to the poor, and come, take up your cross and follow me.

1. Riches – this man was rich, but he did not have eternal life.
2. Status in life – this man was a ruler, but he did not have eternal life.
3. Good works – this man had done all he knew to do, and was trusting what he knew to do, but he had not trusted Christ.  It is amazing how many people are tired of trusting religion – these folks ought to try trusting Jesus Christ instead.  Religion will send you to hell, but Jesus will save your soul.
4. What others think of you – Often people do not tell you what they think of you to your face.  That really does not make any difference anyway.  What God says about you is more important than anything else.
5. What you know about Jesus Christ – It’s what he knows about you that counts.  See Matthew 7:21-23
6. What you know about the Bible, or other commandments of God.
7. If you have prayed to Jesus Christ, (this man spoke directly to Christ) and you know he has heard you and answered your prayers, even if he did not answer the way you wanted.  (Often God answers the prayer of the lost person, or the helpless person, so they will know and understand he is able to take care of their deepest need – which is always spiritual.
8. If you know that God is good and will never do any wrong.  It is not enough to know that – it is only enough when you know you have never done anything good, that your sins (and heart) are black, and that you cannot help yourself.
9. Even if you know that God loves you, because Christ loved this man, yet he went away sorrowful because he was not willing to give up what he had and accept what Christ had to give to him.

Have faith in God because he watches over his own.  See guardian angels in Psalms 91:12 – See entire chapter.

1. The rich young ruler in Mark 10 did not trust God, or believe what he was told, therefore he went away sorrowful.
2. Jesus is here speaking to Peter, not to the world at large.
3. You may not need some of the things you ask God for.  II Corinthians 12 – Paul was exalted above measure when he was caught up to the third heaven, therefore God gave him a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, for which Paul prayed three times for it to be removed.  God would not remove it because it was better for Paul to trust the grace of God than to rejoice in the thorn being removed.  We must learn to accept whatever God gives to us, knowing that is the very best for us.
4. Mark 11:23 gives a mountain as a hindrance, or a trouble we face.  God is there for the big issues of life, just as he is there for the little issues of life.  We often do not know the difference between the big issues and the little issues.  We never know how or when small issues will turn into big issues, but God does.
5. It is necessary to purposely ask God, not assume he will help you.  Before you can or will ask you, you must recognize you have a problem.  You must also recognize you have a problem you cannot handle.  God gives us very difficult problems, so we will learn to trust him, instead of relying on ourselves.
6. Do not doubt what God can do.  Be open to all possibilities, but it is not wrong to ask for specific things.
7. Ephesians 3:20 – God can do more than we can ask or think.
8. If God directs you to do something, be sure to do it.

1.      John 14:13,14, And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

2.      John 15:16, Ye have no chosen me,  but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

3.      John 16:23,26, And in that day ye shall ask me nothing, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

4.      Eph. 5:20, Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The “health and wealth” gospel is wrong.

Asking in the name of Jesus Christ is asking in his authority, and trusting nothing at all in yourself.  It is completely relying on Christ, and not relying on anything else.  If God answers your prayers, you will thank God, realizing he has worked with men to accomplish his will for you.

Asking in faith, nothing doubting.  Article by J. E. Abbott about getting to the heavenly city.  The muddy water that separated him from the heavenly city was called THE QUAGMIRE OF SIN.

1.      He could not get across on his own.

2.      Some drug logs and other big chunks of wood to the water, but they sank and did not make it across.

3.      Some tried to swim across, but did not have the strength to make it.  When they got tired, they silently slid down into the water and drowned.

4.      Some tried other things, but nothing worked.

5.      A voice told him to just start walking and believing.

6.      He put his foot forward and place it down on the water, and a little lump of dirt appeared.  He stepped onto the little lump of dirt, then moved forward.  Each time he put his foot down, a little lump of dirt appeared, and that is how he got across to the heavenly city. 

7.      It is by faith, not by sight, or any work of the flesh at all.

Mr. Gaskin, a teacher in Anacoco, Louisiana, would not answer his students if they said, “Hey you,” or “teach,” or “Larry.”  He wasn’t being mean to them, or refusing to help them, he just wanted his students to respect him.  Do not expect God to answer you when you call him the “man upstairs”, or the “big boss”, or some other such name.

James 4:1-11 gives 10 reasons our prayers are not answered.

1.      Verse 1,2 – we ask now.

2.      Verse 3 – we ask and desire to consume it upon our own lusts.

3.      Verse 4 – we are a friend to the world (an adulterer to God).

4.      Verse 5 – The spirit within us lusteth to envy – the Holy Spirit will not intercede for us if we do not intend to worship God with what he gives us.

5.      Verse 6 – We are full of pride.

6.      Verse 7 – We have not submitted ourselves to God.

7.      Verse 8 – We are double minded.

8.      Verse 9 – We have not grieved over our sin, nor sought the happiness only God can give.

9.      Verse 10 – We are not humble before God.

10.  Verse 11  - We speak evil of God’s children.

Requirements for Asking

            There are actually five requirements for receiving an answer to our prayers.  These are:

Requirement # 1:  Believing.

Matt. 21:22 - “And all things whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

Requirement # 2:  Asking in the Name of Jesus.

1.   John 14:13,14 - “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the son.  If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.”

2.   John 15:16 - “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you.”

3.   John 16:23,24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.  Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

Requirement # 3:  Abide in Christ.

John 15:7 - “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Requirement # 4:  Ask together.

1.   Matt. 18:19 - “Again I say unto you, that if any two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”

2.   James 4:2 - “Ye have not because ye ask not.”

3.   I John 3:22 - “Whatsoever we ask we receive of Him.”

Requirement # 5:  Ask according to His will.

I John 5:14,15 - “According to His will, he heareth us; and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.”