In Mark 9:23, Jesus said, "'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes. " If you pray with faith, you will surely receive the answer. Now let's delve into the three conditions you should meet in order to receive the answer.
The First! Set Up a 'Prop of Faith'
There is true faith that God recognizes and by which God gives answers, which is spiritual faith. But there is also general faith that is different from spiritual. This general faith is faith as knowledge. The faith as knowledge is gained by hearing sermons or reading the Bible. Since it is faith stored in memory device, it is not followed by actions. Thus, this general faith in itself does not bring answers to us. We should cultivate spiritual faith to receive answers from God.
In Mark Chapter 2, a crowd of people gathered around Jesus. There was also a paralytic man who was carried by his friends on a pallet. Being unable to get to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. Because they certainly believed that Jesus could heal diseases, they went before Jesus even by opening the roof.
In order for you to receive your heart's desires, you must set up a firm 'prop of faith' by showing your faith through your actions. You not only have to pray earnestly, but also, if urged by the Spirit, you have to fast or offer all-night prayers. Depending on each one's measure of faith, you might also have to do good deeds such as evangelism, voluntary service, or charitable work by the urging of the Spirit. When you show your faith with actions, which is to set up the prop of faith from your side, spiritual faith can be given from above.
There are times when some of the sick people come and receive prayer when they have not yet even received Christ. In this situation there is a minimum prop of faith that must be provided by the sick people themselves. They must listen to such basic messages about God the Creator and Jesus Christ and at least have faith as knowledge. They have to come using that faith as a foothold so that divine healing can take place. By the way, there are some believers who get involved in accidents or who get serious diseases and come to receive prayer. Then they should check if they have kept the Lord's Day holy and given tithes. These are the two most basic commandments that all believers in God must keep. If you do not keep these two commandments, it's difficult to receive the answer by faith. It's because, as James 2:26 says, faith without works is dead.
The Second! Don't Have Any Barrier of Sin
Even if you prepare the prop of faith from your side, it will not work if you have a barrier of sin between God and you. Even if you try to set up the prop of faith, the wall of sin will shake that prop (Isaiah 59:1-2). Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." By saying this, Jesus indicated that diseases come from sins and only after they destroyed the barrier of sin could they receive the answer (Mark 2:5).
Satan can make sinful people have thoughts of doubts and other fleshly thoughts. Then, the prop of faith will be shaken. It can cause doubts possibly to block the answer, and then they may even lose their faith that is knowledge. They might even consider other people's testimonies or their own past experiences as coincidence. With a barrier of sin, Satan can cause negative thoughts so that the prop of faith can't be set up firmly. Eventually, it'll be difficult to receive the answer.
Therefore, in order to receive the answer, we must not have a barrier of sin before God. But you must not lose heart thinking that God will not give you an answer because you committed sins. If there is a wall of sin, we have to honestly confess our sins before God. And if we turn from sins and walk in the Light, we can be forgiven of all sins by the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7-9). He will forget it as far as the east is from the west.
The Third! Receive the Gift of Spiritual Faith from God
Jesus said to the paralytic man who was on a pallet that was let down from the roof, "I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home" (Mark 2:11). It was profession of faith of Jesus. The paralytic man and his four friends set up the prop of faith, and Jesus put spiritual faith on it. Then the miracle took place. The paralytic man stood up on his own, picked up his pallet and walked back home.
If spiritual faith, with which we can believe from heart, comes down from above, the change can take place instantly. Worries, concerns, anxiety, nervousness, and despair will disappear. You will gain the conviction that your heart's desire will be answered. So, you have to wait until you receive such faith. If worries and anxiety disappear and peace comes down upon you, it shows that you have gained the conviction. Therefore, to receive God's answers in any matter, you have to set up the prop of faith with your best effort, and you should pray that God will give you the spiritual faith from above in addition to your own faith.
You shouldn't just act recklessly or presumptuously according to your own ways and thoughts saying that you prayed and fasted. And when difficulties come your way, you shouldn't say things are not working out even though you prayed and fasted. If you really believed in God with your heart, you should also wait until spiritual faith is given from above. The answer is given at the time when God gives you the gift of spiritual faith.
If ones' soul prospers, they have already prepared the prop of faith not to mention having no wall of sin. Their prayers will be answered by God right away as necessary (1 John 3:21-22).
However, for big answers for the kingdom of God, it cannot be done by one person's individual effort. If it's for a department, all the members of the department should set up the prop of faith together. If it's for a parish, the members of the parish and if it's for the whole church, the whole church has to put up the prop of faith together. Then can they receive the answer.
|
Manmin News 
8640
