MARK 11:22-25 “HAVE FAITH IN GOD!”
(PRINCIPLES OF FAITH)
CONTEXT: In Mark 11:12-21, Jesus reveals to us the unhealthy spiritual condition of Israel who were compared to a fig tree that was in leaf but producing no fruit!! Now in vs 22-25, In contrast to the spiritual condition of Israel, Jesus now shows us what the TRUE FRUIT OF FAITH should look like!
1.Firstly we see in vs 22 that Jesus tells us WHOM TO HAVE OUR FAITH IN. He reminds us that the subject of our faith is God!! People can have faith in the wrong things like man, money, doctors, their job, their supposed abilities or even countries and governments etc, but Jesus calls us to put our faith and trust in Him (John 14:1)!!
PUT YOUR FAITH IN GOD AND NOT IN MAN!
In the current situation, is your faith in man (eg. The government to provide job keeper or scientists to find a vaccine for the corona virus) or is your FAITH IN JESUS as your PROVIDER (Philippians 4:19), PROTECTOR (Psalm 121) and HEALER (Psalm 103:3, 1 Peter 2:24)?
2.Secondly, we are told in a similar passage in Matthew 17:20, HOW MUCH FAITH IS REQUIRED to move the mountain! All we need is faith as small as a MUSTARD SEED to be able to move the mountain!! But according to Matthew 13:31-32, we are told, that a mustard seed grows into the largest of garden plants!! So a MUSTARD SEED FAITH, is a faith that grows over time and IS NOT STAGNANT! DO YOU HAVE MUSTARD SEED FAITH?
3.”....SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN..”
Thirdly, we see from vs 23, that FAITH SPEAKS! It must be put into action!! Jesus calls us to speak to the mountain which could refer to the problem/obstacle in our life!!
We are called to SPEAK OUT OUR FAITH and show it in action!! Within the context of this passage, just like Jesus spoke to the fig tree, we are told to speak to the problem/obstacle/mountain in faith!! In Acts 16:18, Paul spoke directly to the evil spirit to cast it out in the name of Jesus!! FAITH SPEAKS AND IS SHOWN IN ACTION! (James 2:14-26) Learn to speak directly to the problem by faith!!
4.vs 23- fourthly we are told by Jesus NOT TO DOUBT, BUT BELIEVE, when we speak out in faith!! This suggests that It is possible to both believe and doubt at the same time. (See Mark 9:24 and James 1:6-8) Within the context of asking for wisdom, James 1:6-8 tells us that if anyone believes and doubts, they are like a wave of the sea tossed back and forth by the wind, and are double-minded and unstable in all they do!
LORD JESUS, IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT IN ME, HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF SO THAT I MAY FULLY BELIEVE!
5.vs 23-24 fifth, we are told to BELIEVE what we ask God for in prayer!! DO YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVE GOD IS TRUE TO HIS WORD? In Acts 8:37, the Ethiopian eunuch needed to believe with all his heart that Jesus was the Son of God, to be baptised and In John 11:25-26, when Jesus revealed Himself to be the resurrection and the life to Martha, the question that He asked of her was “DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?”
Notice also here in Mark 11:24 that BELIEVING comes before RECEIVING! (John 11:40) Do we believe Jesus at His word before we see it or do we need to see it before we believe?
6.In vs 23-24 Jesus tells us that if we believe, “...it will be done...... it will be yours.” CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT! The danger is that if we take this verse in isolation by itself, it can seem to suggest that we can ask Jesus for anything (like a Porsche or Ferrari to show off to our friends in) and He will just give it to us as long as we fully believe. But it is so important that we look at this verse in context of what the rest of the bible says! According to James 4:2-3 and 1 John 5:14 we must ask ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL and not for SELFISH GAIN, in order to have confidence our prayers will be answered by God!! DO WE READ AND APPLY GOD’S WORD IN CONTEXT?
7.vs 25- lastly, we must LEARN TO FORGIVE, as unforgiveness can hinder our prayers!! This shows us that the way we treat others can impact our relationship with God!! (See 1 Peter 3:7, Matthew 5:23-24)
MAY THESE PRINCIPLES HELP STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH IN OUR WONDERFUL SAVIOUR JESUS!!
God bless!
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