Imperial Valley Christian Center

Last time I tried to demonstrate that, at least according to the Bible, God wants to answer our prayers. Here I want to show you that when Jesus said, "Ask and it shall be given… For everyone that asketh receiveth,"  Jesus was telling us what God's attitude is towards our prayers. God's attitude is that of a good father to the petitions of his children.

But that God wants to answer our prayers more than we want them answered, isn't enough. Jesus

Liked this definition of faith from Nigel Turner, a Greek Scholar, and, according to the book jacket, a contributor of two volumes to J. H. Moulton’s, Grammar of New Testament Greek, and author of articles in the Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible and Manson’s Companion to the Bible. Turner also worked translating the British and Foreign Bible Society’s, Translator’s New Testament.

Speaking about the meaning of faith in his book Christian Words, pg. 157

“ …faith is a state of mind transcending ordinary knowledge, a conviction with a firmer basis than sense or reason, confidence in what God says without further evidence, ‘the basis of what is hoped for, the evidence of things not seen’ (Heb 11:1)

"It should be noticed that in many ways the verbs pisteuo and ginosko (to have divine insight) in St. John’s gospel are synonymous, although Jesus Who is said to ‘know’ God is never said to ‘believe in Him. However, to ‘believe (11:42) and to ‘know’ (17:3) are used in the same context. Clearly the words are synonymous in a passage like this: ‘they have known… that I came out from Thee and they have believed that Thou didst send Me’ (17:8). Faith is deep insight, sure and divine knowledge.”

This was the bit that helped assure me I wasn't on the wrong track when, after meditating on Mark 11:23 for several months, I realized that, in the Bible, faith/believing means to know in  your heart, to perceive in your spirit, to see with the eyes of your heart, to hear with the ears of your heart.

This is the faith it takes to move mountains, you must first know in  your heart that the particular thing you're saying will come to pass. Until you know that you haven't begun in faith.

Of the 70 or so prosperity scriptures I regularly meditate on, one of my favorites is Mark 10:28-30. I think of it as a scripture that applies especially to those in ministry, but I guess it can apply to anyone.

28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:28-30 NIV)

I like the version of this passage from the Life of Yeshua (LOY), reconstruction being put together by the scholars at the Jerusalem School for Synoptic Research. They call it: LOY 47: Rich Man Declines the Kingdom of Heaven (You may need to be a member to see all of the material at that link.)

Rich Man Declines the Kingdom of Heaven

“Teacher,” he asked, “what ‘good’ can I do to obtain eternal life?”
Yeshua replied: “Why do you refer to a deed as ‘good’? Call only one thing ‘good’—the Torah. You know how to obtain eternal life: keep the commandments—‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony….’”

“All these I have kept since I was a child,” the man interrupted.

At that, Yeshua said: “There is something more you should do: Give away all your wealth to charity—you will have heavenly wealth—and become my disciple.”

The man’s face fell—he was very wealthy.

When Yeshua saw that, he said: “How difficult it is for someone who is rich to join my band of disciples; it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye.”

“Look at us, we have left everything to become your disciples!” Petros exclaimed.

“You have done the right thing,” Yeshua replied. “I promise you that all who have left family, livelihood and possessions to join my band of disciples will in this life get much, much more than what they have given up, and in the life after death, eternal life.”

It's that last bit that is the prosperity part, "I promise you that all who have left family, livelihood and possessions to join my band of disciples will in this life get much, much more than what they have given up, and in the life after death, eternal life." 

Material necessity can't hold us back from putting God's kingdom first. Jesus has promised to give us much, much more that the livelihoods or possessions we've given up to be his disciples. Whooooo hooooooo! Of course, we're going to have to learn to receive it by faith.

Most of us don't have a lot of confidence in prayer. God's answer to our prayers isn't something we think we can count on. But I want to show you that the Bible talks about prayer like it's a sure thing. I want to show you that Jesus taught that God will answer our prayers, that God wants to answer our prayers, that it's God's desire to give us what we ask for when we pray.