Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)

I love this verse taken from the gospel of Mark. What an incredible promise it is to you and me. And the context of this verse is pretty interesting.

The disciples were walking along with Jesus and stopped by a fig tree and noticed that it was withered at its roots but they also remembered that the day before, Jesus had cursed that very fig tree and said, “May it never bear fruit again”.

Now they were standing around looking at the tree and looking at Jesus and saying “Whoa.. Jesus, how did this happen? Look what you said, actually happened.”

And then Jesus makes an interesting turn, instead of talking about the horticultural issues, Jesus starts teaching about prayer. At first glance as you read this you might wonder “Why is Jesus talking about prayer here, we were just talking about this poor dead tree?!”

Jesus says, 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

What Jesus is trying to tell his disciples and us, is that the same power that made that happen to the tree is available to you and me through prayer. Just like that!

Jesus can change anything and anyone and that is what prayer is all about.

God wants to give us everything we need to live the life that he has called us to live. And Jesus want us to ask Him. Ask Jesus, in prayer, not just what we want but what we need so we can accomplish his purpose for our life.

Number one: ASK. And then the other part is BELIEVE.

Believe not just in our ability but in God’s ability. Believe in the resources that are available to us through God. Believe that our Father is not empty handed. Believe that God wants to give us blessing upon blessing for God’s glory and power to be at work in our lives.

ASK and BELIEVE.

Let’s be a praying church. A believing church. A church that asks God to move in and through for God’s glory.

Let’s be bold and pray. Pray for relationships to be restored; Pray for healing; Pray for those far away from God to discover the hope and peace that comes from knowing a Saviour; Pray that our pews at Amberlea would be full of people hungry to learn about our Amazing God; Pray that God may be glorified; and Pray for God’s power to be on the move in our community, in our city, in our province in or country and in the Church around the world!

Ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours! Amen.