The other day I had someone share with me that they are having trouble trusting God during this season of their lives. With the recent lost of a loved one to Covid, They shared with me that they had prayed according to Scripture believing that what they were asking for would be granted. The passage that the person made reference to is this week’s passage in Mark 11:20-26. Please read this passage of Scripture, and let’s look at the larger picture for a moment that covers verses 12-26. As Jesus and his disciples were on their way into Jerusalem that morning he saw a fig tree promising fruit but there was no fruit on it so he spoke these words to the fig tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” The next morning as the disciples come by with Jesus they notice the fig tree withered from its roots up. It was dead. Judgment was pronounced and carried out. The same would happen to the temple in AD 72 when the temple was destroyed by General Titus of the Roman Army. When Peter spoke up about the fig tree they noticed Jesus gives them three conditions for answered prayer. Have faith in God, believe that God can do the impossible and then forgive others. Trusting God begins with having faith in God. Faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:1&6) You can have faith the size of a mustard seed and as long as the object of your faith is God. He is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. God is in heaven, his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, his dominion is from generation to generation. He does whatever he pleases because he is a sovereign God. You and I can trust him because of who he is and his character has never changed. You can believe him to do the impossible, after all he spoke the heavens and the earth into existence from nothing. The reason why Jesus was able to do what he did is because he delighted himself in the LORD and the LORD gave him the desires of his heart. (Psalm 37:4) Jesus submitted his request to his Father’s will. God the Father would reveal to God the Son what his will was. Jesus would then ask the Father according to his revealed will for those things in prayer. (1 John 5:14-15) Jesus taught his disciples to forgive others of their trespasses against them. He would do exactly that when he was on the cross dying for our sins. A couple of questions for you to ponder this week: Who or what is the object of your faith? If it’s not God through Jesus Christ then your faith is misplaced. What impossibility are you taking to the Lord in prayer confessing not your will be done but His will be done on earth just as it is in heaven? Who do you need to forgive? Release that person to God because he always deals with each of us redemptively. You can trust God even when your prayers go unanswered.
Categories: Ministry