These
inspiring words
of Jesus
disclose that
He has
obligated
Himself to
satisfy the
incessant and
insistent
desires of His
praying people.
His words leave
no doubt in our
minds regarding
His willingness
to answer our
requests. He
makes it plain
that whatsoever
things are
required to
satisfy our
spiritual and
temporal needs
shall be
granted
according to
the measure of
our faith.
We
must obey the
fundamental law
of faith by
sincerely
believing that
we receive the
things desired
when we pray,
otherwise they
shall not be
granted. It is
necessary to do
some clear
thinking
regarding our
Lord's promise
to give us the
things desired
when we pray in
faith.
Some
unwise persons
have
interpreted
Jesus as
saying,
"When ye
pray, believe
that you have
the things
desired, and
you have
them." It
is difficult to
accept this
concept of the
Master's
teaching about
the prayer of
faith. No
intelligent man
can believe
that he has
received the
things desired
unless he has
received them.
It would be
absurd to make
such a claim in
the light of
truth.
It
is misleading
to tell a
sincere seeker
after a pure
heart to
believe that
the blessing
has been
received when
that person
knows in his
own heart that
it is not true.
This absurd
teaching leaves
a man confused
and
disappointed. A
man must
receive the
witness of the
Holy Spirit to
confirm the
work of grace
performed in
the heart. An
honest man
cannot affirm
that he has
obtained the
things desired
unless he knows
that he has
received them
from God.
We
must not assume
that we have
the things
desired. Our
faith does not
rest on an
assumption; our
faith rests on
an assurance
imparted to us
by the spirit
of truth. When
Jesus revealed
His provision
to satisfy our
desires, He
disclosed the
incentive to
pray. He is
saying,
"Whatsoever
things you
desire, when
you pray,
believe that
God has
provided them,
and you shall
have
them."
We
must first
believe that
the resources
of God are made
available to us
through prayer.
If we entertain
the slightest
doubt in our
hearts
regarding this
fact, we cannot
obtain the
things desired
to satisfy us
in life.
While
seriously
meditating on
the remarkable
words of Jesus
concerning the
things desired
in prayer, let
us not overlook
the fact that
He is speaking
about the
mountain being
removed at the
word of
command. If it
is God's
purpose to
remove all sin
and sufferings
from the earth
at His word of
command, then
it is likewise
true that
everything
required to
accomplish His
purpose on
behalf of His
people is made
available to
them in the
provision of
redeeming
grace. When we
see this truth
we can
understand
God's purpose
in establishing
the throne of
grace. Is it
any wonder that
we are told to
come boldly
unto the throne
of grace? We
can readily
understand the
real incentive
to pray when we
know that our
legitimate
desires will be
granted when we
pray for things
pertaining to
the plan of
redemption as
revealed in
Christ. There
is no provision
made to gratify
our desires
unless the
things desired
are directly
related to
Christ's plan
of salvation.
The
primary purpose
of the
Saviour's
sacrifice on
the cross was
to save us from
sin and
sufferings. It
is His purpose
to present us
faultless
before the
presence of the
Father with
exceeding joy.
It is our
Lord's purpose
to dry our
tears for ever,
open the gates
of pearl, and
give us an
abundant
entrance into
the City of
God. It is
permissible to
interpret Jesus
as saying,
"Whatsoever
things are
required to
satisfy you and
sustain you in
this holy way
of life, when
you pray,
believe that
you can obtain
them, and you
shall have
them."
It
has not
required one
tear of sorrow,
nor exacted one
drop of our
blood, nor cost
us one night of
sleep to
provide the
things required
to save us from
sin and
sufferings in
this world. The
unsparing God
gave His only
Son to provide
the things we
need for time
and eternity.
There
are no unholy
and selfish
desires in the
heart of a
Christian. A
true Christian
is motivated to
pray by the
normal desires
of spiritual
life like a
hungry son is
moved to ask
bread of his
father. The
child's desire
for food does
not spring from
force of habit,
it is a desire
springing from
the natural
requirements of
daily life. The
incentive to
pray is as
normal as the
desire for food
and drink. The
very fact that
the desire
exists is
positive proof
that it can be
satisfied in a
natural and
legitimate
manner.
There
is an intense
longing after
Christ like the
hunger and
thirst of a
person
requiring food
and drink. Such
a desire cannot
be satisfied
with anything
less than a
manifestation
of the living
Lord. There is
a desire to
know more about
His enduring
love. There is
a desire to
linger long in
sacred worship
and holy
communion with
Him in the
quiet place of
prayer. A
Christian says,
"My
soul followeth
hard after
thee..."
-- Psa. 63:8
The inspired
writer voiced
his desire when
he said,
"As
the hart
panteth after
the water
brooks, so
panteth my soul
after thee, O
God. My soul
thirsteth for
God, for the
living God:
when shall I
come and appear
before
God?" --
Psa. 42:1, 2
A man can earn
his daily bread
by the sweat of
his brow, and
allay his
thirst at the
springs flowing
out of the
earth, but a
man that
hungers and
thirsts after
Christ must
have the bread
from heaven to
satisfy his
hunger, and
drink the
living water
from the
fountain of
life to slake
his thirst.
We
desire a
freedom which
cannot be
obtained while
we live in this
body. We long
to be delivered
from our
earthly bondage
into the
glorious
liberty of the
first
resurrection.
In this human
body we yearn,
earnestly
desiring to be
clothed upon
with our house
which is from
heaven.
"For we
that are in
this tabernacle
do groan, being
burdened: not
for that we
would be
unclothed, but
clothed upon,
that mortality
might be
swallowed up of
life." --
2 Cor. 5:4
When
the eternal
purpose of
Christ has been
completed, the
saints shall be
delivered from
the presence of
sin and sorrows
which have
troubled them
in this unhappy
earth. In that
glad hour they
shall
experience the
glorious
liberty of the
sons of God.
God's
redeemed
children have
no continuing
city in this
world. They
look for a city
which hath
foundations,
whose builder
and maker is
God. Their
citizenship is
in heaven; from
whence they
also look for
the Saviour,
the Lord Jesus
Christ: who
shall change
their infirm
bodies, that
they may be
fashioned like
unto His
glorious body,
according to
the working
wherewith He is
able even to
subdue all
things unto
Himself. When
these things
shall come to
pass, then
shall we obtain
the end of our
faith, even the
salvation of
our souls.
