Believe

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. Matthew 21:22

 Have you ever come across a verse in scripture that seemed so impossible? I mean so impossible that you questioned within yourself, “Lord, how could this possibly be true?”

Well, that recently happened to me as I read a scripture I’ve read many times before in my life. But this time, something jumped out at me. It was the words from Jesus Himself found in Matthew 21:22. Jesus said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” After reading that verse I said within me, “How could this be? Do you mean Lord that I can just ask for anything I want and it will happen, just like that?”

I immediately felt prompted to look at the verse closer and then it hit me. The key is not the word “whatever” by itself, but in combination with the word “believe.” What I sensed the Holy Spirit saying to me was that I couldn’t expect to receive just anything, but only anything I really believed.

You see, I simply don’t believe I’m going to be a brain surgeon. As honorable a profession as that is, I just don’t have the faith/belief that being a brain surgeon is in my future.  But, on the other hand, I do have faith/belief for other things. Some of those things I’ve yet to see manifested in my life, but somehow within me there is a belief that those things will come to pass.

The difference is simply in the desire God has placed in my heart. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”  The word “delight” in this verse is from the Hebrew word “anag” and means to “stay soft and pliable like putty.”

As we stay pliable in His hands, He will place His desires in our hearts, and it is those things for which we can have belief and faith.

What are you believing the Lord for that you’ve not yet seen come to pass? Whatever that is, just remember today that “anything is possible to them that believe.”