The Prayer of Faith

Foundations of Faith Series #7                 by Darryl Manning                    May 6, 2001

 

Many people approach prayer hoping their petition will bring results. The prayer of faith is a conclusive prayer that is prayed one time. It is a prayer that knows the petition has been granted and the result is on the way.

 

The prayer of faith is a Biblical term. It is found in James 5:14-15. Notice that the prayer of faith brings results. It will save the sick. It will bring forgiveness of sins.

 

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ^16£Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

 

In John 5:14, we find the basis for a prayer of faith.

 

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

 

It is clear from this scripture that knowing the will of God is the key to the prayer of faith. When we speak of the will of God, most people say, “If it is God’s will, why do we need to pray. His will will be done whether we pray or not.”

 

For some things that would be true but in this case the Greek word for will actually means God’s wish or inclination. In other words, God wants to do something and your prayer of faith gives God the right to do what He wants to do. On the negative side of this, many times God wants to do something but has no one to pray the prayer of faith and is unable to fulfill His own wish or desire concerning a matter. We find this happening in Ezekiel 22.

 

³⁰So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. ³¹Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.

 

It is hard for us to realize that God restricts His power in certain matters until people give him the “right” to use them. God gave mankind dominion over the earth and that has not been revoked. That dominion gives man certain rights and authority that God will not “trespass” upon.

 

In the Book of Hebrews we read that the “heroes of the Bible” obtained promises. (Heb. 11:33) God has given many promises to us but it is up to us to obtain them. We obtain the promises when we activate the prayer of faith.

 

Back in James 5 (see above) we see that Elijah obtained the promises of God with a prayer of faith. God had promised His people that He would bring drought upon the earth if they turned away from serving Him. Elijah, knowing the Word of God prayed the prayer of faith to start the drought. When the people repented on Mt. Carmel, Elijah prayed the prayer of faith again to bring the rain. This prayer was based upon the knowledge that God had promised to give rain upon the land when His people followed Him. Elijah obtained the will and desire of God.

 

What promise of God do you need fulfilled in your life today? Perhaps you need healing in your body? Perhaps you need provision for a financial need? God is waiting on you to pray the prayer of faith and obtain His promises.

 

Lets look what Jesus taught about the prayer of faith in Mark 11.

 

 ²²So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. ²³For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. ²⁴Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

 

First, notices the words “whoever” and “whatever.” “Whoever” means you and me! “Whatever” means anything, even if it a mountain that needs to be removed!

 

Second, notice there can be no doubt in this prayer. Here is where the battle is won or lost in our prayers. A “double minded” man will never get anything from God.

 

⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1)

 

To get anything from God we must become convinced that it is God’s will for us to have what we are requesting. As long as we have doubts in our hearts about the will of God we are a double-minded person and will not get anything from God. The truth is we need to spend time in prayer to determine the will of God and then we can pray the prayer of faith and receive our promise.

 

Once we pray the prayer of faith on a matter, we will never pray again for that request. To pray again indicates we have not yet believed. After praying the prayer of faith we proceed to take action based on our faith that the promise is ours. Jesus said, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

 

After praying the seventh time for rain, Elijah sent his servant to look toward the sea. The servant reported that he could see a tiny cloud, but that was all. Elijah quit praying and ran down the mountain to escape the rain he knew was coming. Elijah knew he had received his request and there was no more need for prayer.

 

When we are praying for a need to be met we will quit praying for only one of two reasons. Either we have believed our prayer has been answered or we will give up because of lack of faith. Either way we receive what we believe for.

 

Again, what is the need in your life today? Your prayers need to be directed toward discovering God’s will for your need so you can pray the prayer of faith. When you have prayed the prayer of faith you will begin praising God for granting your request. You will begin taking actions based on knowledge that you have obtained your promise in prayer and the tangible results will be in your hands soon.

 

Let us pray the prayer of faith today. Others have obtained the promises of God. We can obtain them too.