Matthew 17:19:21
"Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, 'Why could not we cast him out?' And Jesus said unto them, "Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbe it this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
A lack of faith is a sign of a weak prayer life. Jesus Christ advises us how to address unbelief: through prayer and fasting.
On a human level, how do we build trust, faith, and loyalty? Will we have faith in someone we do not know? Can we be loyal to a stranger? We build confidence in others through repeated contact with them over time—close and frequent communication. As we get to know them, to see them in action, to see their characters, we eventually reach a point where we can have trust and faith in them and in their behavior. It’s no different with God.
Prayer provides the repeated and continual contact with God that we need to get to know Him. The prayerful person becomes the faithful person, not the other way around. Hebrews 11:6 illustrates this point: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Notice the condition in this verse: God is not the rewarder of everyone, but "of those who diligently seek Him." Faith comes from diligently, actively seeking Him, consistently and with zeal. Prayer is a major tool in seeking God along with studying God’s word, and fasting. Those who prove their diligence by doing these things are the ones rewarded with the faith to overcome (I John 5:4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.
Those with a weak prayer life have weak faith (Matthew 17:19 – 21)
Those with weak faith are easy to commit sin (Romans 14:23) and are promised death (Romans 6:23). That is just how important earnest prayer is as part of a solid foundation, especially during the end time. As I Peter 4:7 instructs, "But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers."
Romans 6:23…For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Romans 14:22, 23..."Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin."
Luke 18:1 …"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint..."
Concerning our habits of prayer, "always" does not mean we should pray every single minute of the day. "Always" means that we should be faithful to our regular times of prayer. Concerning the time of prayer, "always" includes the fact that we should pray in both good and bad times. Sadly, some pray only in a crisis, and others forget to offer a prayer of thanksgiving when God has intervened to solve a problem or provide a blessing (I Thessalonians 5:17, 18). Regarding the spirit of prayer, "always" means we should be continually ready to pray, praying whenever a crisis hits or a need arises. Because they reveal our priorities, good habits of prayer show dedication to God and strengthen our relationship with Him.
I Thessalonians 5:17 &18…Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
"Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, 'Why could not we cast him out?' And Jesus said unto them, "Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbe it this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
A lack of faith is a sign of a weak prayer life. Jesus Christ advises us how to address unbelief: through prayer and fasting.
On a human level, how do we build trust, faith, and loyalty? Will we have faith in someone we do not know? Can we be loyal to a stranger? We build confidence in others through repeated contact with them over time—close and frequent communication. As we get to know them, to see them in action, to see their characters, we eventually reach a point where we can have trust and faith in them and in their behavior. It’s no different with God.
Prayer provides the repeated and continual contact with God that we need to get to know Him. The prayerful person becomes the faithful person, not the other way around. Hebrews 11:6 illustrates this point: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Notice the condition in this verse: God is not the rewarder of everyone, but "of those who diligently seek Him." Faith comes from diligently, actively seeking Him, consistently and with zeal. Prayer is a major tool in seeking God along with studying God’s word, and fasting. Those who prove their diligence by doing these things are the ones rewarded with the faith to overcome (I John 5:4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.
Those with a weak prayer life have weak faith (Matthew 17:19 – 21)
Those with weak faith are easy to commit sin (Romans 14:23) and are promised death (Romans 6:23). That is just how important earnest prayer is as part of a solid foundation, especially during the end time. As I Peter 4:7 instructs, "But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers."
Romans 6:23…For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Romans 14:22, 23..."Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin."
Luke 18:1 …"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint..."
Concerning our habits of prayer, "always" does not mean we should pray every single minute of the day. "Always" means that we should be faithful to our regular times of prayer. Concerning the time of prayer, "always" includes the fact that we should pray in both good and bad times. Sadly, some pray only in a crisis, and others forget to offer a prayer of thanksgiving when God has intervened to solve a problem or provide a blessing (I Thessalonians 5:17, 18). Regarding the spirit of prayer, "always" means we should be continually ready to pray, praying whenever a crisis hits or a need arises. Because they reveal our priorities, good habits of prayer show dedication to God and strengthen our relationship with Him.
I Thessalonians 5:17 &18…Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
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