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Jesus said that our faith, even a small seed of it, will result in an answered prayer. However, what are the blockages to answered prayer?
Jesus said that when we stand praying, we need to forgive others, so God will forgive us. This seems to suggest we need to deal with sin in our lives to get an answer.
Jesus used the same mustard seed illustration of prayer in the scriptures above; but He appended an action that was needed for us to receive healing, or for another to pray for a person’s healing; it was prayer and fasting. This means no matter what level of belief we have, if we have not spent our time in God’s presence, we will not have the degree of faith that brings healing.
If we don’t receive healing through prayer, it does not mean that our faith is not pleasing to God. It is that we, or the one praying for us, have not spent enough time in God’s presence to receive the answer.
We must definitely deal with sin, but also with a lack of prayerfulness, to receive healing. Additionally, we cannot say sickness is a sign of sin, as we see in the story of Job, he became sick after the devil challenged God to test Job. God had said Job was the most righteous man on earth.
Also note that Jesus healed the “Deaf and Dumb Spirit” not because of the person’s faith, but because He had the power to do it. As ministers of Christ, we need to make sure we have no sin, and are prayed up, with times of dedicated prayer and fasting, to increase our faith; otherwise, healing will not occur for many. God does not expect every person to be praying and fasting, but he does expect Ministers to. We have to be careful not to blame others for lack of faith or sin, when it may just be that we have not done our part in prayer and fasting.
Mark 11:23-25 For 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. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
Jesus said that when we stand praying, we need to forgive others, so God will forgive us. This seems to suggest we need to deal with sin in our lives to get an answer.
Mat 17:19-21 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
Mark 9:23-29 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!" Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."
Jesus used the same mustard seed illustration of prayer in the scriptures above; but He appended an action that was needed for us to receive healing, or for another to pray for a person’s healing; it was prayer and fasting. This means no matter what level of belief we have, if we have not spent our time in God’s presence, we will not have the degree of faith that brings healing.
If we don’t receive healing through prayer, it does not mean that our faith is not pleasing to God. It is that we, or the one praying for us, have not spent enough time in God’s presence to receive the answer.
We must definitely deal with sin, but also with a lack of prayerfulness, to receive healing. Additionally, we cannot say sickness is a sign of sin, as we see in the story of Job, he became sick after the devil challenged God to test Job. God had said Job was the most righteous man on earth.
Also note that Jesus healed the “Deaf and Dumb Spirit” not because of the person’s faith, but because He had the power to do it. As ministers of Christ, we need to make sure we have no sin, and are prayed up, with times of dedicated prayer and fasting, to increase our faith; otherwise, healing will not occur for many. God does not expect every person to be praying and fasting, but he does expect Ministers to. We have to be careful not to blame others for lack of faith or sin, when it may just be that we have not done our part in prayer and fasting.
