Faith Is Vital to Intimacy With God
In Part 1 of this series we looked at what the Bible says about faith. We learned that faith and trust in God is vital to our relationship and fellowship with Him. We also learned what faith really is. And that everything that Jesus says is trustworthy and true, because He is Truth. Everything He promises in His word will come about because of His perfect faithfulness. And because He is Truth.
In Part 2 of this series we looked at the 3 types of faith. We studied where faith comes from, and looked at Paul, who is a good example for us to follow of someone who completely followed Jesus by faith. And there was also much more detailed information about faith.
In this final part of our series on faith, we will now look at the great possibilities of having faith and “believing prayer”. We will also study what praying “in Jesus name” means. And we will see how you can have confidence that your prayers will be answered.
Faith Is Vital To Intimacy With God
There Are Great Possibilities In “Believing Prayer”
1. “Believing Prayer” Can Move Mountains
Jesus said that there is no limit to what can be accomplished for God’s kingdom through believing prayer. Believing prayer is faith filled prayer
“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ” – Mark 11:23-24
The mountains in Mark 11:23-24 are the insurmountable, impossible things in your life. They are the circumstances and challenges that are too difficult for you to handle. Your problems, your difficulties, your addictions, your bad habits, your sin…
Focus on God, the Mountain Mover, not on the mountains
More Great Possibilities With “Believing Prayer”
2. All Things Are Possible When We Have Faith
“If you can ?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief !.” – Mark 9:23-24
“I can do all this through him (Jesus) who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” – Matthew 21:22.
Matthew 21:22 needs to be combined with 1 John 5:14-15 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
This means that you will receive whatever you ask in prayer when you ask according to God’s will. Faith is trusting that God’s will is always best. And God’s will must always replace our own will. Perfect faith does not need to understand God’s will. It simply trusts that God’s will is always far better than our own will.
Faith Is Vital To Intimacy With God
You cannot pray and live powerfully by faith unless you know God intimately. And have close fellowship with Him. The more you know God personally the more you will trust Him. And your faith will grow as you grow closer to God.
You need to be tuned in to God and one with His will in order to pray and live powerfully and victoriously. And you need to constantly maintain your right relationship and fellowship with God. God gave us an important tool for when we sin and interrupt our close fellowship with God.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16
You also need to be one with God. One with God means having the same heart as God. And the same will, and desires, and passions as God. You must have faith and trust in God to fully surrender and fully follow Him.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one- I in them and you in me-so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. – John 17:20-23
You Will Experience God’s Power & Victories When You Are One With God
“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” – John 14:10-14
Faith is vital to intimacy with God. And intimacy with God is vital to experiencing God’s great power and victories in your life. And in your ministry also.
Praying In Jesus’ Name Means Praying According To His Will
Praying in Jesus name is not simply something we throw in at the end of a prayer. It means that you are acknowledging that Jesus paid for the privilege of coming into the Father’s presence on the cross.
Praying in Jesus name also means that you are praying according to His will. And not seeking your own will and desires. It signifies that you are submitting to His will for the thing or situation you are praying for. And not insisting on getting your own way.
“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. – Matthew 6:9-10
“Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” – Luke 22:42
Jesus is our perfect example to follow. Jesus’ top priority was always His close fellowship with God the Father. And fulfilling God’s will and plans.
Faith Is Vital To Intimacy With God
When we pray in Jesus’ name and according to God’s will, we can have great confidence. Confidence that God’s will is always best. And confidence that our prayers will be answered.
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him.” – I John 5:14,15
“In him (Jesus) and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” – Ephesians 3:12
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” – Hebrews 4:14-16
Have Faith In God’s Perfect Faithfulness
Because of God’s perfect faithfulness, He will always do what He says and promises. It is God’s nature to always be faithful. God’s promises are actually guarantees, because of His perfect faithfulness. You can always depend on God to do what He says.
Find God’s promises in the Bible. There are thousands of them. And then claim them in Jesus’ name. They are yours to claim when you are in Christ.
“What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.” – Isaiah 46”11
“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it?” – Number 23:19
God will always do what He says. Every promise that He has made in His word He will fulfill. Every plan that He has made and announced will come true. Because God not only is faithful, but He is perfectly faithful. Thus His promises are actually guarantees.
Faith Is Vital To Intimacy With God
You Need To Walk By Faith, Not By Sight or By Feelings/Emotions
Do you live by sight ? Or do you live by feelings and emotions ? The problem with living by sight is that your circumstances will constantly change over time. And many times your interpretation of your circumstances will be incorrect. In difficult times it is hard to see and understand the good that God is trying to bring about.
Living by feelings is not the way to walk closely with God either. Your feelings will be misleading. During hard times your feelings will tell you that God has abandoned you. But God promises to never leave you or forsake you.
“for we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7
Walking by faith and not by sight or feelings comes as you experience God in your life. Your faith needs to be exercised, just as your muscles do. As God allows difficult circumstances into your life, He will try to teach you to walk by faith. Remember “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1
The “assurance” of things hoped for, and the “evidence” of things not seen is God’s prefect character and faithfulness. And who God is. As you seek God and as you walk with God through the circumstances in your life, He will reveal His character to you. And you will know Him, not just know about Him.
Republished with permission from Blogs.crossmap.com, featuring inspiring Bible verses about Faith Is Vital To Intimacy With God – Part 3 – Pursuing Intimacy With God.
