The Power of Prayer - How to Pray with Absolute Confidence, Part 1

Jesus said to his disciples, therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. Now wait a minute, is that really true? I mean, we can ask for anything and if we just believe it'll happen, what does that really mean and what's it mean to you?

That's today. Stay with me. Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Living on the Edge features the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram on this daily discipleship program. I'm Dave Drewy and this idea of ask and you will receive can be a very confusing part of our prayer life. Where's the line between approaching God with an attitude of arrogance and presumption versus praying with humility and faith? Well, Chip tackles this tough subject as he continues in his series, The Power of Prayer.

But just before we get started, if you don't get to hear all of this program or you want to share it with a friend, you'll find this entire series on the Chip Ingram app. Well, now here's Chip with his message, How to Pray with Absolute Confidence. If you have your Bible with you, open to Mark chapter 11 and we're going to look at verse 22 through 24.

The context of this is pretty interesting. It's very near the end of Jesus' ministry and he's going into the feast and the festivals and as he goes in one morning, there's a fig tree that doesn't have any fruit on it. And so in the morning, Jesus curses this fig tree and that afternoon they're coming back and the roots are up out of the ground and it's withered.

I mean, just like that. And Peter basically says, Hey, Lord, you know, not bad, huh? Pretty powerful when you speak, things happen. And in response to that with his disciples in this private encounter, Jesus said, as though they were surprised, have faith in God. I tell you the truth. Basically, if you think that was something, I tell you the truth, disciples, followers of mine. If anyone says to this mountain, go throw yourself in the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Pretty outrageous, isn't it? But now he pushes it to the next level because the word, therefore, he generalizes and begins to explain. This isn't just an instance. It's not just for you, disciples. But notice the next line. Therefore, I tell you, here's the principle. Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it. Notice the result. And it will be yours.

Look at it again. I mean, is this outrageous? Is this a great promise or I mean, did Jesus maybe just go over the edge? You know, flu, virus, having a bad day, didn't really mean to say this.

I mean, this is out. I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you've received it and it'll be yours. Is he really saying that if we can muster up inside, I believe, I believe, I believe. Give me a Mercedes. I believe, I believe, I believe.

Okay, a Cadillac. I mean, is that what this is all about? Somehow you can conjure up and if you believe it and can think it, then it'll come true?

I don't think so. I think it's one of the biggest and misunderstood promises in all of Scripture. I think he's saying something very important here. But often it's not what we think. In the early days of my Christian life, and I'd like to say not recently, but pretty recently.

I think a lot of times when this passage would come up, I'd try and change, just kind of change the topic. How do you explain this one? I remember having a good friend who I was probably a couple years old in Christ, sophomore in college, and he was in an accident. He ended up paralyzed.

We prayed and fasted as a young college group. God spared his life. And he was in one of these striker frames, you know, where they just sandwich you together with a spinal cord injury. And he was now a quadriplegic at the time.

Didn't even know if he was going to use his arms. And I remember coming across this verse. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you received it and it'll be yours. And I didn't have much background as I've shared with you. I never read the Bible much.

But you know what? Whatever it meant to believe, I spent all day mustering up as much faith as I could get. Praying and reading and then reading and praying and trying to visualize God healing Frank and trying to believe God was big enough to do it and trying to somehow conjure up.

You know, I wonder what this kind of faith look like. By 1130 that night, I snuck in the hospital. You know, look this way, that way.

The nurses aren't looking. Get around one corner. Here comes an orderly face this way. You know, went up the back stairs. Finally, I get in his room.

He's in this bed. And I got down on my knees. And so I went up underneath and, hey, Frank, how you doing?

He's awake. I said, Frank, I've been praying all day. And I came across this passage. I quoted it to him. We talked for a while and I said, Frank, I want to pray for you.

I want to believe because it says that if I believe that I've received it, God's going to do it. And with all the zeal and sincerity I can muster, oh, God, heal Frank right now. And I prayed a lot of stuff. And I opened my eyes hoping that he'd say, Chip, Chip, I felt something warm and powerful go all over my body and get that nurse.

Let me out of here. It didn't happen. Well, maybe it'll happen tomorrow. It didn't happen. Maybe next week it didn't happen. Maybe next month it didn't happen. He's still in a wheelchair. So what's this mean?

I mean, is this true or not true? Or did I so completely misunderstand what this is all about that I wasn't praying the way God wanted me to? Any of you have this? You ever prayed some of these prayers, you know, like, hey, God, it says in your word and I've tried it and, you know, this one doesn't work, at least for me. Well, I'd like to suggest that probably the problem is getting back to what's it mean? Because here's one obvious observation about this passage, regardless of what it does mean, we can all agree. Look at verse 22, have faith in God. Verse 23, if you do not doubt. Later in verse 23, but believes that you ask for in belief.

There's one thing we can all agree on. Whatever Jesus is communicating, it has a lot to do with faith, right? It has something to do with believing, whatever that means. So let's go before we even look at the main text and find out what the scripture teaches faith is.

What is it? And believe it or not, in Hebrews 11, I've put it in your notes, he gives a definition for faith. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Faith is not subjective. Faith isn't conjuring something up.

Notice what it says, the operative words, being sure and certain. Faith is having absolute confidence that something that hasn't happened yet will happen and that something that you can't see will come to being. That's what faith is. See, for there to be biblical faith, you have to have a word from God. Faith boils down to God says this, do you trust that what he said is true or not? If you don't have a word from God, you can't have biblical faith. I didn't have any word from God. I didn't have a promise from God that said he would heal my body.

Sometimes God chooses to heal people, sometimes he chooses not to. You can't put God in the box and tell him what to do. But anytime God gives us a promise, anytime we know what he says, he says if you act on that, that's biblical faith.

In fact, look at verse 6 of Hebrews, the author goes on and develops not only the definition of faith but how important it is. He says without faith, without trusting in what God has said and acting on it, it's impossible to please God. He says you can go to church, you can pray, you can give the united way, you can be morally pure, but if you don't believe God, you don't please him. What he wants from you and me more than anything else is faith.

And then he gives the reason why. Because anyone who comes to God, if you want to have a relationship with God, you got to believe two things. You must believe that he exists knowing for who he really is, but you also have to believe the second thing. Often we believe the first but not the second and that he is a rewarder of those who earnestly or diligently seek him. God is on the edge of his chair, if you will forgive the little picture, longing to bless you, longing to draw you close, longing to reveal himself, longing for you to take any kind of step in response to his word so that he can say, all right. Like a father watching a little baby or a toddler take a few little steps, God's arms are out.

That's the kind of God he is. Faith is believing that he exists and that he's a rewarder. And so if you wanted to summarize it all, faith therefore is having absolute confidence that whatever God says, he will do. That's all faith is.

You can feel close to God exercising faith, you can have flu and exercise faith, you can feel distant from God and exercise faith, but anytime you have absolute confidence that God said this and you believe it to the point of acting on it, that is what the Bible is talking about in terms of faith. Now I want to ask you a question. It's a little personal. And the question I have when we get now back to praying is when you pray, when you close your eyes and you decide I want to spend good time with the God of the universe, are you coming to God with absolute certainty and confidence that what you're asking for will be given? Have you ever thought of praying that way? When you bow your head, are you certain that the things that you're going to ask for, God is going to answer, specifically what you're praying for? And some of you are looking at me like, I don't know if you can pray that way. Chip, where are you going with this one? Is this one of those trick questions?

No, it's not a trick question. I'd like to suggest that God wants you in the great majority of your prayer time to have 100% absolute confidence before Him and pray specific things in such a way that you will know He will answer that specific thing. Where do I get that? Here's our text for the day. Follow along, if you will, as I read 1 John 5, verses 13 through 15. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

He's writing to His children. So that you may know that you have eternal life. The context is, He said, whoever has the Son in verse 11 and 12 has life.

Those who don't have the Son don't have life. So He's writing these things to assure them, all those people that are really in God's family. Now notice verse 14. This is the confidence we have in approaching God. That if we ask anything, and notice this phrase, according to His will, He hears us.

Now let's stop and do a little analysis. This, He says, is the confidence. The word for confidence means boldness, assurance, openness, absolute certainty. When you come before the very throne of God, He says this is the absolute confidence, the certainty that we possess before Him.

And what is that confidence? That if we ask anything, and it lines up with His will, it's according to His will, He hears us. And that little word, He hears us, literally means His ears are open to us. Our request has gained audience before the King of the universe. Now, look at the next verse.

It gets even more radical. Verse 15. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have or possess what we've asked for. Have you had times like that in prayer?

Have you had times when you have prayed, and you know since you're praying according to God's will, that the very thing you're asking for, God guarantees He's going to answer for you. And by the word, notice the word no is repeated twice. There's two words in the Greek New Testament for no. One is a knowledge that comes by way of experience.

There's another word that means no. It's a historical or a verifiable objective fact, like I know that gravity exists. If I can believe in gravity, fine. If I don't believe in gravity, fine.

Jump off a three-, four-story building, whether you believe it or not, you have basically the same result. That's this word. It's absolute certainty, historical fact, we know that God hears us. And if you pray according to His will and He hears us, then you know that you're going to get whatever you ask. Is that a radical thought for some of you this morning? You're looking at me like, ooh, boy, I've never heard this before. Did you know this passage was in the Bible?

Well, let's talk about how it works. How can you pray with confidence and certainty? Well, the first question we need to ask is, to whom is this promise made? It's a radical promise, but it's not for everybody. Notice in verse 13, these things are written to those who believe in the name of the Son of God. This is reserved for people who are God's children. A lot of people can pray and God does different things, but this promise is reserved for people that have personally asked Christ to come into their life, their sins have been forgiven, the Holy Spirit has come and taken dwelling inside of them, and it bears witness with their spirit that they're the child of God. This promise is for anyone that's in God's family this way. Now, the second question we might want to ask is, well, then how must we pray to know that God hears our prayers?

That's in verse 14. You know, Chip, you're telling me that this passage guarantees that God's going to hear my prayer, but how do I know that for certain? Look at the little phrase, if we pray how? You look.

What's it say? According to the will of God. If you or I pray anything according to His will, and that phrase means that it's God's intention. It's His highest desire.

It's His authorized plan to be fulfilled. The next question as this passage opens up is not only how to pray according to God's will, but how do you know God's will? See, at this point, I hope your mind is saying, and let me just have a quick aside. I hope your mind is saying in your heart of hearts, I pray a lot of vague prayers. I'm not sure I pray real specifically. I think instead of having faith, you know what I find in my life and probably with many of you?

I find instead of praying in faith, I'm usually praying in hope. Oh, God, I hope this happens. Oh, God, this is a good desire.

Oh, God, this would be nice if you did it. That's not what Jesus said. When you come asking in faith, believe that you've received it, and it will be given to you. I don't think He's joking, people.

I don't think He just threw that one out to impress Peter and the boys. I think He was saying, if you can know what the will of God is, once you understand My will, then you can ask for it, and I will deliver, and you can take it to the bank. I want you to pray specifically and with certainty and with confidence, and I will answer.

Chip will join us here in studio with his application in just a minute. You've been listening to the first part of his message, How to Pray with Absolute Confidence, from his series, The Power of Prayer. Whether you're a new Christian or a seasoned follower of Christ, prayer is absolutely essential to our relationship with God. It's how we communicate with Him. And as His children, we are given free access anytime, anywhere.

But how does that actually work? In this series, you'll discover the steps to developing a dynamic prayer life, how to remove common roadblocks to answered prayer, and what it means to pray with confidence. For a limited time, the resources for The Power of Prayer are discounted, and the MP3s are always free. For additional ordering and pricing details, visit LivingOnTheEdge.org, or give us a call at 888-333-6003.

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Thank you in advance for your generosity. As we close today's program, we addressed a passage, as I said earlier in the teaching, that is probably one of the misused and probably one of the most misinterpreted of all in the New Testament. Jesus said, Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you received it, and it will be yours. And like you, I've heard people say, basically, if you can muster up some level of emotion and tell yourself, I really believe this, somehow you can speak it into existence, and the whole issue is about how hard or how much you believe, and God will do anything, and He's kind of at your beck and calling. And in the teaching, what we did is we clarified, okay, who was that written to?

What's the context of that? Are you praying according to God's will? Is your desire in the context, do you really want what God wants, or is this for selfish gains? In fact, this is one of those passages where you might really want to listen to the last couple broadcasts where we talk about the roadblocks, because there's five or six very clear roadblocks that just us believing intellectually or having a lot of emotion will keep prayers from being answered.

But what I do know is that there's the flip side of this, and we can be critical of people who say, just believe this, but there's a level of expectation. There's a sense in which when we come to God, He wants us to come, not like hoping, not wishing. I think a lot of us pray with a sense of just wishing.

I don't really believe it's going to happen, but I hope it happens. I wish for this, and God up there somewhere somehow, would you please kind of maybe sort of do this? And that's not the prayer of the New Testament.

The prayer of the New Testament is coming before a God who you know who loves you and that you can know His will because He's made it very clear in His Word. When you're thinking about work and you're thinking, should I take this job or another job and you don't know what to do, God has given you a promise that He'll give you wisdom. But the condition is you'll do whatever He says.

So you sign up for I will do whatever you say, God, just show me. And here's His promise. He'll let you know this job or another job.

And the same is true of should your kids go to X school or Y school. Is this the right relationship? Is this a person you need to marry or a relationship that no, no, you need to break up? All those kind of things. You can come with full confidence because God has given you very specific promises. And when you're praying according to the will of God, when you're praying to bring Him glory, and when you're praying according to a very clear promise from God, here's what I want you to get. You can expect that He will answer and you can claim that promise. And when Jesus says, when you believe that you've received it, there are times where God will whisper in your heart, you don't need to pray about that anymore.

It's going to be done. And it's not because you're wonderful. It's because God answers prayer in response to the prayer of faith that are rooted in the alignment with His will, the motive for His glory, and rooted in the very promises of God. He wants you to pray with authority. Let me encourage you, if you've never picked up a little devotional called Magnificent Prayer by Nick Harrison, he gives a little section every single day that has inspired me to pray boldly like no other resource I've ever read. Just before we close, I want to thank those of you who faithfully pray for our team and support the ongoing ministry of Living on the Edge. Amazing things are happening, and you're a part of that. If you want to join the team, there's never been a better time. Between now and tomorrow night at midnight, every gift you give will be matched dollar for dollar. To send a gift, just go to LivingOnTheEdge.org or give us a call at 888-333-6003. App listeners, just tap Donate. We'd love to have you with us. Well, that wraps up this program. Until next time, this is Dave Druey saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge.