The message for our Spring Intercessors Team meeting was from Mark 11:22-26 on the centrality of prayer. It is a familiar passage. It is worth reading again.
Mar 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
Mar 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Mar 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Much has been said about the prominence of “saying” in this verse which we appreciate. There is power in our words. Even nonbelievers know this. Psychologists are talking a great deal now about “positive self-talk.” New Agers are using affirmations to improve their lives. However merely much repeating has limited power. Human words do have power, but no one suggests that such can miraculously change things outside that one human's system.
However, this passage is clearly about miraculous power. Jesus commands us to have faith in God. Mark 9:25 records Jesus as saying “Everything is possible for him who believes.” This too, is an extremely important insight. Jesus says things are possible to the one who believes – not to the one who is perfect, who studies the most, or who .... whatever action you wish to mention. Jesus repeatedly mentions faith. However, I submit it is not just any faith. It is faith in God.
There is another insight in this passage that I have never heard preached. It is a central insight. Right in the very center of this verse, read in Greek, is the word “prayer” or “proseuxomai.” Mark is written in a chiastic form that always points to the most important thought right in the middle. In the middle of the book is the passage about who Jesus is and the saying “take up your cross and follow me.” That middle passage is the point of the book. The middle of this passage is the word prayer. That word for prayer means “coming before God.” It is sometimes used of worship and often used for prayer.
The insight is that it is our coming before God, our connection to God, our reliance/trust/faith in God/ our speaking the words of God that make the whatsoever possible, that create miracles. Yes, let's have faith. Yes, let's speak in line with that. But very centrally, let's get close to God.
We can face the biggest thing in our lives with our connection to God, our faith, and our word, and command it to be gone, where we will never see it again. Not moved across the road. Not merely taken down a notch, but a mountain rooted up and thrown into the sea – of forgetfulness. Amen. Our commands have power because we move in the authority that Jesus brought back to us, that God gave humans at creation. It was always God's plan that humans have authority to spread the Kingdom, the Garden of Eden throughout the earth.
Similarly, in this ministry, let's keep prayer – a real connection to God – the center of what we do. Yes, we believe for miracles. Yes, we attempt to speak blessing. Yes, we are going to remember to forgive and accept forgiveness. Especially since we are just learning. We are still young in this, children in training and not yet Sons fully grown. So please forgive our shortcomings. But we, we will resolve to come before God. Our reliance to, connection with, authority from God is the central point.
Please join with us, in blessing children, educators, and parents. Let's say what we pray. Let's have faith in God.
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