Don't Stop Believing

 The hit single by Journey titled Don't Stop Believing sold about 18 million copies in the United States alone. People everywhere seem to know this song. If they hear it on the radio the volume goes up. If the song is played at a sports arena, people in the crowd will spontaneously begin singing. It is an epic song. 

That is not my focus. My focus today came from reading [Matt 21:22] this morning. Here it is. "And all things you ask in prayer believing you will receive." In recent days, I have spent much time reading in the Gospels. The power and authority of Jesus to deliver from demons, to heal, to teach, and change lives has captured my heart anew. My eyes locked onto this verse today and when I meditated on it I asked myself a hard question. Why am not experiencing the truth of this verse more often when I pray? 

I am not talking about any name it and claim it theology. I am talking about praying effectively. I researched every key word in that verse to discover where I might be failing. I will share those with you. 

The phrase all things mean everything. Most of us just glance over those two words. Those two words are game changers. All things encompasses every conceivable thing you could pray for. Now I understand that according to [I John 5:14-15] that we must pray in the will of God. In other words, we must pray according to the things God desires and intends to do for us. 

That having been said, all things is still a broad range of things God is capable and willing to do for His children who cry out in prayer. I don't know what that is for you. I listed six things in my prayer journal. All of them serious requests. Ones that I am burdened to ask repeatedly, seek relentlessly, and continuous knock on the doors of Heaven. Six things I am resolved to see answered. Six things that have gripped my soul like a vice and will not go away. Some of those six would appear to be impossible. They are included in the all things category. 

The word ask means to beg and or request. Anyone can ask. Even a child learns at an early age to ask. The key in prayer is learning to ask believing. The word believing means to trust and have faith. This is where I paused in prayer to ask God if I really believe the things I ask Him for. Am I praying in faith or am I just mouthing words hoping by chance that He might listen and grant my requests. 

Only God really knows the level of my faith. I think I have faith. I do not think I doubt when I ask for these six things, but God knows the truth. Some of them I've asked repeatedly for a while. No changes yet in any of those circumstances. Is it denied because God's answer is no? Is is delay because the timing is not right yet? Is is  due to my lack of belief? I don't know the answer. I know I want more faith. I want faith to match my requests. 

Faith can grow or shrink. The way to grow it is continually have to exercise it in various situations. This includes prayer challenges like the six things I am facing. To have a growing faith means God will continually stretch me to believe Him for more things and at times difficult things. 

The word receive is the most interesting of all the words in this passage. It has a passive connotation and an aggressive one too. The passive meaning of receive is to accept. I ask and then wait for God to give. The only other thing I do afterwards is accept His answer. The other meaning of receive means to take or seize. 

Don't get me wrong. When we pray we are in no position to demand or snatch anything from God He does not intend for us to have. To take and seize means praying with authority. It means taking a more aggressive approach to prayer by standing in faith on the promises of God. 

I do not understand why the church does not pray more authoritatively. It seems like we have conditioned ourselves not to expect answers. Doesn't receiving involve expectation. What is the point of asking God for something that we do not expect He will answer. That is like playing a game of random chance. 

It is my conviction that God is a promise keeper. That is the confidence I have in praying for such bold things as the six on my list. Jesus spoke the words of [Matt 21:22]. I did not conjure them up. Am I wrong to expect Him to do what He said? I think it must please God when we pray what He said. It demonstrates faith. It moves us way past wishful thinking, or random chance like wishing upon a star. 

I refuse to live as a believer who stopped believing. I choose to live as a person of faith who doesn't stop believing. To keep asking and expecting. May God be glorified by the results of those prayers.