“Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry.
Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Matthew 21:18-21.
Here is an example of what scholars call Matthew compressing events. In Mark chapter eleven the cursing of the fig tree takes place over Monday and Tuesday. In Matthew it’s seems to be instantaneous.
How long it took however doesn’t matter the lesson here is one of faith. Jesus says,
“I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
All believers in Christ have faith. It’s through our faith that we are saved.
The disciples had faith. They believed Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. They had faith I believe like most Christians in great quantity.
Here Jesus however is talking about the depth of our faith however. There’s a difference.
Jesus says “if you have faith and do not doubt.”
I believe we all doubt despite what we think.
It’s that doubt that sometimes stops things from happening when we pray and act in faith. At times also we pray for the wrong thing.
Some people have said to me Jesus says, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
We must remember it is important for us to pray for the will of God to be done. Jesus states in the Lords prayer, when telling us how to pray, pray,
“your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10.
God knows what is best for us.
When I was diagnosed with cancer the doctor was surprised I didn’t get upset. I simply said I’m in God’s hands. My wife said the same thing.
We believed God would direct me to the right doctors at the right time.
It’s just the way we’ve started to think in the almost forty years we’ve known the Lord.
God did direct my path. I got an excellent surgeon who caught it all in time.
Then thirty-seven days later when I was rushed to hospital with what the doctor said was huge blood clots on my lungs and groin, side effects of the cancer surgery, the right doctors were there for me.
My church was I know praying for me during the eight days I was in hospital and I had a chance to witness to people I met in hospital.
Honestly I’d never intended to witness, but while in hospital I followed my normal routine of reading morning devotionals, and the bible.
The fact that I had a bible next to my bed sparked discussion from people that came into the room.
It was a hard time in my life at one point my life was in the balance but God brought me through it pain and all.
Now I’m not super spiritual in any way I’m just a simple Christian trying to do what God wants me to do.
I like anyone have doubts, and fears from time to time but I’ve learned to pray and put my trust in God.
I honestly don’t see great miracles happening in my life. But I do see the hand of God in the little things and that’s what strengthens my faith.
I also remember the teachings of Jesus when I pray who instructed his disciples and through them us, how to pray saying,
“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.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:9-15
Think about it.
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