26/03/2024
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mark 11:24 NIV
Now let’s but this into the proper context. Jesus is not endorsing the modern Word of Faith movement. Nor is He suggesting that God operates as a cosmic vending machine, doling out wishes. Believing that God will answer our prayer is not a spell that we place on God so He must give us what we want. The context of the promise of prayer is God's ordained ministry, if we ask with the right intentions (James 4:1–3) and within God's will (1 John 5:14–15). The Bible promises "if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him" (James 1:5). If we pray for wisdom first, and ask in God's will, we will receive what we ask for. If we ask without wisdom, we won't ask according to His will, and have no reason to expect such a request to be granted.