Lesson 37: The Faith that Takes, part 3
“And you shall have them.” That is, the gift which we first hold in faith as bestowed upon us in heaven will also become ours in personal experience. But will it be needful to pray longer if once we know we have been heard and have received what we asked? There are cases in which such prayer will not be needful, in which the blessing is ready to break through at once, if we but hold fast our confidence, and prove our faith by praising for what we have received, in the face of our not yet having it in experience. There are other cases in which the faith that has received needs to be still further tried and strengthened in persevering prayer. God only knows when everything in and around us is fully ripe for the manifestation of the blessing that has been given to faith. Elijah knew for certain that rain would come; God had promised it; and yet he had to pray the seven times. And that prayer was no show or play but an intense spiritual reality in the heart of him who lay pleading there, and in the heaven above where it had its effectual work to do. It is “through faith and patience that we inherit the promises.” Faith says most confidently, I have received it. Patience perseveres in prayer until the gift bestowed in heaven is seen on earth. “Believe that you have received, and you shall have.” Between the have received in heaven, and the shall have of earth, believe: believing praise and prayer is the link.
And now, remember one thing more: It is Jesus who said this. As we see heaven thus opened to us, and the Father on the Throne offering to give us whatsoever we ask in faith, our hearts feel full of shame that we have so little availed ourselves of our privilege, and full of fear lest our feeble faith still fail to grasp what is so clearly placed within our reach. There is one thing that must make us strong and full of hope: it is Jesus who has brought us this message from the Father. He Himself, when He was on earth, lived the life of faith and prayer. It was when the disciples expressed their surprise at what He had done to the fig-tree that He told them that the very same life He led could be theirs; that they could not only command the fig-tree, but the very mountain, and it must obey. And He is our life: all He was on earth He is in us now; all He teaches He really gives. He is Himself the Author and the Perfecter of our faith: He gives the spirit of faith; let us not be afraid that such faith is not meant for us. It is meant for every child of the Father; it is within reach of each one who will but be childlike, yielding himself to the Father’s Will and Love, trusting the Father’s Word and Power. Dear fellow-Christian! let the thought that this word comes through Jesus, the Son, our Brother, give us courage, and let our answer be: Yes, Blessed Lord, we do believe Your Word, we do believe that we receive.
Prayer: Lord, we now look up to You to teach us to take and keep and use this precious word of Yours: “All things whatsoever you ask, believe that you have received.” Blessed Jesus, it is Yourself in whom our faith must be rooted if it is to grow strong. Your work has freed us wholly from the power of sin and opened the way to the Father; Your Love is ever longing to bring us into the full fellowship of Your glory and power. Your Spirit is ever drawing us upward into a life of perfect faith and confidence; we are assured that in Your teaching we shall learn to pray the prayer of faith. You will train us to pray so that we believe that we receive, to believe that we really have what we ask. Lord, teach me so to know and trust and love You, so to live and abide in You, that all my prayers rise up and come before God in You, and that my soul may have in You the assurance that I am heard.