By Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel

James 1:6-7 “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.”

No matter the length or number of hours you spend praying, you cannot get anything from God if you are not asking in faith according to the Scriptures.  From the above Scripture, we are instructed to ask in faith. And that we will not receive anything from the Lord except we ask in faith. Simple enough right? So, let’s do it then.

HOW DO WE RECEIVE BY FAITH?

Mark 11:22 “Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will” happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”  The right way to receive by faith is completely spelled out in this verse above.

1. IF YOU PRAY FOR ANYTHING. That includes anything you need personally. In this case, only your own faith is involved. If you are praying for others then it is a different matter. They may not even agree with you or believe that God has answered. We discuss this in the segment on PRAYER OF AGREEMENT BELOW BECAUSE TWO OR MORE PEOPLE ARE NOW INVOLVED.

2. THE SECOND CONDITION IS IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU’VE RECEIVED IT. This is where many falter. They do not believe they HAVE RECEIVED IT. They base their proof of receiving on what they see or feel. So, like Thomas, until they see things change or feel some kind of physical reaction, they will not believe they have received it. But our Lord said, “IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU’VE RECEIVED IT”. IF means that the manifestation of your answer is contingent on whether or not you believe that you have received it. There is no other condition spelled out here. It does not depend on how you feel or what you are seeing and visions you see or do not see. It does not depend on any prophet saying one thing or another. JUST ONE CONDITION. It is just simply dependent on your BELIEVING YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT,  REGARDLESS OF ANY OTHER REALITIES! When you fulfill this condition then we go to the third one.

3. THEN IT WILL BE YOURS!!! We have three steps to receiving according to our Lord Jesus. AGAIN, LET’S GO THROUGH THEM.

• • PRAY FOR ANYTHING.
  • BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT.
  • THEN IT SHALL BE YOURS

LET US LOOK AT WHAT OUR LORD JESUS SAID REGARDING PRAYING WITH SOMEONE ELSE FOR SOMETHING. THIS IS GENERALLY CALLED PRAYER OF AGREEMENT.

• Matthew 18:19 “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” IT SPELLS OUT JUST ABOUT THE SAME THINGS WE DISCUSSED ABOVE FOR THEM TO RECEIVE. Because two people are now involved, then two of them have to agree that they have received what they prayed for and then they shall have it. In the first one above it is one person praying for something according to the will of God. And he or she needs to believe that they have received it then they shall have it. In this situation, it is the two people praying for something that need to agree they have received it, then it shall be theirs. Let us see what the Scripture says is how they receive.
• • • They are two and on earth.
    • They ask about anything.
    • They agree they have received it.
    • Then they shall have it. It shall be done.

WHAT IS THE AGREEMENT ABOUT? GUIDED ALSO BY (MARK 11:24), we understand this verse better. It is to agree that they have RECEIVED IT. Then they shall have it. But if they do not agree that they have received it, there is no agreement and there is no faith and they will not have it.

THE PLACE OF TONGUE IN RECEIVING: The place of the tongue in receiving from God and keeping your blessings cannot be overemphasized.

• Matthew 12:37 “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words, thou shalt be condemned.”.  IT IS WITH OUR TONGUE; WITH OUR MOUTH WE AFFIRM WE HAVE RECEIVED IT! When we receive something, we say so, then it becomes ours

• Ps 107:2 “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy” Our words will either affirm that we have received it or deny that we have received it. Your words will produce your reality in life. You have what you keep saying.

Here is an example from Christ.

• HE LIFTED THE BREAD AND FISH TO GOD AND RECEIVED THE ANSWER AND SAID SO BY GIVING THANKS, then IT MANIFESTED. HE WAS NOT LOOKING AT THE FISH OR BREAD TO INCREASE IN SIZE OR DOUBLE. HE ALREADY GOT THE ANSWER AND HE GAVE IT OUT TO THOUSANDS AND IT FED THEM. Mark 8:6 “And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.”
• ABRAHAM RECEIVED ISAAC BY FAITH AND WAS GLORIFYING GOD FOR HIM Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

WHAT YOU SAY IS WHAT YOU BELIEVE, AND THAT IS WHAT WILL BE YOUR REALITY

• Matt 12: 34 “You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.”
• Matt 9:29 “Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”

THE SECOND PART OF RECEIVING BY FAITH IS THAT YOUR ACTION MUST AGREE WITH YOUR WORDS.

You cannot be saying one thing and your actions say the opposite. Your actions will either endorse your words and make them true and legitimate or your actions will disagree with your words and make your word mere vain words. Abraham believed and disregarded any contrary narrative about him and his wife. He did not call for more prayers or go to God to remind God to be faithful. He simply believed and gave thanks and acted as he had it. His action confirmed his faith in the word of God. Actions speak louder than words! If you say you have received, then let your action underwrite your words consistently. Do you act like you really have it? Can someone tell by your actions that you truly believe you have it?

After Jesus lifted the little fish and bread to the Father. He did not wait to see if it would increase in quantity. He acted on what He believed. He gave out the bread and fish immediately and it fed thousands.

 DAVID

• 1 Sam 17:45 David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 47 And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!”48 As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. 49 Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. 51 Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head.” 

1. 1. THE PROOF OF DAVID’S FAITH IS IN WHAT HE SAID IN VS 45-47 AND HIS ACTIONS IN VERSES 48-49. IF DAVID WAS HESITANT AND FEARFUL, ALL THAT HE SAID WILL BE VAIN AND HE WILL LOSE!!
   2. HIS ACTIONS PROVED HE BELIEVED WHAT HE SAID, HE RECEIVED THE VICTORY AND PREVAILED OVER GOLIATH.
   3. FAITH IS REVEALED BY WORDS AND ACTION. WE RECEIVE BY STEADFAST FAITH NOT BY DOUBT AND UNBELIEF.

Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel is the Senior Pastor at Fountain Of The Living Word Church, New Jersey.