Is Jesus preaching the Prosperity Gospel in verse 24? Is He telling us to “believe and receive?” Is He saying that if we just have enough faith, and demonstrate that faith by a large enough donation to the preacher, God will give us a Cadillac?

Well, that wouldn’t exactly fit with the lesson of the fig tree that we learned yesterday, would it? After all, the reason Jesus made the barren fig tree wither was in order to make a point about the equally barren Temple: worship that is focused on gaining material blessings, worship that is not joined to true faith in God, bears no fruit. And Jesus will not allow such worship to continue.

No, the self-centered focus of the Prosperity Gospel is the opposite of true faith. Instead, true faith in God is always grounded in gratitude for what we have already received. Far from presuming upon God’s grace to demand even more, true faith relies completely on God to supply whatever He thinks is best for us.

And because faith flows out of God’s forgiveness, verse 25 points out that it is always eager and willing to forgive those who have sinned against us. True faith is thus not self-centered but God-centered. It is not grasping and presumptuous but longs to share God’s gifts with others.

And if we have that kind of faith, a God-centered, humble, trusting faith, if we are in the right sort of relationship to God that verses 25 and 26 describe – living in a state of forgiveness with God and with one another – then of course if we ask God to do something, even something amazing and miraculous like moving a mountain, we should confidently expect Him to do it.

And why is that? Well, if our hearts and minds are so closely attuned to God’s grace, so closely aligned with God’s desires, whatever we want will of course be what God wants, what is truly best for us and for others and for God’s glory. If that’s the kind of relationship we have with God, and those are the kinds of prayers we pray, of course we can be confident that God will give us whatever we request. I mean, why wouldn’t God want to answer those kinds of prayers?

So, instead of treating God like a cosmic Santa Claus, demanding from Him the things we want, let us seek to offer prayers that are in accord with God’s will, that are devoted to His glory, and that are focused on the salvation and blessing of others. And then let’s stand back and watch: for the God that can make fig trees wither can also make even the largest mountains move.

Mark 11:20-26 (NASB)

20 And as they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up.
21 And being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.”
22 And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.
23 “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him.
24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you.
25 “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions.
26 “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”