What is the "Prayer of Faith"? One of the easiest ways to define something is to discover what it is NOT. The opposite of the prayer of faith is a prayer of unbelief. Why would someone even bother to pray a prayer of unbelief? Usually a person thinks the act of prayer or repetition of prayer and begging God will finally change His mind or get Him to give in. Jesus said in Matthew 6:7, "And when praying, do not use needless repetitions as the Gentiles do, for they expect to be listened to because of their multitude of words."
It is so common for God's people to fall for the misconception of false humility that feeds their lack of importance. Let's just set the record straight here. Jesus did not die for what He did not value. If you were not valuable, He wouldn't have wasted His time enduring a brutal death on the cross. His very sacrifice points to the reiterated fact that is replete through the Bible that we are valuable to God.
Some Christians are notorious for downplaying the Holy Spirit. Many churches lock Him in a box of tradition or just ignore Him. Others treat the third person of the Trinity as if He magically appeared in the book of Acts like a genie out of a bottle and then vanished after the early church was established. And strict cessationists deny that the Spirit works in miraculous ways today. Yet Luke, who recorded the account of Pentecost in the book of Acts, paid close attention to the work of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel that bears his name.
People will go to extraordinary measures to protect their treasured belongings. They install security systems with cameras and alarms on their houses and businesses for protection against thieves stealing their valuables. They have smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to protect their families against gas leaks and fires. As Spirit filled believers, we have a priceless treasure: The Holy Spirit dwelling within us, yet we underestimate the value of this gift.
God can restore whatever you've lost. And He wants to bring forth something beautiful. This world is hard. It's filled with people full of hurt and pain. Five minutes watching the news or scrolling through social media and you'll quickly be reminded of the brokenness of humanity and our deep need for a Savior. Many are dealing with the emotional pain of abuse or past hurts—pain that prevents us from enjoying the good life God has planned for us.
"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, which He promised afore through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 1:1-4).
In the final moments of his life, Jesus, battered and broken on a cross, uttered words of incredible grace to a man who had lived a life of sin. In what would become one of the most profound demonstrations of divine mercy, Jesus extended forgiveness to a criminal—a thief whose life had been defined by wrongdoing. This act, as captured in the Gospel of Luke, has long baffled and inspired those who contemplate its meaning.
Often, many people view the resurrection of Christ merely as a historical event that supplies us with Christian doctrine without understanding the vast implications it has for believers. The following points attempt to make the implications of the resurrection of Christ more real and practical to us.
Angels are an intrinsic and dynamic part of the Christmas story. Christmas simply would not have occurred without these God-sent messengers from heaven. We don't know if the angels were clothed in flowing, white robes, if they had a halo that sparkled, or even if they flew with wings into the Christmas scene. What we are assured of, however, is these angels carried the heart of God concerning the momentous event that was about to take place.
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." Matthew 11:28–30 MSG
