Faith and prayer

The Bible clearly teaches that there is a strong link between faith and answers to prayer.

That doesn't mean that God will give us what he doesn't want to give.  The apostle John declares that our prayers must be in tune with God's will (1 John 5:14-15).

But the scriptures are littered with stories showing the importance of faith in answers to prayer.

This is both inspiring and discouraging.  It is inspiring that God loves us enough to answer our heart cries.  It is discouraging because we may wonder: "Do I have enough faith to see answers to my prayers?"

That question forces us to think about what faith really is.

I like Andy Stanley's definition of faith.  It goes something like this: "Faith is believing that God is who he says he is and that he will do what he has promised to do."

If we believe God is who he says he is, we will know that he has the power to do more than we can ask or imagine.  And if we believe he will carry out the promises he makes in the scriptures, we will see all kinds of promises that relate to our needs.

Still, there are questions about how much faith depends on me and how much on God.  Christians have debated this for years.

Personally, I lean to the view of Charles S. Price, author of The Real Faith for Healing, who had a great healing ministry years ago in Canada and the U.S.

He notes that saving faith is a gift we receive when we yield ourselves to God (Ephesians 2:8-9).  He then points out Paul's words in Romans 12:3 that "God has allotted to each a measure of faith".  And he quotes the statement in Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus is the "author and perfecter of our faith".

In other words, Price says that our faith comes from God and we must ask for the faith which comes through the Holy Spirit.  As the father of the boy possessed by an evil spirit said to Jesus: "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)

That doesn't mean we are passive.  We act on the faith we receive from God.

Price says: "Faith acts - but the act comes from faith and not faith from the act."