During my intense battle with Stage IV metastatic melanoma, I had plenty of time to surf TV stations. I often heard preachers encouraging people to speak to obstacles and command them to go away, and if they believed and didn’t doubt, God would do it for them. I’ve heard other preachers call this type of teaching, Prosperity Theology; or Name it and Claim it; or derisively, Blab it and Grab it. So who to believe here?
If you tuned into Israeli media 2000 years ago, you would have heard of a controversial, young “faith preacher” who was teaching the same basic concept – “Speak to obstacles; tell those obstacles where to go; believe and don’t doubt and God will do it!” But I paraphrase, let’s quote him:
And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. – Matthew 17:20
“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 will be granted him. – Mark 11:23
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”- Matthew 21:21-22
It’s likely Jesus proclaimed the mountain-moving offer on three separate occasions to demonstrate it’s not some “one-off” teaching. Yet why are these passages on prayer perhaps the most ignored of all of His instruction? For many, Jesus’ teaching on faith and miracles should be relegated to another time, some other place. When some do address their relevance for today, they end up “balancing” them into oblivion. I don’t think Jesus intended this approach to His Word.
In future blogs, I plan to revisit questions on Divine Healing; God’s will; miracles for today; and promises on healing. Yet today, might we agree that Jesus intended to stir up greater faith with these passages? Meditate on them for a few minutes and allow yourself to absorb His words. Perhaps we can all admit that the “Buts” and “Balances” mentioned above could be classified as doubts, the very thing He’s discouraging in these passages?
So with the boldness of faith which Jesus cheered frequently during His days on earth, I offer three observations from these passages for those who are hungry to pray – Jesus’ way:
1) Jesus is not teaching us how to ask, but rather how to command! Do you ever command in prayer – for anything? No? So perhaps baby steps for you then, right?
2) Do not doubt; believe what you command will happen! I encourage myself to quit overthinking, just do my part and speak to obstacles, and believe God will do His part. I can’t control Him, but I can do what He asks me to do, even with imperfect mustard seed-sized faith. Speak to that mountain!
3) He teaches us to extend this approach to ALL of our prayers. Note the last passage cited above, Matthew 21:22 – “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Wait. “All things”? Then how about healing cancer, that’s a “thing”? To us, cancer is an impossible mountain thing, but it’s “no thing” to God!
Perhaps you’re thinking I don’t know what I’m talking about. Perhaps God used our bold prayers to give me a story, and dare I say, a road map for others. The doctors gave me days to live in 2003, yet we “foolishly” commanded my Stage IV melanoma to be cast into the sea. That was fifteen years ago and here I am in 2019.
I’m determined to pray as instructed by Jesus and to watch what happens. Join me, if you dare, in telling cancer where to go!!!
Lord, we want to experience ALL of your amazing promises!
Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved by Joe & Terri Fornear.
Scripture quotations from the NASB.
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*Do you know “The Two Ways to Get to Heaven“?
*¿Tu sabes “Dos Maneras de Ir al Cielo“?
I stand with you.
Heavenly Father, I command every cancer cell in my body to be cast out, I believe all things are possible thru you Lord, I believe your word is relevant to me today and you can and will cause this cancer to leave me and to never return in Jesus name!
Amen
Amen, Alena, I love your faith from when we first “met” you online! We stand with you too that all cancer will be completely removed as we ask in the authority and Name of Jesus!
-Joe Fornear
Thanks Joe, it will be a challenge going forward and commanding prayers for cancer healing. I will start with baby steps.
It is a challenge to our faith, Kirk, to behold the audacity of the promise here and struggle daily in how to grow in faith. Lifting you up to our Father now and speaking to any cancer to be picked up and thrown into the sea. May it be so as we come in the Name of Jesus!!
-Joe Fornear