“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread; will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? IF ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
Mathew 7:7-11
A good father will never give his child something that would harm him. Instead, parents work diligently to provide for their children and care for them. A responsible parent would not provide something deadly or hurtful. If we who are imperfect can be good parents and provide for our children’s needs, how much more will our Heavenly Father provide for us abundantly?
In the world people often believe that if something can go wrong it will. They believe that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. They are using faith every day. However, they often use their faith to believe for circumstances to go wrong instead of right. They believe they will receive the scorpion instead of the egg and the serpent instead of the fish. Like Job said, “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me.” Job 3:25 Fear is actually faith that the curse will prevail instead of the blessing. Faith has power to bring to pass what we believe in our hearts and say with out mouths, whether it be for the blessing or for the curse.
We must ask ourselves, are we believing for bread or for a stone? Are we believing to receive a fish or a venomous snake? The Lord is letting us know to believe for the blessing! He is showing us His character and that it is His will to bless us. In fact, we are told in Galatians 3:13-14: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. “
The Lord wants us to understand that we have been redeemed from the curse and that it is His desire to bless us. He wants us to know that He is a good Father. Jesus declared in John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” When we get the revelation that God wants the best for us, He wants us to live an abundant life, then it is easier to believe for the blessings. When we understood God’s heart for us, then we can believe His promises for our lives. When we face trials and tribulations, we can simply trust what Rpmans 8:28 declares: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” God is so good that He created the system to work for our good no matter what. All we have to do is take Him at His Word.
Instead of believing for the worst to happen, we must believe for God’s best. We must keep our thoughts and words lined up with what God says about us. In Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) the Lord says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Faith is a powerful force. It can work in the negative or the positive. Mark 11:22-24 “And Jesus answering unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which eh saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
You can believe for prosperity or lack, health or sickness. Faith coupled with our words has creative power. It’s even more powerful when coupled with God’s word. Faith will always produce results, whether positive or negative depending upon how you use it. If you use your faith to believe for the blessings, and you speak those blessings based on the promises of God, you will receive them. However, if you are using your faith to believe the curse, and you speak the curse, it can eventually come to pass as well. Therefore, let’s choose to use our faith for the blessings and allow our words to line up with God’s word. This is how Abraham received Isaac, by faith in God’s promise despite what he saw in himself. (See Romans 4). Therefore, let’s begin using our faith for the bread and not the stone, for the fish and not the serpent. Let’s remember that God is a better Father than even the most celebrated father on earth. Therefore, we can be confident in His goodness and faithfulness and that He truly will answer our prayers with good things. Use your faith wisely.
Further Reading: Hebrews 11, Mathew 6: 25-30, Romans 4, 1 Timothy 6:12, John 10, Galatians 3, 2 Corinthians 2:14
