No doubt, Your parents cautioned you as a child about the disrespect involved in talking back. But there is someone on planet earth that you should talk back to every single time. He is the enemy of your soul and the hater of all things righteous. Talk back to the enemy. Backtalk devils, demons, and evil spirits. How? You do it using the prayer of faith.
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Different Kinds of Prayer
Ephesians 6:18 (NKJV) — 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
- Notice the words ‘all prayer’ in the front part of verse 18.
- ‘All prayer’ means all kinds of prayer.
- The TNIV reflects this in its translation.
Ephesians 6:18 (TNIV) — 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
- Pray on ‘all occasions’ with ‘all kinds’ of prayer.
- Different occasions require different kinds of prayer.
- One of the kinds of prayer a believer must excel at is praying about situations and needs that concern you.
Prayer for Your Needs – Prayer of Faith
Jesus Curses A Fig Tree
Mark 11:12–25 (TNIV) — 12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
Jesus Humanity
- Jesus was hungry.
- This fact proves His humanity.
- God on His Throne doesn’t get hungry as you or I do.
- He doesn’t order up a veggie burger to go with His angel food cake.
- However, in His heart, God is ‘all-kinds’ of hungry.
- He is hungry to see people come into a knowledge of His son Jesus.
- So a hungry Jesus, seeing this tree walks up to it.
- Notice another piece of language that shows Jesus humanity.
- Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit.
- Jesus walked up to the tree to see if there was any fruit on it.
- Didn’t He know there wasn’t any fruit on it?
- The answer is no He didn’t.
- That’s why He went to the fig tree to see.
- The lesson we learn here is that Jesus walked in humanness with the Holy Spirit as His guide.
- His dependence on the Holy Spirit is evident.
- We read some of the accounts where Jesus showcases His perception.
- For example, when He deals with the religious crowd.
Matthew 22:18 (NKJV) — 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?
- His perception was God-like.
- I say God-like instead of ‘as God’ because Jesus laid aside His abilities as God per Philippines 2.
- I say God-like because He received His ‘knowing’ from the Holy Spirit.
- It’s a thrilling fact for you and I because it shows us what is possible.
- We have the same Holy Spirit Jesus had.
- The same Holy Ghost that came on Jesus can come upon you.
- There aren’t two Holy Spirit’s, after all, only one.
- The Spirit of God invaded the earth in Acts 2.
- He hasn’t left.
Jesus Talks to a Tree
- So, a hungry Jesus walks up to this fig and finds out that He is in the presence of a barren tree.
- So He talks to it.
- Notice, how the gospel writer puts it.
- The ESV says, ‘He, meaning Jesus, said to it.’
- The KJV says ‘He answered it.
- Either way, the sterile condition of the fig tree demanded a response from Jesus.
- The tree spoke to Him.
- It’s rude when someone speaks not to speak back.
- So when barrenness spoke, Jesus answered back.
- Barrenness is one area where you can flex your prayer of faith muscles.
- Praying the prayer of faith is your answer to a barren situation that confronts you.
Sickness Speaks
- If you’re sick, your body is saying something to you.
- As a child of God, it is saying more to you than “I don’t feel well.”
- Sickness belongs to Satan’s realm.
- It doesn’t come from God.
Acts 10:38 (NKJV) — 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
- Sickness is an attack, an enemy attack pure and simple.
- It’s an attack on your body to slow down your work for God.
- It’s an attack against the Kingdom.
- But, it’s also a barrenness attack on your rights in Christ.
- The flu is saying something to you.
- It’s saying, “I have a right to be in your body.”
- “I have a right to make you miserable and steal your finances.”
- That’s what sickness is saying.
- It’s issuing a challenge to you, throwing down the gauntlet.
- And, it’s saying it right to your face, “I’m not leaving so, what are YOU going to do about it?”
- You can name any disease or the sickness.
- They all have their distinct voice.
- Bronchitis is saying, “You lack healing,” as you spit up green stuff.
- “As long as I’m here, you’re going to cough and choke your head off.”
- How are you going to answer that voice?
- Do you have the guts to talk back to it?
- Will you rise and answer with the prayer of faith?
Lack of Finances Speaks
- If your money is drying up, that flavor of barrenness is speaking to you also.
2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV) — 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
- ‘All-sufficiency,’ ‘abundance for every good work,’ do you hear that?
- Does that excite you to have what you need?
- If it does, give voice to the prayer of faith.
- Your adverse circumstance will not change unless you learn to talk back to lack.
- Giving the silent treatment won’t work.
- No, you must use your words.
- The prayer of faith is your end of the conversation.
Jesus Uses the Fig Tree to Teach the Prayer of Faith
19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. 20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” 22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and do not doubt in your heart but believe that what you say will happen, it will be done for you. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
The Tale of the Dead Tree
- So, Jesus speaks to the tree on His way to Jerusalem.
- He then ministers in the Temple.
- At evening, He leaves and goes back out to Bethany.
- On the way back to Bethany He passes the same tree, He spoke to earlier.
- Jesus and His disciples retire for the night.
- The next morning as they go along, the disciples notice the tree.
- Something about the tree is different, like mega different.
- The tree which was green yesterday is no longer in that condition.
- It is dried up.
- Jesus then takes this opportunity to teach the disciples about praying the prayer of faith.
- To be continued in next week’s blog.
Call to Action:
It’s time to rise up with sanctified backtalk in Jesus Name. Don’t roll over when the enemies circumstances rear their head in your face. Talkback and do it with the prayer of faith.
Question: How have you successfully thwarted an attack of the enemy? Sharing your testimony will help encourage someone else in their stand against the evil one. Please share your story in the comments section below.
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