Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
Another kind of prayer is the “prayer of faith.” This kind of prayer is not requesting something from God, but rather it is declaring by faith the will of God. Often times, people come to God with a heart of doubt and make “wishes,” as if they were tossing a quarter into a wishing well. They really don’t believe what they are asking, but they pray just in case there is a small chance that God will actually do something. This kind of wishful praying could sound like, “God, I am struggling in life because I’m broke and don’t have any money. I pray, if you can, to please help me pay my bills.”
Though God doesn’t look down on us because of our doubtful prayers, He does want us to grow in our faith and learn to pray according to His Word. In Psalm 23, David didn’t ask God to be His shepherd and meet his needs; David boldly declared in faith that God was his Shepherd and believed He had already met all his needs- He confidently prayed, “I lack nothing!”
Some skeptics and naysayers call this “make believe,” however, according to Peter, this kind of declaration is not based in “man’s wish list,” but rather, God’s “very great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4). When someone knows the will of God in regards to a situation like David did, one can boldly declare it, rather than doubtfully ask for it. For example, when Jesus walked the earth, He didn’t ask for sickness to leave, He commanded it to leave and people were instantly healed. Jesus didn’t counsel demon-possessed people; He cast the demons out instantly. Jesus did amazing things by the power of the Holy Spirit because He knew how to speak the Word of God.
Jesus taught His disciples how to have the same power and authority in Mark 11:23-24, “23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Jesus, also promised in John 14:12, that we would do greater works in number than His own miracles, because He would multiply Himself in His disciples.
The prayer of faith is not a self-centered “name it and claim it” wish; it’s a God-centered, “know it and speak it” declaration. You must first know God’s Word in regards to a certain situation to be able to speak it in prayer like David did. Here is how you could speak the prayer of faith in regards to your finances, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. I believe that He will meet all my needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus!”
Sometimes, we won’t see the results immediately. Other times, we will have to wait until Jesus comes back for everything to come to pass. But, either way, we are to be faithful and believe. A.W. Tozer wrote, “‘Let God be true [and] every man a liar, is the language of true faith.”
I believe the more you pray like Jesus, the more you will display God’s power like Jesus.
So what do you have to lose? Don’t wait any longer. Start right now and declare the promises of God in your life!
Reflection
Do you believe God will do what He promised He would do?
Action
- Pray and ask God to give you a specific promise in His Word for a situation you are facing in life.
- In faith, boldly pray and declare God’s promise over your life.
- Continue to speak God’s Word over your situation until the promise comes to pass.
