You Can Pray For Anything

Jesus Says the Disciples Can Pray for Anything.

Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. I assure you that you can say to this mountain, 'May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. Mark 11:22-25

The kind of prayer that moves mountains is prayer for fruitfulness of God's Kingdom. It would seems impossible to move a mountain into the sea, so Jesus used that picture to say that God can do anything. God will answer your prayers, but not as result of your positive attitude. Other conditions must me met:

You must be a believer.

You must not hold a grudge against another person.

You must not pray for selfish motives.

Your requests must be good for the good of God's Kingdom.

To pray effectively, you need faith in God, not faith in the object of your request. If you focus only on your request, you will be left with nothing if your request is refused.

Jesus, our example for prayer, prayed, "Everything is possible for you...Yet not what I will, but what your will" ( Mark 14:36 ). Our prayers are often motivated by own interests and desires. We like to hear that we can have anything. But Jesus prayed with God's interests in mind. When we pray, we should express our desires, but want his will above ours.

Check yourself to see if your prayers focus on your interests or God's.

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2

Always be joyful.

Keep on praying.

No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1Thessalonians 5:16-18