POWERFUL WORDS
Mark 11:22-24 NKJ
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
This is one of the teachings that Jesus gave that had to absolutely baffle His disciples. Jesus had encountered a fig tree in verses 12-14 that had leaves but no fruit. This is another example of Jesus operating as a man. He was not all knowing when He was on the earth. Seeing a fig tree with leaves, Jesus assumed there would be fruit. Fig trees with leaves typically came with figs. But finding none, Jesus spoke to the tree and said to let no person eat fruit from you ever again. You read that correctly. Jesus spoke to a tree, not about a tree, to the tree. It's in the Bible.
Now, in our verses for today, Jesus and the disciples walk past this same fig tree one day later, and the tree had dried up from the roots. When the disciples remarked about the tree being dead, Jesus used the tree as an object lesson. Jesus said that the disciples should have faith in God. Other translations read have the faith of God or the God kind of faith.
Jesus said, regarding the disciple's words, that if they believed in their heart that the words they said would come to pass, they would have what they said. Jesus repeats this principle in Matthew chapters 17 and 21. In Matthew 21:21, Jesus said, "Assuredly, 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 also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done." This is one of those statements that if Jesus had not said it, we would not believe it. But He did say it because this is a powerful spiritual truth.
Our words are very important. Proverbs 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue. Joy and I heard this teaching years ago when we were first married. In no way have we become experts, but we did learn to govern our words. We did not speak divorce over our marriage when the first few years were rough. We did not speak death when Joy was so sick, and her health was touch and go. We have learned to speak life. We are not taking credit for anything God has done, but we learned to give Him something to work with by the words we spoke. Make your words work for you, not against you. Give God something good to work with. Give Him your words filled with faith.
PRAYER
Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight!