Prayer is a matter of asking God for something by faith, resting in our knowledge of His power, might, and preeminence. When we make nothing of ourselves, but are prompted by our need to seek out His power, we can then receive by grace through faith.
The example of the centurion in Matthew 8 outlines the posture, the attitude which everyone of us takes in requesting something:
"And when Jesus was
entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
Notwithstanding his rank and authority, the centurion humbled himself enough to ask Jesus.
"And
saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
We do not need to minimize our need. We can be honest without being histrionic or manipulative.
"And Jesus saith unto
him, I will come and heal him.
Jesus is willing to meet our need, just as He did for the leper in Matthew 8: 4, who believed that Jesus could heal him, but was not sure that He would.
"The centurion answered
and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but
speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
In this verse, the centurion acknowledges, despite his rank and privilege, that He is not worthy to receive Jesus into his presence. He does not presume upon himself in any way to request something from Jesus, as if he deserves it. However, he is not afraid to ask. Not only does the centurion petition Jesus to heal his servant, but he has demonstrated a commanding awareness and knowledge of Jesus' infinite majesty. He believes that Jesus can heal his servant, and right there on the spot.
"For I am a man under
authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he
goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he
doeth it.
The centurion understands authority, which rises above good and evil, beyond the bind of law. He has magnified in his mind the authority which the Son of Man, God in the flesh, commands. When we as believers magnify the infinite power that Jesus possesses, sitting at the right hand of God the Father, justifying us and interceding for us, we manifest a great faith to ask anything according to His will.
"When Jesus heard
it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you,
I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Jesus was impressed with the centurion's great faith, that he would take Jesus at His word. Jesus is please also that we believe on Him through His Word (John 20: 29). Through faith, we please God, knowing that He exists and that He rewards those who inquire of Him (Hebrews 11: 6)
"And I say unto you,
That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham,
and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
"But the children of
the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.
This passage may seem obscure, and even cruel. Yet the children, referring to the Jews, were under law, many still convinced that their race or adherence to the law qualified them to receive from God. The Patriarchs lived before the Law was given at Mount Sinai, and the centurion was a Gentile with no conscience of the law. Recently, pastors have pointed out that throughout scripture, attempts to keep the law, as if one can earn God's favor, will actually frustrate God's grace from working in our lives (Galatians 5: 4)
"And Jesus said unto
the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto
thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour." (Matthew 8: 5-13)
God rewards our faith. When we approach God to ask Him for something, believe that we will receive it, then we can trust that we will have it (Mark 11: 23-24)
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