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Matthew 21:18-22
In Matthew 21:18-19 we learn that Jesus was hungry but when He came to a fig tree without any figs, He declared (NKJV), “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” The Bible teaches us that the fig tree immediately withered. This may seem harsh of Jesus as it may not have been fig season – we simply do not know. But as we continue reading in Matthew 21:20-22, we learn that this is not a lesson about the hunger of Jesus, but a lesson in faith as Jesus is teaching His disciples. Jesus states, “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. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
This is a command to have faith with no doubting.
This is an example of the power of Jesus working through us in faith.
This is a promise to have faith in God’s will for our lives.
In John 15:5-8 Jesus states, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
Sometimes we get discouraged because we pray earnestly and do not seem to have our prayers answered as we desire. But we learn a very important lesson in Matthew 21:18-22, and we find support in John 15:5-8 for helping us to understand it better in the eyes of God, which is the important part, right?, not our will but God’s will for our lives – living in obedience to Him and His will for our lives over our own desires. God knows best what we need and what we do not need in our obedience to Him to bringing glory to Him through our lives. Sometimes, more often than not, we get off track of God’s plan for our lives and He has to stop us from some things that are not in His will for our lives. We do not have to understand why God does everything that He does because if we did, then we would be God, and our reliance on Him would be unnecessary. But that’s not the case as we need to seek God’s guidance every day, every moment.
But in God’s will for our lives there is much power through His Holy Spirit working within us as we continue in obedience to Him in seeking His will for our lives; we don’t always know what that is but if we have faith without doubting (Matthew 21:21-22) God will move mountains for us.
Dear LORD,
Please help us to see that this lesson is not about asking whatever we want from You but asking whatever we want from You that is in Your will for us. There is a big difference in the two as our desires spread through a vast array of wants and desires that may or may not be reflective of Christ Jesus and the kingdom of heaven. Please help us to have faith in Your will for our lives and that it would be reflective in our prayers to You and in our lives reflecting You and the salvation that we have received in Your One and only Son Jesus, the Savior of the world! In Jesus name I pray, amen.