Pray For Anything!

[Jesus said,] “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”

Mark 11:24

THIS IS A verse that often confuses those who read it. When new Christians come across Jesus’ promise to “pray for anything, and . . . it will be yours,” they may get excited and begin sending all kinds of requests and petitions toward heaven—new cars, new jobs, new houses, new gizmos, and maybe even a new spouse or new children.

Mature Christians have learned (often by trial and error) that such prayers don’t work, but they can still feel perplexed whenever they encounter this verse. What did Jesus mean? How can he so clearly state that we can acquire “anything” when it’s so obvious from personal experience that such prayers almost never come to fruition?

As with most promises in the Bible, this verse needs to be understood in relation to its context in Scripture. Jesus and his disciples were walking the road from Bethany to Jerusalem when they encountered a fig tree that Jesus had cursed the day before (because it wasn’t bearing any fruit). The fig tree was withered and dead—a sight that amazed the disciples. The plant had shriveled and died simply in response to Jesus’ words!

Jesus used the disciples’ amazement as an opportunity to teach them about faith. When we make requests of God, we must do so with a genuine belief that God is capable of accomplishing what we ask—that’s faith. We may not get the car we’re hoping for, but we can confidently approach God with our needs and believe that he can provide.