The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.”
Mark 11:12-14 NLT
“The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!” Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 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 11:20-25 NLT
1. Get your heart right! Faith is of the heart, and you need to protect, guard and keep your heart pure before God in order to have your faith alive! (Verse 25)
- Jesus gave us a new life, a new heart, He washed away our sins.
- “Love does no wrong to one’s neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.” Romans 13:10 AMPC
- No bitterness, unforgiveness, jealousy, hatred (Gal. 5:19-21) – but love!
- No lust, worldly compromise (2. John 2:16-17)
- Pure heart, clean heart, holy life (2. Cor. 6:17)
- Clean conscience and motives! (2. Tim. 2:22)
2. Not just to spectate, or see others live this life, but to have faith ourselves! (Verse 23)
- Jesus spoke to His disciples: You can live like this, you can have faith, you can speak, you can pray and believe!
- You make your faith work!
- Faith makes prayer function!
- Speak! Pray! Believe! See big things!
- Faith brings results!
Your faith will be tested
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
James 1:2-4 KJV
Jesus turned to His disciples, and said:
“Now you go ahead and have faith!”
It’s time to make your faith work!
Additional scriptures:
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:17 KJV
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
Matthew 21:21-22 KJV
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6 KJV
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Romans 10:17 KJV
“And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”
Romans 4:19-21 KJV
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Romans 12:3 KJV
“We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;”
2 Corinthians 4:13 KJV