Sign It, Date It and File It: Praying Specific Prayers of Faith
Dr RJ Sing, 35 min, Part 4 of What Faith Is
Originally recorded as “What Faith Is, Part 4”
Sermon outline
Faith is a law that works every time: you release it with your words and your actions, and you build it by putting the Word first and staying hungry for it.
Main text
- Mark 11:23-24
- Hebrews 11:1-3
Opening
He says, 'We have been, over the last few weeks, talking on the subject of faith', learning its fundamental principles, and prays that God will think through his mind and speak through his mouth. He takes Mark 11:23-24 as his foundational scripture again, saying it became his favourite scripture through Kenneth Hagin's books. Then, 'like I've done last week', he defines more of the words he will use along this journey of faith so that there is no confusion about their meaning.
More words defined: tithes, offerings and alms
A tithe is one tenth of your income. Israel acknowledged God as the source of their provision through it, and it is still a way of honouring and worshipping him. Offerings are an integral part of our relationship with God and must follow the example he gave. Alms are gifts to the poor, over and above tithes and offerings, and Jesus showed that giving to the poor and needy is giving to God and laying up treasure in heaven.
“When we give to the poor, we give to God.”
Debt cancellation, firstfruits, vows and sacrifices
It is not God's will for Christians to live under a heavy bondage of debt, and Scripture shows him supernaturally cancelling the debts of his people. Firstfruits are the first and very best of what he has given, offered in expectation of his increase. Vows are voluntary and holy, and unfulfilled vows cut the flow of blessing. The old covenant sacrifices reveal keys to how God expects us to worship him with our offerings today.
Illustration: From his own experience: at first you wonder whether planting finances into the kingdom really works. When he tried it and it worked, his faith shot up and it became an adventure.
“Whenever we give to God, we are never impoverished.”
What is faith? A substance, a spiritual force and a law
He repeats that the Bible is not a book to help you endure but to help you make decisions that create changes, a book for doing business with both God and man. Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Romans 3:27 speaks of the law of faith, and a law never fails, so there is no need to be anxious that your faith will not work.
“So faith being a law works every time.”
- Hebrews 11:1-3
- Romans 3:27
How faith is released: words release power
Reading Mark 11:22-25, he says it is self-explanatory: put it into practice and you will see the blessings of God. The Holy Spirit lives in the born-again believer, and abusive, perverse or reckless words grieve him. The Proverbs and Psalm 89:34 teach us how to talk, so speak sound words that bring a blessing and not a cursing.
Illustration: He had this problem early in his own Christian life. As he became conscious of it, he used perverse words less and less until they left his vocabulary altogether.
“I started to speak words, words that brought life.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:13-14
- Mark 11:22-25
- Proverbs 4:24
- Proverbs 12:18
- Proverbs 13:2
- Psalm 89:34
Victories speak, and crisis also speaks
When you have a victory, celebrate it: it tells you that you are a champion and your faith shoots up. A crisis speaks too, by asking questions. Do not fold up, cave in and fall down. Ask who you should consult, what your options are and what you can do, and you will come to the solution. Along the way he urges viewers not to let offence keep them from the house of God.
“Instead of being part of the problem, you start to find solutions.”
- Psalm 122:1
Action releases power
Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourself. Put very simply, do what it says. Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light.
“Just do the word of God.”
- James 1:22
- John 3:21
How to pray specifically
Faith-based prayers must be specific, not shooting in a hundred directions, so that it is clear exactly what you require. Some prayers go unanswered simply because they are not specific. Keeping a record of answered prayer over the months and years builds your faith from little faith to great faith.
Illustration: He learned from other men of God to write down his needs on a prayer of agreement form. He and his wife agree, bind Satan from coming against the agreement, sign it, date it and file it, and celebrate when the answer comes.
“Some of our prayers are not being answered simply because we're not specific.”
How is faith developed?
Put the Word first place and make it final authority: if it calls you healed, blessed and prosperous, then you are, and whatever it says you can do, you can do. Meditation builds the capacity of faith and acting on the Word builds faith. Decide to live by faith and decide to live by love. Forgive easily, do not be easily offended and walk in humility, and your faith will work quickly.
“I have found that my faith doesn't work when I walk out of love.”
- Galatians 3:11
- Galatians 5:6
Remembrance: stay hungry and honour those who taught you
He tells again how he was a devout Hindu who heard a voice at 21 or 22 telling him to look for a pastor, and then gives credit by name to the men and women of God who shaped him. Kenneth Hagin taught him faith, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland prosperity, and Benny Hinn the anointing and the Holy Spirit. He was filled with the Spirit in a Reinhard Bonnke meeting. That, he says, is how faith is built: be hungry for the Word, attend meetings and keep listening.
Illustration: He flew all the way to Cape Town to find a meeting where Dr Mike Murdock was preaching, just to hear him. He also names Ray McCauley and the Rhema conferences, Tim Storey, Charles Nieman, T.D. Jakes, Joyce Meyer and Myles Munroe.
“I am the sum total of little parts of all of these great men of God, men and women of God.”
- John 7:38
Putting it into practice
- Highlight Mark 11:23-24 and meditate on it until it becomes part of you.
- Give up perverse and reckless words and speak words that bring life.
- Celebrate your victories, and in a crisis ask what your options are and who you should consult.
- Write down specific prayer requests, agree on them, sign, date and file them, and celebrate the answers.
- Stay hungry for the Word, walk in love, and go back to church as soon as it is possible.
Closing
He says he will stop there and pick the teaching up again next week. He asks viewers to raise the right hand, touch the television screen or place a hand across the chest, adds his agreement to theirs and prays that every request will be granted and that the blessing of the Lord will rest on every home where Jesus Christ is honoured. He admits he was 'getting carried away a little bit', urges viewers to return to church as soon as it becomes possible and legal, and signs off with 'remember that Jesus Christ is Lord'.
In his words
- “So faith being a law works every time.”
- “Don't let offense keep you away from the house of God.”
- “Some of our prayers are not being answered simply because we're not specific.”
- “I have found that my faith doesn't work when I walk out of love.”
- “I am the sum total of little parts of all of these great men of God, men and women of God.”
Every scripture in this message
- Mark 11:23-24
- Hebrews 11:1-3
- Romans 3:27
- 2 Corinthians 4:13-14
- Mark 11:22-25
- Proverbs 4:24
- Proverbs 12:18
- Proverbs 13:2
- Psalm 89:34
- Psalm 122:1
- James 1:22
- John 3:21
- Galatians 3:11
- Galatians 5:6
- John 7:38