Jesus said: “Whatever things you desire, when you pray, BELIEVE THAT YOU RECEIVE THEM, AND YOU SHALL HAVE THEM.“

In the latter part of this Scripture, Jesus teaches us how to receive. He reveals the principle of receiving. In Matthew 7:8, He says:
“For everyone who asks receives.“

In John 15:16, He lets us know that we are chosen and appointed to receive answers when we pray:
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.“

Jesus has never lied to anyone. He has always been clear and succinct in His communication and never ambiguous. He said what He meant and meant what He said. On this occasion, He declared: “For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8 TLB).

So, what is the issue with many people? Why don’t they receive? Prayer is pointless if there is no receiving. Praying without receiving is mere religion, and religion gives you nothing.

Many people have entered Christianity with a religious mindset. They see prayer as a time for a religious monologue; they spend a lot of time engaging in prayer, but in the end, they become frustrated because they do not receive answers.

Of course, there are different kinds of prayers, and I have addressed this in another book. Not every prayer is a request. However, this book specifically deals with requests.

When you pray, God answers you. Therefore, all you have to do is believe that you have received what you asked for. As I said, God answers when you pray, but it is up to you to receive. There is an attitude of faith that determines whether or not you receive answers to your prayers.

Suppose you have prayed and asked God for something specific. If you truly believe in Jesus’ words, after praying, you must immediately rejoice, celebrate, and declare: “Wow! Thank You, Jesus! Glory to God, I have what I asked for!“

Even if your request is not visible to your physical eyes, you should act as if you already received it from the moment you prayed.

This is what Jesus said. This is the principle of receiving—you start acting and demonstrating your faith by rejoicing and praising God for your miracle…

This text is an excerpt from the book “HOW TO MAKE YOUR FAITH WORK” written by Chris OYAKHILOME.

We invite you to read the next article, “LITTLE FAITH AND GREAT FAITH.”