When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live. Faith does the impossible because it brings God to undertake for us, and nothing is impossible with God. Prayer projects faith on God, and God on the world. Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer move God.
"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever you desire when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them"
Think about this statement by our Lord--"Believe that you receive them, and you shall have them." This statement describes faith which realizes, that appropriates, which takes.
Is your faith growing or declining as the years go by ? Does your faith stand strong when iniquity abounds and the love of many wax cold. Faith is the foundation of Christian character and the security of the soul. When Jesus was looking ahead knowing Peter's denial was forth coming, he cautioned him against it and said:
"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, to sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not"
Jesus was declaring a central truth; it was Peter's faith he was seeking to guard; for he knew that when faith is broken down, the foundations of spiritual life give way, and the entire structure of our walk with Him falls. It was Peter's faith which needed guarding. Jesus was seeking to fortify Peter's faith by his own personal prayer and intercession.
Later on after his failure and maturing the Apostle Peter writes about the importance if faith and prayer:
"And besides this giving diligence, and to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness"
Peter does not encourage his readers to add works or gifts or virtues but faith. There is a divine order, of which Peter had come to know. He had come to know that every step of his divine calling required earnest prayer.
The faith which creates powerful praying is the faith which centers itself on a powerful person. Faith in Christ's ability to do and to do greatly, is the faith which prays greatly.
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