Episode 160
Having True Faith in God
“When you allow doubt from the enemy to creep into your mind, then no fruit can be born. No good thing comes from doubt“ - Wesleyne
Matthew 21:18 to 22:
Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
In Matthew 21:18-22, we witness an intriguing episode in Jesus' ministry, where He encounters a barren fig tree on His way back to the city from Bethany. Hungry and seeking fruit from the tree, Jesus finds it fruitless despite its lush appearance. In response, He curses the tree, and it withers immediately. The disciples, astonished by the rapidity of the tree's withering, prompt Jesus to explain. He responds by emphasizing the power of faith and prayer, asserting that if they have faith and do not doubt, they can command even a mountain to be thrown into the sea, and it will be done. Furthermore, He assures them that whatever they ask for in prayer with faith, they will receive.
Today, you will glean several spiritual insights. The fig tree, full of leaves but bearing no fruit, can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual hypocrisy or empty religiosity – an outward show of piety without the genuine fruits of faith. Jesus' cursing of the tree serves as a warning against such superficiality in our spiritual lives. The immediate withering of the tree underscores the consequences of being spiritually unproductive. On the other hand, Jesus' subsequent teaching on faith and prayer is an encouragement.
It emphasizes the limitless possibilities available to those who genuinely trust in God's power. The mountain-moving faith that Jesus speaks of is not about literal geographical shifts but about overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges in our lives. This passage, therefore, serves as both a caution against spiritual complacency and an encouragement to cultivate a deep, unwavering faith that believes in the transformative power of prayer.
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