Subject: Prayer - Mark 11-12

Mark 11:20-25 (ESV Strong's)
The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree
As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Subject:  Prayer

Prayer is an essential weapon in the hands (knees?) of the believer.   We are told to arm ourselves with the Sword of the Spirit and with the Shield of Faith, praying always:

Ephesians 6:16-18 (ESV Strong's)
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Being "alert" and "persevering" in prayer is also stated by Paul to the Colossians believers:

Colossians 4:2 (ESV Strong's)
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Jesus taught us to pray and in the above text tells His disciples that prayer is effective when we have faith (believing) and when we have a pure heart (forgive those around us).  When we harbor a lack of forgiveness in our hearts we can't expect God to meet our needs, request, or our supplications.   Christ tells us that we should make sure we come to Him for needs and expect Him to meet those needs.  James must have remembered these words when he wrote the following:

James 1:6-8 (ESV Strong's)
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.