Are you aware God does not respond to our need but He responds to our faith? Everything we receive from the Lord is through faith. On a particular day, Jesus was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a huge crowd surrounded Him. As they traveled on the road, a blind man named Bartimaeus was sitting on the road. When he heard it was Jesus passing by, he began to cry out for the Master. Numerous bystanders scolded Bartimaeus, urging him to be quiet, not to trouble the Teacher. But Bartimaeus shouted even louder. Watch what happens due to his persistent faith: Mark 10:49 So Jesus stood still.
Jesus had set to go to Jerusalem to fulfill what He had been sent to do, so He was focused on His assignment. Multitudes of people were surrounding Him, and I am sure most of them had needs. Yet their needs did not cause Him to stop and put a temporary hold on His mission.
However, this one blind man cried out for Jesus and would not be quieted; no adversity could shut him up. It was his voice, not the silence of the others, that caused the Master to stand still. Jesus then gave the directive: “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” (verse 49, NLT)
It’s obvious the people surrounding Bartimaeus were not nurturing. In fact, they were contrary to his cause but this didn’t discourage him because Bartimaeus would not be stopped in his faith. He threw off his beggar’s coat, jumped up, and hurried with some assistance to Jesus.
Hear what Jesus asked: What do you want me to do for you? (verse 51, NLT). What kind of question is this? A blind man, who has to be escorted to where Jesus stands because he can’t see, is asked what he needs. It’s obvious, so why does Jesus even need to ask? Is Jesus ignorant of his need? Of course not. Jesus desires to see evidence of
Bartimaeus’s faith. Remember, faith speaks. If Bartimaeus had said, “I know it’s too much to ask for my sight, but could you please heal the arthritis in my hand?” then that is exactly what he would have gotten.
I know this to be true by what Jesus states after Bartimaeus’s eyes are opened: Go your way. Your faith has healed you. (verse 52, NLT) It’s his faith that gets him in touch with the grace of God. There were other needs in the crowd, but his was the only one met. His faith spoke, and his faith received from God.
we can have a sincere heart yet not be in faith and that’s where some of our prayers are not answered. We have to be specific with what we desire from God from a place of faith. From the context of Scripture about Bartimaeus , all the people who surrounded Jesus on that day wanted more of God. That’s why they had searched out and were following Him, but only this blind man got his sight.
Without being specific in prayer, our time of prayer becomes fruitless because our faith is not directed toward a certain request. We have to learn how to be specific in prayer just like Bartimaeus, who knew exactly what he needed and spoke what he believed.
This principle of God responding to our faith rather than to need applies to all areas of life, whether it’s the ability to walk in holiness, live creatively, apprehend wisdom or inspired ideas, or receive healing or deliverance from habitual behavior—in short, to receive anything heaven has provided for our lives or, more importantly, for reaching our world with the gospel.
James 1:6-7 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.
Love ReinaBeaty
