Building your faith through prayer

It comes as no surprise that the world is getting worse over time. 2025 has proven to be one of the most difficult years for many people. Joblessness is climbing as people lose their jobs and political turmoil seems to be pushing us ever closer to a global conflict.

On May 1, president Trump made that day the National day of Prayer. Symbolic but also necessary in time like we have now.

When you ask people if they pray for things, many will tell you that typically they only pray when necessary, as if it couldn’t hurt to at least bring God into the issue or situation. Most of the time they feel whatever will happen will pass or they have the ability to work out the issue or situation themselves. The end result may not always be what they wanted or expected. Sometimes in their lack of faith they waste time and effort when we are told to put our trust in God.

Jesus told us what to do for all situations and issues. This is found in Mark 11:

22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Faith in God is the key to answered prayers. The answer is always according to God’s will but oftentimes we can alight with His will through our faith and miracles can happen. Especially when we ask and believe we have received it already.

Old bibles used to have a section where you could list answered prayers. I used to keep a list of answered prayers when I was young. It is something I plan to do again. Those answered prayers are what builds your faith. When you record them you see that God did answer you, in some cases gave more than what you asked for in a good way. At times I can definitely say He did make impossible possible for me when I asked. I admit it took some time to happen in certain cases.

So why do we hesitate to ask for things? Sometimes it’s a lack of faith, sometimes it’s a desire to control because we like to be in control. Sometimes we are afraid the answer is “no.” Sometimes we are not sure if we are asking for the right thing or the right reasons for it. We like to sometimes believe we did the impossible when more than likely it was God doing it. Regardless of Jesus, His son tells us to still ask and believe you will receive.

Praying a mountain be thrown in the sea is asking for the impossible to be possible. The key is it can happen though God, not by our own efforts or anyone else. It can happen when in faith we believe it will happen.

So if you are facing the impossible or you want what seems impossible to happen, by all means give it to God. He knows what you need before you ask, he knows your desires and nothing is impossible for Him. It just takes us believing in Him to make these things happen!

Your Brother in Christ,

Steve Koenig

Lakeshore Fellowship