By Andrew Williams – July 22, 2022
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.
Mark 11:25 AMPC
Good morning fellow disciples.
What comes to your mind when Jesus says: “And whenever you stand praying”?
My first thought was that Jesus was saying that standing for prayer was a normal stance. Be on your feet when you are praying.
Then I thought to myself, “What does it mean to stand?”
Stand is defined as: “to support oneself on the feet in an erect position”.
So, my first thought was correct. But, there are other definitions of the word. I choose another.
Stand is defined as: “to take up or maintain a specified position or posture”.
I like this definition! Let us insert it into the phrase “And whenever you stand praying”.
It now reads: And whenever you to take up or maintain a position or posture praying.
Do you take up a posture so that you can pray?
Do you take up a specific position to pray, in order to make your prayers more effective?
Do you maintain that posture?
How should you stand in prayer? What posture/position should you take up and what posture/position should you maintain?
Do you remember the previous verse?
For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. Mark 11:24 AMPC
You should “stand” in faith! Your posture should be that of total belief, trust and, confidence that God has granted your answer!
Our prayers need to be thoughtful, deliberate and purposeful. It should not be something that we just recite, it should not be something that we just say without thought, and it should not be something that is done from lack of fellowship with God.
When we stand to pray we need to be in right standing with God as the rest of the verse says. When we stand to pray we need to be in right standing with others.
Prayer: Father God, I take up my position in prayer. I stand before You in faith, having the full confidence that You will answer. I stand before You repentant. I stand before You seeking forgiveness and offering forgiveness to others.
I stand in prayer based on my relationship and fellowship with You. I stand in prayer knowing that our conversations will lead to greater abiding with You. I stand in prayer knowing that my intercession for others will lead to their salvation, healing and, deliverance. Amen
As we put on the whole armour of God, we stand in faith and purpose.
Great lesson from the fig tree.