So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” Mark 11:22-25 (NKJV)
One day Jesus was walking along with His disciples when He spoke three astonishing words: whoever, whatever and whenever.
WHOEVER
“Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain…” I love the ‘whoever’ references in the Bible. God could easily have limited the scope but He used the all-inclusive word “whoever” in several passages. None is blocked or barred. For example:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)
Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. John 4:14 (NKJV)
Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 7:24 (NKJV)
WHATEVER
“Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV)
God’s Word reveals His will. Jesus made it clear:
“If you live in Me (abide vitally united to Me) and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7 (AMPC)
WHENEVER
“Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” Jesus is not changing the subject here. He is still talking about prayer. He now links it with forgiveness. Many people ruin their health and their lives by taking the poison of bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness. Wounds can fester into infections if left untreated. That’s exactly how unforgiveness works. Whatever was done to us pierced our skin, but if we keep prying it open and looking at the wound, it won’t be able to heal. Don’t sabotage your prayers by harbouring unforgiveness in your heart.