Lesson of the fig tree:
“Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May you never bear fruit again!’ Immediately the tree withered.
“When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. ‘How did the fig tree wither so quickly?’ they asked.
“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
– Matthew 21:18-22
Does this passage mean that we can command mighty mountains to move and they will move??
No.
In this passage, Jesus is using a fig tree as an object lesson to teach about real genuine faith, and the power of prayer.
The fig tree, just like any other fruit tree, sets on little baby figs. The little baby figs get riper and riper until it is finally time for harvest. When Jesus came to this particular fig tree, there were no little baby figs. Meaning … there would not be any harvest at all when harvest-time came.
This fig tree is just like people who are very religious. These religious people claim to love God. They go to church. They claim to be a follower of Jesus. They look great by all outward appearances. Just as the fig tree looked great by all appearances … it was green and leafy.
But there was no fruit.
Jesus cursed the fig tree! … and it withered immediately. Not because Jesus didn’t like figs, or because he hated fig trees. Jesus was using this tree as an object lesson to show that He is against people who claim to be religious but have no fruit.
* “What good is it if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? … Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. … As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” – James 2:14, 17, 26
* “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin.” – 1 John 5:18
* “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.” – 1 John 1:5-6
* “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” – 1 John 4:19
* “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” – 1 John 4:8
The leafy, green fig tree, without any fruit, represents people who are very religious and look really great … but have no spiritual fruit. Jesus curses this!
The lesson of the fig tree is a combined object lesson to teach about real genuine faith … and the power of prayer!
* “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 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 what we asked of him.” – 1 John 5:14-15
* “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16
Does this mean we can ask that a mighty mountain be literally moved and thrown into the sea?
No. Once again this is an object lesson.
Jesus is teaching that when we pray, we can pray in confidence about “mountain-sized” issues.
Just like Jesus cursed the fig tree with total authority and confidence … and it happened … so also, this is how we are to pray! We are to pray with total authority in Jesus Christ, and with full confidence!
Does this mean we can ask for anything and everything, and get it?
No.
The above passage in 1 John 5:14-15 clarifies: “… if we ask anything according to his will.”
We must pray according to his will.
How do we do that??
How do we know what God’s will is?? How do we pray according to his will?
By the Holy Spirit.
* “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” – 1 Corinthians 2:10-1
We pray by the power and guiding wisdom of the Holy Spirit … with full confidence and authority in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
When we pray this way, mountain-sized issues can totally be moved!
But … we will never see answers to prayer on this magnitude if we are just simply a fig tree with nothing but leaves.
Prayer which is mountain-moving powerful only comes from a life which is bearing much fruit!
* “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” – John 15:8
* “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. … No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. … If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
– John 15:1-7
Prayer which is mountain-moving powerful only comes from a life which is bearing much fruit!
