What you need to believe about your prayers

“You’ve got to start believing that your prayers are powerful.”

I stopped. For days, weeks and months, I’d been taking this particular concern to Him in prayer.  How many times, I could not say. But He, He knew the number.  He could count the petitions I’d whispered as I walked along the path.  As I drove from here to there.  As I lay in bed at night. He knew. Oh, Jesus knew.

“You’ve got to start believing…”

In the weeks and months since that encounter on the road, He’s confirmed this message in various ways and through different people,“Start believing.” And in the weeks and months that followed, this simple, but profoundest of truths has risen to the surface, taking root within my heart. That is this, that sometimes in the oft-repeated petitions, there is unbelief.

There are times and seasons for persistence in prayer. For certain things, God, in His omniscience, asks us to prevail long, for there is something formed within the character of man (and of woman) who long must wait and long must ask.  But at other times…

The faith that trusts itself wholly to Him; that believes she has the mind of Christ; that knows for sure he is asking according to His will, that faith may rest.  “Ask what you will,” Jesus said, “and it shall be done.”

Slowly, but surely, my heart is learning this truth – this thing for which I ask (nay, this thing I need) has been covered in prayer. Every petition’s been caught right up into His golden bowls. Not one’s been lost. Not one unheard. Not one dropped down. Not one.

Now, believing that my prayers are powerful, my faith can rest, moving to the giving of thanks for the answer that is to come. Instead of saying, “Please do (this), Lord,” I must say, “Thank You that You are (doing that), Lord.”

And now you. For you today who’ve petitioned long; who’ve waited and cried and prayed and begged. To you He also says, “It’s time. You’ve got to start believing that your prayers are powerful.” And then you rest. Turn from the asking, instead giving thanks to the One who’s heard each cry, who’s caught every prayer in those golden bowls. The One who’s moving heaven and earth on your behalf.

Believe, rest and praise. That’s power.