I released this word a few years ago, but I believe it is so needed now. With all the praying are we praying God's way?
Return to Sender!
In the Spirit, I saw many prayers ascending upward toward the throne. I sensed that many of these prayers were being prayed according to the Father's perfect will. Many were prayers for gifts, callings, and destinies to be manifested. A majority were bundles of prayers for the lost, especially for family members. Many of these prayer requests were made up of strong cries day and night, and with fasting, that had become heavy burdens on hearts over the years.
As these prayers began to ascend, they seemed to go only so far and then would drop back down to Earth as though they were bouncing off the ceiling from where they were being prayed. I saw in Heaven something like a huge "heavenly post office," where prayer requests are received and where answers to prayers are sent out. At the entrance of this "heavenly post office" there was a front door on which was written, in gigantic letters, the Scripture found in Philippians 4:6, "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with 'thanksgiving' let your request be made known unto God!" (emphasis added).
As huge bundles of prayer requests came through the front door on the way to the throne room, I was appalled by how many requests were being stopped and never made it to the throne for answers. I heard a voice that shook me. An angelic postmaster general proclaimed, "These prayer requests have no 'postage' on them. Return to sender!"
In the Spirit I saw these huge bundles of prayer requests like letters that had no postage stamps on them. These could go no farther! The ones I did see going on into the throne room to be answered had postage stamps of "thanksgiving" on them. These ones became "priority" mail inside the throne room, and immediate confirmation of peace was sent to the sender with the following verse: "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
Before the answer of these prayers were manifested on Earth, the people that sent their requests with thanksgiving were receiving the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen. Because of the peace of God, they were receiving through the giving of thanks.
There Can't Be Thanksgiving Until There's Believing
Many prayers for lost loved ones never really reached their "heavenly" destination, not because people weren't praying, but because they simply were not believing that they would receive what they were asking for. Therefore, to be thankful was very difficult for them.
The Lord seemed to say, "Tell My people that many have already prayed and prayed and filled Heaven with their prayers for the lost and their loved ones. They actually need to stop praying and simply believe ME to save them."
"...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house!" (Acts 16:31
emphasis added)
I sensed the Father saying,
"Many are carrying a false responsibility, feeling that they are responsible to get their family members saved. May I remind you that you could not save your own self, and therefore, you cannot save anybody else. And since I saved you, I can save anyone!
Many who were faithfully praying for family members for many years were actually praying themselves into a state of depression. I sense the Spirit saying, "This kind of praying is not Scriptural! Begin to believe and start thanking Me that I am going to save them now. Thank Me that I am going to bring in the lost. Just send up some stamps of 'thanksgiving,' and I will stamp your prayer requests to forward them to the throne.
Start living as though your prayers are already answered!
"As you are thanking Me, go ahead and start treating your lost loved ones as though they are already saved. When you do, your life will become so full of thanksgiving and praise and worship, that you will begin to see My heavenly 'UPS' and 'FED EX' arrive, bringing speedy delivery from Heaven to impossible requests upon the earth. Praise and worship moves Me to do outrageous acts of blessings upon the earth!"
You Will Never See It if You Don't Believe It
I remembered when Peter was put in prison and the church was praying for his deliverance. There was also a prayer meeting going on for Peter in a woman's house. Her name was Mary. As the angel came and delivered Peter, he made a straight run to Mary's house. I believe he felt the power of their prayers.
As Peter knocked on Mary's front door, a handmaiden, Rhoda, answered the door and got so excited, she forgot to let Peter in. Rhoda ran inside that prayer meeting shouting, "Peter is at the front door!" (Acts 12:14). For some reason they didn't seem to hear her. Perhaps someone was giving a strong prophetic utterance about Peter's "soon" release. Again, I can hear Rhoda shouting something like, "Our answered prayer is at the front door. We can stop praying!"
Finally, Rhoda gets the prayer group's attention, and here is the spiritual temperature inside that prayer room – here is what they say to Rhoda: "It is his angel." In other words, "We don't believe it!" (Acts 12:15).
You can pray for a hundred years, but unless you believe that you are going to receive what you are asking for, you will never see it.
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24 NIV).
I personally believe there are some prayer meetings that need to be broken up. Many churches have prayer meetings, but few have "prayer-believing" meetings. It was easier for Peter to get out of prison than it was for him to get inside that prayer meeting.
Our Thanksgiving Proves Our Faith
Next time you pray, try putting a postage stamp of "thanksgiving" on your request. I promise you, you will enjoy prayer time much more, and you'll probably live much longer!
As a father, when my children thank me for something in advance, it's hard for me to get out of giving it to them! Prayer with thanksgiving proves to God that we believe we are going to receive what we are asking for. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List
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Bill Yount
Blowing the Shofar Ministry
Email:
theshofarhasblown@juno.com
Website:
www.billyount.com
Bill Yount has been a member of Bridge of Life Church in Hagerstown, Maryland for the past 40 years where he is in leadership. He faithfully served in Prison Ministry at Mount Hope Inc. for 23 years and now travels full-time, ministering in churches and Aglow circles. He is currently an Advisor at Large for Aglow International and is also a member of the Apostolic Company of Alliance International Ministries.
Bill's calling is to encourage the Body of Christ to move forward into God's destiny as they are sent into the harvest field. "Humility and Humor" characterize his ministry as he brings forth a fresh word that is "in season" proclaiming the Word of the Lord! The shofar or (ram's horn) is at times used in his meetings, breaking the powers of darkness over regions, churches and households.
The shofar represents God's breath blowing into the nostrils of His people, reviving them and awakening the lost as he travels across the U.S. Many of God's messages which Bill ministers prophetically, come out of every day life with his family and friends. Bill is also a member of the Apostolic Company of Alliance International Ministries.
