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"THESE PRAYER REQUESTS
HAVE NO POSTAGE ON THEM - RETURN TO SENDER!" |
In the Spirit I saw many
prayers ascending upward towards 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 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 drop
back down to earth as though they were bouncing off the ceiling from where they
were being prayed. I saw in heaven 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" on the front door was
written in gigantic letters the scripture Philippians 4:6 - "Be careful
for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with 'thanksgiving' let
your request be made known unto God!"
The Prayers
Weren't Making It - They Needed Thanksgiving!
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 room 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 a postage stamp 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" (Phil 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
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 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! 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 anybody!"
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!
I sensed the Father saying,
"As you are thanking Me, go ahead and start
treating the lost as though they were already saved. Start living as though
your prayers are already answered! 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!"
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.
We Can Stop Praying Now!
As he knocked on the 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. We can stop praying now!"
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, "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 in that prayer room - here is what they say to Rhoda: "You
must see his ghost!" In other words, "We don't believe it!"
You Will Never See It If You Don't Believe It
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! "Whatsoever things you ask in prayer, believe
that you receive them and you shall have them."
I personally believe there are some prayer meetings that need to be broke 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 will probably live much longer!
Prayer with thanksgiving proves to God that we believe we are going to receive
what we are asking for.
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!
by Bill Yount
Web: www.billyount.com
Email: theshofarhasblown@juno.com