From the Daily Dose Journal Series

Believer when you pray

“Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”  ~ Mark 11:24

Have you ever ordered something online and then checked the tracking information every few hours? You already know it’s on the way, but somehow looking at it again makes you feel like you’re helping. Prayer can be a little like that. We ask God for something, then the next day we ask again, and the next day again, almost as though He didn’t hear us the first time.

In today’s scripture reading, Jesus teaches something different. Notice one small word in this verse, “when.” He didn’t say, “Believe you receive when you see the answer.” He didn’t say, “Believe you receive when everything finally changes.” He said, “Believe that you receive when you pray.” That one word completely changed the way I pray.

There was a time when I asked God for the same thing every single day. I wasn’t praying in expectation. I was praying as though I needed to keep convincing Him to answer. Then I realized Jesus had already told me when faith begins. It begins the moment I pray in agreement with His word and promises.

When I have sincerely brought my request before my heavenly Father, I don’t have to keep asking Him for the same thing over and over because I’m not sure if He heard me or not. Instead, from that moment on, I choose to believe that I’ve received what I’ve asked for, even though I haven’t seen it yet. It is on the way from heaven into this world.

Think back to the fig tree earlier in Mark 11. Jesus spoke once. He didn’t come back every fifteen minutes and curse it again. He didn’t wonder whether His words were working. He believed what He said, walked away, and expected the results.

The disciples didn’t see the evidence until the next day, but Jesus never doubted what had happened. That’s the picture of faith. Faith receives first. Then faith sees the results later.

There are certainly times when we continue praying as the Holy Spirit leads us, especially when interceding for others or praying through situations. But when we’re standing on God’s promise, there comes a point where asking becomes believing, and believing begins thankfulness.

Thanksgiving is one of the greatest expressions of faith because you don’t thank someone for something they haven’t given you. You thank them because you believe they have.

Instead of praying, “Lord, please heal me.” Faith begins saying, “Father, thank You that You heard my prayer. Thank You for Your healing power and that it is working in my life.”

Instead of praying, “Lord, please provide.” Faith says, “Father, thank You that You are my Provider. I believe I’ve received what I’ve asked in agreement with Your Word.” That doesn’t mean we’re pretending circumstances have changed. It means we’re choosing to agree with God’s Word before our eyes see the evidence.

Here are a few practical ways to put this truth into practice today.

• Pray specifically, believing God hears you the first time.
• After you’ve prayed, begin thanking Him instead of repeatedly asking for the same thing.
• When doubt tries to creep in, go back to His promise instead of your circumstances.
• Speak words of faith instead of words of worry.
• Keep your expectation on God’s faithfulness rather than on what you currently can see or can’t see.

Faith believes first. Thanksgiving follows and waters the seed of faith that was first planted. Then, in God’s timing, the answer becomes visible in this natural world.

Today I want to encourage you to believe you receive when you pray. Don’t wait until you can see the answer before you believe God has heard you. Bring your request to Him in faith, then begin thanking Him for His faithfulness. Let thanksgiving replace anxious repetition and let confidence replace doubt. God’s Word is true whether you can see the evidence today or not. Believe you receive when you pray, continue thanking Him, and expect to see His promises become reality in His perfect timing.

Today’s Scripture Reading: Mark 11:20 – 24

20Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 

21And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

22So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 

23For 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. 

24Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Journal:

• Is there a prayer I’ve continued to repeat because I’ve struggled to believe God heard me the first time?
• What concern do I need to confidently place into God’s hands today?
• How can I replace worry with thanksgiving while I wait for God’s answer?
• In what ways have I seen God work behind the scenes in previous situations?
• What would change in my attitude this week if I truly believed God was already working on my behalf?