I was reading a Watchman Nee devotion today and it really challenged the way I am praying. The verse he used was Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24
Watchman describes his own prayer in two parts :
Part 1: Praying without any promise until the promise is given.
Part 2: Praying from the point where the promise is given , realized, and fulfilled.
It came to me during my devotion is that the answer to my prayer is like a package delivered. Some packages are just laid on our door step and we go out and retrieve them and others you have to sign for it.
Why do you have to sign for it? It may be that what is in the package is of great importance and the person sending it wants to make sure it got into your hands.
To many times Jesus comes to me in Spirit and Word to deliver something I have requested and Jesus leaves with the package. We had a nice chat about
- how great the package was
- what a wonderful surprise it was
- how I believed the package existed
- how cool that God sent me a package and that He sent His son to deliver it to me
The problem was, I did not sign for it. I did not receive what I had prayed for. I believed for it and stopped there. The feelings of belief interfered with my action to receive that which God had already promised and fulfilled. I didn’t sign for it in faith.
Your Turn
What have you been believing for but not receiving as fulfilled?
What can you change in your prayer or belief that would indicate you are receiving what has already been delivered to you?
What do you need to sign for right now for yourself, your family, your ministry?