When I was in college, I often prayed pretty experimental prayers. I liked to ask God for things just to see what would happen. One day, I was feeling exhausted. I had a friend who told me that she believed God would supply our every need if we rested. There was a big test for one of my classes coming up that afternoon, and everything in me told me I needed to cram for the exam. Instead, I listened to this still, small voice telling me to take a nap.
When I woke up just in time to rush to my test, I was worried. But I prayed and asked God to remind me of what I had studied the week before. Later, I found out I had received a perfect score. I thought this was impossible, but realized God had reminded me of every answer during the test.
Living a life of faith in God often means living a life that is opposite from the way the world works. The world tells us that we need to hustle, God tells us we need to rest. The world tells us our identity comes from what we do, God tells us our identity comes from who we are; His sons and daughters.
God often flips the script and Jesus did this in His conversations with the disciples.
Mark 11:24 is one of those conversations. Jesus tells them, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
This is a tough verse for us because it seems like it doesn't make logical sense. But in the kingdom of God, it makes perfect sense.
God asks us to see with eyes of faith instead of eyes that look at circumstances.
Ray Dare wrote this:
"Faith is not believing God can do something. Faith is not believing God will do something. Faith is believing God is doing something."
When we thank God before we receive our breakthrough in the natural or physical realm, we are really praying with true faith. We are believing that God is on His way, currently moving on our behalf.
When we wait until we thank God after we have received our breakthrough, we are simply expressing our gratitude. We aren't actually praying with faith, we are simply thanking God for what we have seen and experienced.
I think Jesus was inviting us to pray in true faith when He spoke to the disciples about this prayer. He asks us to have the confident faith that is certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:6), and to believe that our prayers are answered before we see and experience that answer.
If you are waiting on a breakthrough from God, instead of praying to God asking for that breakthrough, pray as if you have already received it.