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“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).

Prayer is not complicated, but there are a few basic principles that “must” be adhered to if our prayers are to be successful. One of these principles involves the issue of time. If we have a request of God, when should we expect the answer?

There are many types of prayer, but we are going to briefly discuss “the prayer of faith.” All prayers should be prayed with faith, but not all prayer is the prayer of faith.

A prayer of faith is a prayer that is based on God’s word, and the prayer comes from a stance of assurance. In other words, the prayer of faith says that I already have what I am asking God for. Before praying the prayer of faith, we have already received a confirmation from God’s Spirit, and from God’s word, that God has approved our request. The prayer of faith brings into physical manifestation what God has already given us in the spiritual realm.

The main issue is to believe that we have received the answer when we have prayed. In other words, we do not believe that we have received the answer only when we see the physical manifestation of it. And we do not petition God as if he “will” answer us, the prayer of faith knows that he “has” answered us. We know that the spiritual reality is far greater than the physical realm because the physical is created and sustained by the spiritual.

Do not sabotage your prayers by waiting for physical evidence. To pray the prayer of faith is to pray believing that God has already done what you have asked of him. Your part is to maintain this belief until you see the physical manifestation of your desire or need.