No 'Postage' on These Prayers - "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!"

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, Phil. 4:7 "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." 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.

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."

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 was reminded 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, named 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. As he knocked on the front door, an 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 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! "Whatsover 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 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!

Next time you pray, try putting a postage stamp of 'thanksgiving' on your request. I promise you, you will enjoy prayer time a lot more and you will probably live a lot 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!

Bill Yount

(26 May 2004)

Back to: The latest page