Prayer Circles

I decided a few days ago to pick up a book that my wife had been reading called Prayer Circles. It opens up talking about a man named Honi, a Jew in first century B.C., that drew persecution from the prayers he supplicated to God.  Like Jesus, he was persecuted for his devotion to God, but the Lord heard his prayers.

As I continued to read the book first several chapters, I learned how specific prayers need to be.  Like Honi, Elijah and many other prophets, prayers were very specific and God heard those prayers, but so many of us, quit asking because He does not answer quickly.  I have been a participant in this.  I don't get the answer I want or no answer at, and I don't ask anymore or I forget to ask him, but I especially love praising through.

 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. In Joshua 6, it says

2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.

The Lord had yet to physically give the city of Jericho into the hands of Joshua, but He already did.  He had "delivered" Jericho already into their hands even though he still needed to march around the city.  Isn't this the way God works in our life?  He has delivered us already from some special event that we prayed for, but we still pray for it?  God has shown us that we if pray through, believe that it has happened already, God will bless us with our faithfulness.