Thanking God in advance is faith at its strongest and most glorious point.
Jehoshaphat put the choir in front of his men and sang praises to God when the army from Edom was marching toward him from beyond the Dead Sea (2 Chronicles).
He was not intimidated; he was motivated to pray and seek God for wisdom and not rely on his own power.
He remembered what God had promised.
He remembered how big God is and what he had already done in his life.
He remembered to be confidently expectant that God would act on his behalf in this situation.
Faith is not hoping God will hear us. Faith is not hoping God will act. Faith is knowing that God hears us and will respond.
God is imploring us to be confidently certain that he starts acting on our prayers the instant he hears our heart speak.
If we believe that God is who he says he is and will do what his Word says he will do…then how could we do anything but thank him in advance and expect him to answer!
This promise holds even if God’s answer is slow in coming or differs from how we envision the outcome. We still must be expectant that he will answer.
For me, I ask God for help in always being expectant for him to answer to my prayers. And I remember to thank him in advance for hearing my plea and acting on my behalf.
