Ending Petition, Beginning Proclamation

“A promise is the end of petition, and the beginning of proclamation.” – Graham Cooke

We pray in petitions when we ask God to do something. A petition is an asking. Petitions are good. Jesus told parables to encourage us to petition. See the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8, for example. It begins, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” God wants us to petition.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Often, God gives us a promise about our situation before he actually acts to end or move in our situation. Sometimes it comes as a prophetic word from a friend or pastor. Other times he just drops it in our spirit, especially when we're reading his word.

At that point, it's the end of petition. God has said “yes”, and he has given us a promise, often about how he'll move in the situation. Very often though, his promises don't contain when, out of his great love for us.

Out of his great love for us, he gives us this opportunity to exercise faith and believe him and his promise in the face of our situation. And when we do believe God's promise in the face of the enemy's lies and spin about out situation, it spiritually pokes the enemy in the eye. And it shuts him up.

We still pray about our situation, but the prayer changes from petition to proclamation. We're no longer asking God to do something, we're praying back to him what he said he would do. And in the process, this proclaims his promise to the heavenlies. It gives any demons hoping and working for the contrary fair warning to get out of way. God is about to move.

This is how we practically apply our faith. Pray petitions until you get a promise, and then switch your prayers to proclamation.