Last year, I was praying and seeking an answer and intervention for a particular situation that was very troubling to me.

As I desperately sought the answer, I suddenly began to envision it happening right down to the exact details — what would it look like, sound like and feel like if it actually came to pass.

After picturing the scenario in my mind’s eye, I spontaneously began to thank and praise God for the answer.

My response surprised me.

I realized because it had been so real in my mind as I prayed my spirit responded with thanksgiving and praise before I even knew what was happening.

It was the same response that I would have felt seeing my prayer answered and fulfilled in the flesh. But in this instance it hadn’t happened yet. I believe this was a prophetic prayer.

The incident reminded me of a verse:

“Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the non-existent things that (He has foretold and promised) as if they (already) existed.”  (Romans 4:17 AMP)

I had meditated and contemplated on this verse many times in the past and suddenly it made perfect sense because of what I had just experienced in my spirit.

I had spoken of the non-existent things as if they already existed by placing myself in the scenario I so desperately desired.

Three months later this prophetic prayer was answered and became a reality. It was a miracle.

Although, my faith had not been particularly strong during that three-month period leading up to the answer, I was reminded of my experience when I had prayed my envisioning prayer.

I was greatly encouraged by this and began to pray with more feeling using all of my five senses to envision and experience the result I was seeking.

One of the earliest words used for prophet was “seer.”

⁹ (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called a seer.) (1 Samuel  9:9 NASV)

A seer was a prophet who envisioned. He saw pictures or scenes with his mind’s eye and these had a prophetic edge to them. Because the word prophet and seer are often used together (1 Chronicles 29:29), some believe the “seer” was a separate order among the prophets.

I know because of what I had seen there was no room for doubt because the envisioning was so real. I believe it was a “seer” experience.

There needs to be a prophetic element to our prayers and we need to embrace it when it happens.

The Bible tells us to earnestly seek the spiritual gifts, particularly the gift of prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1).