Prayer and Promises

The Promise 

Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you will have them.”

— Mark 11:22,24, MEV 

The Testimony 

We feel very anxious that you should be kept from sinful ways and evil habits. Satan has great control over the minds of the young, generally, because they do not go to the true source for strength to resist his temptations, and to overcome. God loves to have children put their trust in him, and ask him to help them. The promise is, my dear boys, “Ask, and ye shall receive.” Believe ye receive the things ye ask for, and ye shall have them. Now in the first place you have the promise that if you ask you shall receive. Then think what you most need to overcome. Acquaint yourselves with your failings, and then as you feel you cannot overcome in your own strength, ask God to help you. By doing this you acknowledge your own weakness, and throw yourselves upon God’s arm. He will sustain you in your efforts to do right. But be careful and do not rely too much on your own strength and efforts. Ever realize that Satan is continually trying to lead your young, inexperienced minds to do wrong. In order to resist his temptations, you must rely upon a power stronger than your own. “Believe ye receive the things ye ask for, and ye shall have them.” Do not merely come to God and ask; but believe that he will do just as he has said he would. As you ask, believe he answers, and believe you do receive strength from him.

Learn to trust in God. Learn to go to him who is mighty to save. He knows what you need before you ask him; but he has made this your duty, and the duty of every one of us, to come to him and ask him in confidence for what we need. We must comply with the conditions laid down in his word, namely, “ASK.” Tell the dear Saviour just what you need. He that said, “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not,” will not reject your prayer. But he will send his angels to guard you and protect you from the evil angels, and will make it easy for you to do right. Then it will be much easier than if you should try in your own strength. You may ever feel like this, I have asked God to help me, and he will do it. I will do right in his strength. 

— An Appeal to the Youth, p.54,55 

The Response

Father God, I am full of weakness and cannot overcome my failings in my own strength. I rely on Your strong power, for You are mighty to save. I claim Your promise and comply with the condition to ask for the things I need. Thank You that I may trust in Your word, I throw myself upon Your strong arm!