Prayer and Promises

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you shall be My witnesses. — Acts 1:8, MEV 

The work of the apostles of Christ was to educate and train men and women to publish the good tidings of the crucified and risen Saviour. Every soul converted to the gospel felt under solemn obligation to the Lord Jesus, to teach others the way of salvation. This is the spirit that should animate us; but there is a marked indifference upon this point in our churches, and this is the reason why there is not more spirituality and vigor in our Christian life. 

If you would go to work as Christ designed that his disciples should, and win souls to the truth, you would feel the need of a deeper experience and greater knowledge in divine things, and would hunger and thirst after righteousness. You would plead with God, and your faith would be strengthened, and your soul would drink deeper draughts at the well of salvation. Encountering opposition and trials would drive you to the Bible and to prayer, and then you would go forth as laborers together with God, to open the Scriptures to the people. You would grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the truth, and your experience would be rich and fragrant.  

When churches are revived, it is because some individual seeks earnestly for the blessing of God. He hungers and thirsts after God, and asks in faith, and receives accordingly. He goes to work in earnest, feeling his great dependence upon the Lord, and souls are aroused to seek for a like blessing, and a season of refreshing falls on the hearts of men. 

Let your light shine, and others will be kindled… Open the Scriptures to some one that is in darkness, and you will not complain of weariness and lack of interest in the cause of truth. Your heart will be awakened to an anxiety for souls, and joy in the evidences of the faith will fill your heart, and you will know that “he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” With living faith claim the promises of God. Has he not said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find...”? “But let him ask in faith.” 

— The Review and Herald, March 13, 1888 

Dear Lord, I want to be a laborer together with You. I have no abilities of my own to do this work, I come in humble faith pleading Your promise to receive the power of the Holy Spirit that I may be Your witness. Give me a deeper experience and greater knowledge in divine things. I earnestly ask for Your blessing and light. May a season of refreshing fall upon the hearts of Your people. In faith I claim Your promise, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find.”