Prayer and Promises

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. — John 15:7, NKJV 

We have most precious promises in the word of God, which ought to give us courage and confidence. 

It is not enough to say, “I believe;” we must exercise the living faith that claims the promises of God as our own, knowing that they are sure and steadfast. The enemy of our souls would be glad to steal away these precious promises from us, and cast darkness before our eyes, so that we should not be able to appropriate the good things that God means that we shall have. God is waiting to do great things for us as soon as we come into a right relation with him; but if we hold ourselves in doubt and unbelief, the enemy can keep the control of our minds, and intercept the promises of God. Unbelief always results in a great loss to our souls. It was said concerning one place where Christ visited, “He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” Christ cannot work in our behalf if we do not manifest faith in him. We should train our souls to have faith in God. 

Suppose that at times we are destitute of the joy we should like to experience, can we not feel assured that the promises of God are still yea and amen in Christ Jesus? The promises of God do not rest upon feeling. 

We need to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We must educate ourselves to talk faith, to pray in faith, and to abstain from dropping one seed of doubt and discouragement… We must have light in ourselves. Do not believe anything simply because others say it is truth. Take your Bibles, and search them for yourselves. Plead with God that he will put his Spirit upon you, that you may know the truth and understand its principles. If you gain an experience of this kind, there is nothing that will turn you from the truth. You will be like Daniel in the lions’ den, and like Joseph in Pharaoh’s prison. 

God wants every one of you to turn from your iniquity, and connect with him, the source of all wisdom and truth, that when you open your lips the words of Christ may flow forth. Shall we not let the Spirit of God come among us, and flow from heart to heart? 

— Signs of the Times, November 11, 1889 

Father God, I turn to Your precious promises for courage and confidence. My faith is in You, not me. I open Your word pleading for the Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind. I want to connect with You and grow in Your knowledge, for Your words are the source of all wisdom and truth. I will not give way to my discouraged feelings but will trust in Your promises which are sure and steadfast in Christ Jesus!