Prayer and Promises

THE PROMISE 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

— Ephesians 3:14,16,19, NASB 

THE TESTIMONY 

If, with these promises before us, we...would come to Christ with the simplicity of a child coming to its earthly parents, and ask for the things that he has promised, believing that we receive them, we should have them. If all of us had exercised the faith we should, we would have been blessed with far more of the Spirit of God in our meetings than we have yet received. 

Will the teachers of truth set the example? God will do great things for us, if we by faith take him at his word. Oh that we might here see a general humbling of the heart before God! 

Will you, my ministering brethren, grasp the rich promises of God? Will you put self out of sight, and let Jesus appear? Self must die before God can work through you... in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, your wills must die; they must become as God’s will. He wants to melt you over, and cleanse you from every defilement. There is a great work to be done for you before you can be filled with the power of God. I beseech you to draw nigh to him that you may realize his rich blessing 

Shake yourselves from every human prop, and lean heavily upon Christ. You need a new fitting up before you are prepared to engage in the work of saving souls... Jesus says, “Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” Light is shining from that door, and it is our privilege to receive it if we will. Let us direct our eyes within that open door, and try to receive all that Christ is willing to bestow. 

Each one will have a close struggle to overcome sin in his own heart. This is at times a very painful and discouraging work; because, as we see the deformities in our character, we keep looking at them, when we should look to Jesus and put on the robe of his righteousness. Every one who enters the pearly gates of the city of God will enter there as a conqueror, and his greatest conquest will have been over self. 

As workers together for God, brethren and sisters, lean heavily upon the arm of the Mighty One. Labor for unity, labor for love, and you may become a power in the world

— Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 1886, p.136-138

THE RESPONSE 

With God’s promises before you, come to Christ in faith with the simplicity of a child coming to its earthly parents and ask for the things He has promised.

Set the example. By faith take God at His word that He will do great things for you. Humble your heart before God. 

Grasp the rich promises of God. Put self out of sight that God can work through you to let Jesus appear. Seek to be cleansed from every defilement.

As a worker together for God, lean heavily upon the arm of the Mighty One. Labor for unity, labor for love and become a power in the world.