Prayer and Promises

The Promise 

May the Lord be praised! He has given rest to His people Israel according to all He has said. Not one of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses has failed… He causes us to be devoted to Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commands, statutes, and ordinances, which He commanded our ancestors. 

— 1 Kings 8:56, 58, HCSB 

The Testimony 

The word of God is the foundation of our faith, and therefore it is by the word of God that we may obtain evidence of our standing before God. We are not to make our feelings a test by which to discern whether we are in or out of favor with God…for circumstances will be so arranged that feelings of depression will make the heart sad, then he will be naturally led to doubt that God has accepted him. It is not wisdom to look at the emotions, and try to test your spirituality by your feelings. Do not study yourself; look away from self to Jesus. While you acknowledge yourself as a sinner, yet you may appropriate Christ as your sin-pardoning Redeemer. Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance... Expel the suggestions of the enemy by contemplating the matchless depths of your Saviour’s love. 

It is the word of God that is to be your assurance. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”... The religion of Christ teaches its possessor self-distrust, but at the same time enables him to grasp the hand of Christ firmly, and still more firmly, as temptations press upon the soul. 

Inch by inch the overcomer must fight the good fight of faith, using the weapons of God’s word. He must meet the foe with, “It is written.” He must keep the armory well supplied with, “It is written.”… We may depend upon him under all circumstances. The word of God cannot fail, and in it we are to find our assurance. 

How can we possibly lead others to a full assurance, to simple, childlike faith in our heavenly Father, when we are measuring and judging our love to him by our feelings? We cannot be lifted up in thought, or know what it is to be the sons and daughters of God, unless we trust implicitly to the word of God, for Satan will ever be on the ground to dispute our claims. We must educate the soul to trust in God’s word with unwavering confidence. Let gratitude and thankfulness flow out of the heart…for he so loved us as to give his own life for us, that we should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

— Signs of the Times, December 3, 1894 

The Response 

My dear Lord, I praise You for Your unfailing promises. Your word is the foundation of my faith, my feelings are only feelings and I look to Your promises as my assurance. I turn away from self and look to Jesus. Thank You for the weapon of Your word that cannot fail. I grasp Your promise, “As many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the children of God.” I put my trust in Your word!