Prayer and Promises

The Promise 

When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. 

— Acts 4:31, MEV 

The Testimony 

The early disciples prayed for the Holy Spirit, and they received it; and then what did they do? They preached the word. 

My brethren and sisters, this is our work. We are to be his witnesses, not merely by word of mouth, not simply by preaching Christ, but by living the truth, by having the living Witness in our hearts. 

We are living in the last days, in a time when we may expect much from the Lord. These words should bring us to the throne of grace to claim great things of him. Here the promise is given that on the men and women and on our sons and daughters the Holy Spirit is to come; and “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” This brings to view a wonderful work to be done, for which we need the converting power of God in our hearts every day. It is our privilege to experience this. Heaven is full of blessings, and it is our privilege to claim the rich promises of God for our individual selves. We need to seek the Lord day and night that we may know just what steps to take, and just what we ought to do. 

As we see the wickedness of the world brought to light in the courts of justice and published in the daily papers, let us draw near to God, and by living faith lay hold of his promises, that the grace of Christ may be manifest in us. We may have an influence, a powerful influence, in the world. If the convicting power of God is with us, we shall be enabled to lead souls that are in sin to conversion. 

My brethren and sisters, I beseech of you in the name of Jesus of Nazareth that you spend much time in prayer, and in searching the Word, that you may understand the promises that have been held out before you. 

Promise after promise is given, assuring us of the fulness of power that God has, and yet we are so weak in faith that we do not grasp the power. O how much we need a living, earnest faith in the truths of God’s Word!… Heaven is full of the blessings that we need, and yet but a small portion of the Spirit’s power is manifest among us. O, we need to awake! We need to be converted anew each day. We need to seek for a faith that will lay hold of the arm of Jehovah. 

— The Review and Herald, April 1, 1909 

The Response 

I call upon Your name, O Lord, emptying my heart of self and asking for Your Holy Spirit to fill me that I may be converted anew and my life may be a living witness to the truth. Forgive my weakness of faith that keeps me from grasping the power of Your promises. I need to know what to do to lead souls to Christ. In the name of Jesus I lay hold of the blessings of Your promises that I may speak Your word with boldness and that Your grace be manifested in my life.