Prayer and Promises

I have sought Your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise. — Psalm 119:58, HCSB 

It is hard for those who have been absorbed in looking at dark pictures of unbelief, to see anything else save darkness. May God help us to gather up the jewels of his promises, and deck memory’s hall with the gems of his word. We should be armed with the promises of God. Our souls should be barricaded with them. When Satan comes in with his darkness, and seeks to fill my soul with gloom, I repeat some precious promise of God… I repeat over and over, “Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines…yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” As I do this, the light of the glory of God fills my soul. I will not look at the darkness. 

We need a living experience. In faith we are only like little children learning to walk. As a child takes its first steps, it often totters and falls; but it gets up again, and finally learns that it can walk alone. We must learn how to believe in God. We are not to look at our feelings, but to know God by living faith. 

O that we might gather up our forces of faith, and plant our feet on the rock Christ Jesus! You should believe that he will keep you from falling. The reason why you do not have more faith in the promises of God, is that your minds are separated from God, and the enemy meant it should be so. He has cast his shadow between us and our Saviour, that we may not discern what Christ is to us, or what he may be. The enemy does not desire us to understand what a comfort we shall find in Christ. 

Yesterday morning I arose with an agony upon my soul, and I could only say, “Lord, thou knowest all about it. My heart is burdened, and thou knowest that I cannot bear this load. I must have more help than I yet have had… I can do nothing without thy help.” It seemed that as I prayed a wave of light fell about me, and a voice said, “I will be with thee to strengthen thee.” Since then I have been resting in Jesus. I can hide in him. I am not going to carry this load any longer. I shall lay it down at the feet of my Redeemer. 

— The Review and Herald, March 11, 1890 

O my Lord, Your are my comfort and my Rock. You understand the burdens of my heart, be gracious to me according to Your word. Give me strength to repeat Your promises when the enemy seeks to fill my soul with gloom. I can do nothing without You and lay this burden down at the feet of my Redeemer. I will rejoice in Your precious promises, I will barricade my soul with the light of Your word!