Prayer and Promises

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. — Matthew 6:6, NLT 

Not a prayer of the true saint is lost, if sent up from an honest heart. 

Secret prayer, which is too much neglected, is the life of the Christian. Let us go to God alone and fix our minds upon him, have every thing else shut out, and then draw by living faith, light and strength from the Sanctuary. Let us not rise from our knees until we can rely upon God’s promises with an unwavering faith. 

Every saint who comes to God with a true heart, and sends earnest petitions to him in faith will be answered; but we must have enduring faith. We must not for a moment let go the promises if we do not see and realize the immediate answers to our prayers. We must not waver. We must rely upon his sure promise, “Ask and ye shall receive.” God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly. Man is erring, and although his petitions are sent up from an honest heart, he does not always ask the things that are good for himself, or that will glorify God. When this is so, our wise and good Father hears our prayers and will answer them, sometimes immediately, but gives us the things that he knows are for our good and his own glory. The blessing received by us will be that which we need the most. If we could look into the plan of God, we should plainly see his wisdom and that he knows what is for our best good. Our prayers will be answered if they are sent up in faith, but nothing hurtful will be given. If we have, in the honesty of our hearts, asked any thing that God sees will not be good for us, he may withhold the thing desired, but in its place give us the blessings we most need. If the answer to our prayers does not come just when we expect it, we must not distrust God, for that will bring darkness. Our confidence in God must be strong. 

We will not be discouraged, but with faith and confidence ask our Father in heaven for the things we need; and if we do no receive the immediate answer to our prayers, we must not give up our courage and faith, and suffer a murmuring spirit to take possession of us. This only separates us farther from God. 

— The Review and Herald, June 12, 1855 

Father God, I come and fix my mind on You, let me be shut in with You. In faith and confidence I ask for the things I need. Give me Your light and strength from heaven above. By faith I rely on Your sure promise, “Ask and you shall receive.” You are so good to hear my prayer, I trust You to give me that which will be for my good and Your own glory. I praise You for sending Your blessings just when I need it most!