Prayer and Promises

The Promise 

For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake. For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ. 

— 2 Corinthians 4:5,6, CSB 

The Testimony 

Who will now consecrate themselves to the service of the Lord? Who will now pledge themselves not to affiliate with the world, but to come out from the world and be separate, refusing to pollute the soul with the worldly schemes and practices that have been keeping the church under the enemy’s influence? 

We are living near the close of the great conflict, when many souls are to be rescued from the slavery of sin. We are living in a time when to Christ’s followers the promise specially belongs: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end.” Matthew 28:20. He who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, He who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, bids us let our light shine brightly before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven. 

God calls upon every church member to enter His service. Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted to others, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. 

Lay hold of the Lord’s work as if you believed the truth for this time... Throughout our churches there is to be a reconversion and a reconsecration to service. Shall we not, in our work in the future and in the gatherings that we hold, be of one accord? Shall we not wrestle with God in prayer, asking for the Holy Spirit to come into every heart? The presence of Christ, manifest among us, would cure the leprosy of unbelief that has made our service so weak and inefficient. We need the breath of the divine life breathed into us. We are to be channels through which the Lord can send light and grace to the world. Backsliders are to be reclaimed. We are to put away our sins, by confession and repentance humbling our proud hearts before God. Floods of spiritual power are to be poured forth upon those prepared to receive it. 

My dear brethren and sisters, I speak to you in words of love and tenderness. Arouse and consecrate yourselves unreservedly to the work of giving the light of truth for this time to those in darkness. Catch the spirit of the great Master Worker. Learn from the Friend of sinners how to minister to sin-sick souls. 

— Testimonies for the Church Volume 8, p.45-47 

The Response 

Father in heaven, we come into Your presence asking for Your light to shine in our hearts. We humble our proud hearts and put away our sins that our hearts may be prepared to receive spiritual power. Be with Your people, O Lord, may Your Holy Spirit come into every heart that Your presence may be manifest among us. Breathe Your divine life into us that we may be channels through which You can send light and grace to the world.