Prayer and Promises

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. — Luke 14:16,17, NASB 

Christ had an infinite variety of subjects from which to choose in his teaching, but the one upon which he dwelt most largely was the endowment of his Holy Spirit. What great things he predicted for the church because of this endowment! Yet what subject is less dwelt upon today? what promise less fulfilled? Prophecies are dwelt upon, doctrines are expounded, but the promise of the Spirit, the fulfillment of which is necessary for the success of God’s work, is incidentally touched upon… But this promise belongs to us now as surely as it belonged to the disciples. 

God’s people seem to be incapable of comprehending and appropriating this promise. They seem to think that only the scantiest showers of grace are to fall on the thirsty soul. They act as if they must rely on their own efforts for salvation, and as a result they have little strength for the work of overcoming. They have little light to give to the souls dying in the darkness of error… They are unable to present in the power of the Spirit the great and glorious truths of God’s Word. 

It is not because of any restriction on God’s part that the riches of his grace do not flow to men… If all were willing to receive, all would be filled with the Spirit.  

Let every church member kneel before God, and pray earnestly for the impartation of the Spirit. Cry, “Lord, increase my faith. Make me to understand thy word; for the entrance of thy word giveth light. Refresh me by thy presence. Fill my heart with thy Spirit that I may love my brethren as Christ loves me.” 

After Christ’s ascension, the disciples were gathered together in one place to make humble supplication to God. And after ten days of heart searching and self-examination, the way was prepared for the Holy Spirit to enter the cleansed, consecrated soul temples. Every heart was filled with the Spirit, as though God desired to show his people that it was his prerogative to bless them with the choicest of heaven’s blessings. What was the result?—Thousands were converted in a day. The sword of the Spirit flashed right and left… Believers, reconverted, born again, were a living power for God. 

— The Review and Herald, June 10, 1902 

Father God, help me understand Your word, for Your word gives light. I humbly search my heart to prepare it to be refreshed by Your presence. O Lord, make it clean. Increase my faith. Fill me with Your Spirit that I may have love for souls who are dying in the darkness of error. Use me to present the glorious truths of Your Word in the power of the Spirit.