Prayer and Promises

THE PROMISE 

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

— 1 John 5:4, ESV 

THE TESTIMONY

We should study the Bible more that we may become familiar with the promises of God; then when Satan comes in, flooding the soul with his temptations, as he surely will, we may meet him with, “It is written.” We may be shut in by the promises of God. 

Faith plants itself on the promises of God, and claims them as surety that he will do just as he said he would. Jesus comes to the sinful, helpless, needy soul, and says, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Believe; claim the promises, and praise God that you do receive the things you have asked of him, and when your need is greatest, you will experience his blessing and receive special help. 

A large class of the professed Christian world are watching their feelings; but feeling is an unsafe guide... Satan can move upon our feelings, and he can so arrange surrounding circumstances as to make our feelings changeable. Victory in God is not feeling, but faith. It is the faith that will not yield although there are seeming impossibilities to be encountered. 

We may have daily victories; but we lose the most precious gifts that Heaven can bestow because we will not take God at his word. When I am sick and afflicted, and ask for help, I do not sit in my room and wait for this help to come to me. I go forward in the path of humble obedience, expecting the Lord to answer my prayers, and sustain and bless me in doing the work that duty requires. Although all may seem dark, I place myself in the channel of light. What have I to do with feelings of darkness and discouragement? What have I to be troubled about? 

Faith can penetrate the darkest cloud. God has promised, and he will not fail me. It is no difficult, mysterious problem to believe. We take Jesus at his word; we come to him with all our burdens and our soul needs, and, according to his promise, find in him a helper and a strong deliverer. 

—The Signs of the Times, May 22, 1884

THE RESPONSE

Dear Father in heaven, I take You at Your word and trust in You to give me victory. You are my helper and strong deliverer and I give You all my burdens. O Lord, let me be shut in by Your precious promises. I plant my feet on the power of Your word and meet temptations with “It is written.”  You are true to Your word, I am grateful for Your blessings and that You never fail me.