G. B. THOMPSON by G. B. THOMPSON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Dec 5, 1907

G. B. THOMPSON

By G. B. THOMPSON

Prayer—No. 7

G. B. THOMPSON

For nothing should we pray more earnestly than for a clean, pure heart. No treasure of earth can equal this. David, realizing his sinfulness, cried out, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit.” Ps. 51: 10-12.

This prayer should be the prayer of every Christian. We need a clean heart more than we need anything in this world. Sin is a terrible thing. It has wrecked the world, filling it with sorrow and woe, and it finally nailed to a cross of wood the Son of the infinite God. And in the prayer quoted from the psalmist, it is implied that it is possible for the Holy Spirit to be withdrawn from us. This should startle us. It is a terrible thing to cling to a sin which the Holy Spirit has been condemning, and pleading with us to give up. O, how earnestly we should pray for victory over every besetment! How much time do we take to pray for victory over all the carnality in the heart?

As Christians, we must have the Holy Spirit. “Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Rom. 8: 9. Our daily prayer should be that the Lord would fill us with the Holy Spirit. But there must be an emptying before a filling. Many a man prays to God to fill him when he is already full of something. Before praying to be filled we should pray to be emptied.

Our churches need reviving. There are plenty of carnally minded critics, but very few clothed with the life and power of the Holy Spirit. Moody describes the condition of many thus: “I have seen these wooden pumps where you had to pour water into them before you could pump any water out, and so it is with a good many people; you have to get something in them before you can get anything out. People wonder why it is that they have no spiritual power. They stand up and talk in meeting, and don’t say anything; they say that they haven’t anything to say, and you find it out soon enough. This describes the condition of those who do not pray.”

We have a dry, dead experience simply because we do not really thirst for the Holy Spirit. The Lord says, “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty.” He promises that those who “hunger and thirst after righteousness . . . shall be filled.” There is no power that can quicken a dead soul but that which raised the crucified Lord from Joseph’s sepulcher. That quickening power is the Holy Spirit. Rom. 8: 11.

We ought to study Jacob’s experiences. He wrestled with God in prayer till he won the victory. We are fast hastening on to the time known in the Scripture as “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jer. 30: 7.

This weak, erring, mortal man won the victory. He “had power over the angel, and prevailed.” Hosea 12: 4. Circumstances had placed Jacob in a close place. He was facing a crisis, and must have help or perish. He was “greatly afraid and distressed.” The lonely patriarch was facing the results of his own sins. Esau was coming. Something must be done.

What did he do? He did what we ought many times to do, but often fail to do. He sought refuge in prayer. In the solitude of the mountain, among the haunts of wild beasts and murderous bandits, Jacob decided to spend the night in prayer. What a splendid way to fight! I commend it to all. Take time to pray, for you can’t do much till you do. No avenging army was a match for this wrestler, agonizing in prayer and pleading the immutable promises of the most high God. The conflict was intense, but persevering prayer won the battle, and destruction was diverted. While Jacob wrestled in prayer, an angel wrestled with Esau, and his wicked, rebellious heart was changed and subdued.

“Jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined. His experience testifies to the power of importunate prayer. It is now that we are to learn this lesson of prevailing prayer, of unyielding faith. The greatest victories to the church of Christ or to the individual Christian, are not those that are gained by talent or education, by wealth or the favor of man. They are the victories that are gained in the audience-chamber with God, when earnest, agonizing faith lays hold upon the mighty arm of power.

“Those who are unwilling to forsake every sin and to seek earnestly for God’s blessing, will not obtain it. But all who will lay hold of God’s promises as did Jacob, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded.”

—“Patriarchs and Prophets,” page 203.

“Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for his blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God—how few know what it is! How few have ever had their souls drawn out after God with intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch. When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God.”—“Great Controversy,” page 621.

Takoma Park, D. C.