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Prevailing Prayer

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 12, 1911

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 88, No. 41.

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Prevailing Prayer

By GEO. O. STATES

GEO. O. STATES
From Daniel's experience recorded in Daniel 9 and 10 we may learn valuable lessons concerning God's way of answering our prayers. He says: “I was . . . praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning,being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.” Daniel is here earnestly pleading with the Lord, and the angel Gabriel is sent in answer to his pleading. In chapter ten Daniel is fasting and praying, and the same angel appears to give him the desired light. These are lessons for the Lord's people in all ages, to teach them to hold onto the promises of the Lord.
The men and women whom the Lord raised up in starting the third angel's message believed they were fulfilling prophecy, and earnestly prayed to the Lord to open the way before them. They came to places where the way seemed hedged up on all sides, and then they earnestly pleaded with the Lord to open the way. Elder Joseph Bates, after spending thousands of dollars in giving the first angel's message, began publishing the first Sabbath tract with only a York shilling in his pocket. All the pioneers in the message saw close times, and were much in prayer.
Nehemiah's experience is a valuable lesson on earnest prayer. The Lord's great work had come to a place where, from a human standpoint, everything was going to pieces. The first chapter of Nehemiah records his earnest prayer and confession. The second chapter tells of his going in before the king sad. “Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? . . . Why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchers, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request?” Here God's cause had reached a crisis. How much depended on giving the right answer! “So I prayed to the God of heaven.” Before Nehemiah dared to make his request, he sent up a silent petition. This work was successful because those leading out were united, and looked to the Lord for divine guidance.
When the enemies of the Jews heard that the wall was being repaired, they did all they could to draw the people away from their work, and made fun of the wall, saying, “If a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.” God's work succeeded. What made it successful? “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God.” They looked constantly to the Lord. If they had not, the work would have failed.
These lessons are recorded for us. “All these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” The Lord's work has always succeeded when his people have prayed earnestly, and depended wholly upon him.
Cedaredge, Colo.