p. 2 | Strength in Prayer

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 5, 1879

Strength in Prayer.

WOE to that man that trusteth in his own wisdom and strength to overcome the enemy of his soul. While a man must use his own resources to work out his salvation, he must also look to Him whence all our help must come. While he must be watching, the Christian must also be praying. Having to fight with the powers of darkness, we need divine strength. The dragon must be met sometime in our life, and woe is to us if we have to meet him alone. We are in an evil world, with a nature susceptible and responsive to evil suggestions and influences. Hence the necessity of leading a life of prayer, that we be kept near God. Honest prayer will draw us away from the power of temptation. While a little boat fastened to a larger one will not draw the larger boat to itself, but will itself be drawn toward the larger boat; so prayer will lift a man near to God. He who spends much time in prayer and communion with his God, will be dying constantly to the world, but made more alive to Christ and righteousness. Therefore watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation and fall. How sad a fall that is when a soul falls away from grace into sin! Rather lose everything than the heavenly inheritance. For "what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul."—Monthly Itinerant.