PRAYER | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 18, 1862

PRAYER.

PRAYER is the means which God has appointed to obtain every good and escape every evil. We are certain of obtaining what we ask in faith, according to God's will. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think. He has earnestly invited us to come to him, has promised to supply all our wants, and to give us durable riches and righteousness.

Jesus said to his disciples, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name, he will give it you; ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. We may not obtain the first time we ask. Paul had a thorn in the flesh, and besought the Lord thrice before he was heard, and though it was not removed he was enabled to take pleasure in his infirmities.

Prayer is a satisfactory evidence of our having received the saving grace of God. Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts whereby we cry abba Father. It is the breath of the spiritual life in the soul. Whatever has life must breathe, and if the life be strong it will breathe freely. If prayer be faint, weak, and disordered, the soul is not in full life and health; if there be no prayer there is no spiritual life. The first mark of it is 'Behold, he prayeth,' and the last account we have of one is, 'Lord Jesus receive my spirit.' It is to the spiritual church the promise belongs, I will pour upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication. When we can feel with David, My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Then we may also say with humble yet believing confidence, 'O, God, thou art my God.'

It is that singular duty in which every grace is exercised, every sin opposed, every blessing obtained, the whole soul revived, strengthened, and invigorated for the Christian race. Just in proportion to your prayers, so is your holiness, so is your usefulness. As the naturally weak ivy which if it had no support would grovel on the earth by adhering to some neighboring tree or building, and entwining itself about it, thus grows and flourishes, and rises higher and higher, and the more the winds blow and the tempests beat against it, the closer it adheres and the nearer it clings, and the faster its fibers embrace that which supports it, and it remains uninjured. Just so the Christian, naturally weak, by prayer connects himself with the Almighty, and the more dangers and difficulties beset him, the more closely they unite him to his God; he reaches toward, and leans upon, and clings to him and is strengthened with divine strength. High is the privilege of prayer, which turns our very wants to our advantage, leading us by them into a constant intercourse with God, and keeping us in a spiritual and heavenly state of mind.