Asking and Receiving by Elvira Sanford

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 16, 1863

Asking and Receiving.

By Elvira Sanford

“HITHERTO have ye asked nothing in my name. Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” John xvi, 24.

How forcibly did our Saviour endeavor to impress the minds of his disciples with the necessity of prayer, and the joy they might receive from it. Ask and ye shall receive. What a stimulus to induce them to pray. As I read the passage I was much struck with the force of it. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name. Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full. How many of those that are striving to get ready for translation have asked and received, until their joys are full? I fear not all; and why is it?

Christ says, “Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name.” Asked nothing as we ought; asked nothing with that faith which brings the blessing, so that our joy may be full. How important that we ask aright; that we come to God believing that he is, and that he will answer our prayers.

Dear brethren and sisters, I wish I could express as it has been impressed upon my mind for the past few days, the importance of praying right, coming to God as to a kind Father, with a dear brother to intercede for us. We have such an Intercessor at the throne of grace. O, brother or sister, you who desire that your joy may be full, ask and ye shall receive. There is no failure about it. You will have the Spirit of God to help you continually. O that we, as a people, looking for the coming of the great King, may begin to ask and receive great things. Let us look up. Let us not only believe the testimony given, but obey it, cleanse ourselves by obeying the truth, and stand ready to meet our coming Lord.

Elvira Sanford.