Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:8.

A deep sense of our need and a great desire for the things for which we ask must characterize our prayers, else they will not be heard. But we are not to become weary and cease our petitions because the answer is not immediately received. “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). The violence here meant is a holy earnestness, such as Jacob manifested. We need not try to work ourselves up into an intense feeling, but calmly, persistently, we are to press our petitions at the throne of grace. Our work is to humble our souls before God, confessing our sins, and in faith drawing nigh unto God…. It is the design of God to reveal Himself in His providence and in His grace. The object of our prayers must be the glory of God, not the glorification of ourselves….

God has honored us by showing how greatly He values us. We are bought with a price, even the precious blood of the Son of God. When His heritage shall conscientiously follow the Word of the Lord, His blessing will rest upon them in answer to their prayers. “Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness” (Joel 2:12, 13).^28Ibid.

In secret prayer the soul should be laid bare to the inspecting eye of God…. How precious is secret prayer—the soul communing with God! Secret prayer is to be heard only by the prayer-hearing God. No curious ear is to receive the burden of petitions. Calmly, yet fervently, the soul is to reach out after God; and sweet and abiding will be the influence emanating from Him who sees in secret, whose ear is open to the prayer arising from the heart. He who in simple faith holds communion with God will gather to himself divine rays of light to strengthen and sustain him in the conflict with Satan.^{29The Youth’s Instructor, November 3, 1898.}

From That I May Know Him

And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: and I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession. Daniel 9:3, 4.

Daniel’s example of prayer and confession is given for our instruction and encouragement…. Daniel knew that the appointed time for Israel’s captivity was nearly ended, but he did not feel that because God had promised to deliver them, they themselves had no part to act. With fasting and contrition he sought the Lord, confessing his own sins and the sins of the people….

Daniel makes no plea on the ground of his own goodness, but he says: “O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies” (Daniel 9:18). His intensity of desire makes him earnest and fervent. He continues: “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.” …

What a prayer was that which came forth from the lips of Daniel! What humbling of soul it reveals! The warmth of heavenly fire was recognized in the words that were going upward to God. Heaven responded to that prayer by sending its messenger to Daniel. In this our day, prayers offered in like manner will prevail with God. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). As in ancient times, when prayer was offered, fire descended from heaven and consumed the sacrifice upon the altar, so in answer to our prayers, the heavenly fire will come into our souls. The light and power of the Holy Spirit will be ours…. That God who heard Daniel’s prayer will hear ours when we come to Him in contrition. Our necessities are as urgent, our difficulties are as great, and we need to have the same intensity of purpose, and in faith roll our burden upon the great Burden Bearer. There is need for hearts to be as deeply moved in our time as in the time when Daniel prayed.^{27The Review and Herald, February 9, 1897.}

From That I May Know Him

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16.

The sincere, humble prayer of the true worshiper ascends to heaven, and Jesus mingles with our lowly petitions the holy incense of His own merit. Through His righteousness we are accepted. Christ makes our prayers wholly efficacious through the savor of His righteousness. In these days of peril we need men who will wrestle with God as did Jacob and who, like Jacob, will prevail. Thank God that the world’s Redeemer promised that if He went away He would send the Holy Spirit as His representative. Let us pray and grasp the rich promises of God, and then praise God that in proportion to our earnest, humble supplications the Holy Spirit will be appointed to meet our needs. If we seek God with all our heart we shall find Him, and obtain the fulfillment of the promise.^{24Letter 13, 1894.}

Let those who love the Lord and His truth unite by two’s and three’s to seek places of retirement and pray for God’s blessing upon the minister, who can hardly find time to pray because he is constantly engaged attending to so many requests, sitting in councils, answering inquiries, giving advice, writing important letters. Let the fervent, effectual prayer of the righteous ascend to God that the word spoken may be a message of truth to reach the hearts of the hearers, and that souls may thereby be won to Christ.^{25The Review and Herald, July 24, 1883.}

In order to be a Christian it is not necessary for a man to have great talents. An earnest prayer offered from a contrite heart by one who desires to do the Master’s will is of more value in God’s sight than is eloquence of speech. The human agent may have no voice in legislative councils, he may not be permitted to deliberate in senates or vote in parliaments, yet he has access to God. The King of kings bends low to listen to the prayer coming from a humble, contrite heart. God hears every prayer that is offered with the incense of faith. The weakest child of God may exert an influence in harmony with the councils of heaven.^{26Manuscript 56, 1902.}

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Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:1, 2.

When we are burdened, when we are pressed with temptation, when the feelings and desires of the natural heart are contending for the victory, we should offer up fervent, importunate prayer to our heavenly Father in the name of Christ, and this will bring Jesus to our help, so that through His all-powerful and efficacious name we may gain the victory and banish Satan from our side. But we should not flatter ourselves that we are safe while we make but feeble efforts in our own behalf…. “Strive to enter in at the strait gate” (Luke 13:24).

Our danger does not arise from the opposition of the world, but it is found in the liability of our being in friendship with the world and imitating the example of those who love not God or His truth. The loss of earthly things for the truth’s sake, the suffering of great inconvenience for loyalty to principle, does not place us in danger of losing our faith and hope; but we are in danger of suffering loss because of being deceived and overcome by the temptations of Satan. Trials will work for our good if we receive and bear them without murmuring, and will tend to separate us from the love of the world and will lead us to trust more fully in God.

There is help for us only in God. We should not flatter ourselves that we have any strength in wisdom of our own, for our strength is weakness, our judgment foolishness. Christ conquered the foe in our behalf because He pitied our weakness and knew that we would be overcome and would perish if He did not come to our help. He clothed His divinity with humanity, and thus was qualified to reach man with His human arm while with His divine arm He grasped the throne of the Infinite. The merits of Christ elevate and ennoble humanity, and through the name and grace of Christ it is possible for man to overcome the degradation caused by the Fall, and through the exalted, divine nature of Christ to be linked to the Infinite.^{23The Review and Herald, February 5, 1895.}

From That I May Know Him

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. Psalm 57:1.

I am so sorry that men who want to be obedient to God put so much confidence in human sympathy and human help which disappoint so often. But God, the living God, is unchangeable. He is the same kind, tender, pitiful, loving Saviour today, yesterday, and forever. Satan is now working with all his might, and leaving no means untried to unsettle minds because they see men of long experience make mistakes. But Jesus is faultless…. Make God your entire trust. Pray, pray, pray, pray in faith. Then trust the keeping of your soul to God. He will keep that which is committed to Him against that day…. Walk humbly with God. The Lord sees every sorrow, every grief, every trial that besets the human soul, and He knows how to apply the balm….

In God you can do valiantly. Tell it to the Lord in prayer, talk it to the Lord by the way. “Thee I seek; Thee I will follow; Thee I will serve. Under the shadow of Thy wings will I abide. Command me as Thou wilt; I will obey Thy voice.” Yield always to the heavenly guidance. When trials come, possess your soul in patience. Wait on the Lord and have one purpose in view, to seek the eternal good of all those with whom you are connected, holding fast your integrity in the strength of your God. He will redeem His promise. Your bread shall be provided; your water shall be sure. This means not only temporal bread and water but the bread and water of eternal life.

Stand in God. Work under the sweet influence of His grace. The truth of God sanctifying the heart of the believer guides his life. We may stand firmly and assuredly. If you make the face of clay your dependence you lean on a reed that has oft broken in your hand and will break. Trust fully, unwaveringly, in God. He is the wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. We may keep the conscience unsullied and in peace and quiet rest in God.^{22Letter 126, 1895.}

From That I May Know Him