B:\ PRAYER.

352 Hymns: 601

320
316

Source: BR597 BR604 Hask69

Prayer & Communion

Scripture Reading:

Prevailing Prayer
Prayer is the link that connects us with Christ; or, as it is sometimes stated, "Prayer is the key
that opens heaven." Few realize the mighty power there is in the prayer of faith.

DA 667 "The prayer of the humble suppliant Christ presents as His own desire in that soul's
behalf. Every sincere prayer is heard in heaven. It may not be fluently expressed; but if the
heart is in it, it will ascend to the sanctuary where Jesus ministers, and He will present it to
the Father without one awkward, stammering word, beautiful and fragrant with the incense
of His own perfection."

p69 Preparation for Prevailing Prayer

Gen 32:24-28 "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him
until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not
against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's
thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go,
for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless
me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he
said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince
hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."

PP 203 "Jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined.

His experience testifies to the power of importunate prayer. It is now that
we are to learn this lesson of prevailing prayer, of unyielding faith. The
greatest victories to the church of Christ or to the individual Christian are
not those that are gained by talent or education, by wealth or the favor of
men. They are those victories that are gained in the audience chamber
with God, when earnest, agonizing faith lays hold upon the mighty arm of
power.
"Those who are unwilling to forsake every sin and to seek earnestly for
God's blessing, will not obtain it. But all who will lay hold of God's
promises as did Jacob, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will
succeed as he succeeded. "Shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry
day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that
He will avenge them speedily." Luke 18:7, 8."

Heb 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him."

DA 200 "He who blessed the nobleman at Capernaum is just as desirous

of blessing us. But like the afflicted father, we are often led to seek Jesus
by the desire for some earthly good; and upon the granting of our
request we rest our confidence in His love. The Saviour longs to give us a
greater blessing than we ask; and He delays the answer to our request
that He may show us the evil of our own hearts, and our deep need of His
grace. He desires us to renounce the selfishness that leads us to seek
Him. Confessing our helplessness and bitter need, we are to trust
ourselves wholly to His love.
"The nobleman wanted to see the fulfillment of his prayer before he
should believe; but he had to accept the word of Jesus that his request
was heard and the blessing granted. This lesson we also have to learn.
Not because we see or feel that God hears us are we to believe. We are
to trust in His promises. When we come to Him in faith, every petition
enters the heart of God. When we have asked for His blessing, we should
believe that we receive it, and thank Him that we have received it. Then
we are to go about our duties, assured that the blessing will be realized
when we need it most. When we have learned to do this, we shall know
that our prayers are answered. God will do for us "exceeding
abundantly," "according to the riches of His glory," and "the working of
His mighty power." Eph. 3:20, 16; 1:19."

Mat 6:12-15 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive
men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if
ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses."

We must forgive those that have wronged us as we wish God to

forgive us.

Mat 5:23-25 "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there
rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy
gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother,
and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly,
whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver
thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be
cast into prison."

If others have anything against us, we should seek to make it right.

Ps 66:18 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:"

There should be a hatred of sin. God hears prayer when the sinner
is ready to exchange sin for righteousness.

Prov 28:9 "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his
prayer shall be abomination."

There must be an obedient mind. The transgressor of the law is

heard if he is willing to obey.

9T 164 "If, after so much light has been given, God's people will cherish
wrong habits, indulging self and refusing to reform, they will suffer the
sure consequences of transgression. If they are determined to gratify
perverted appetite at any cost, God will not miraculously save them from
the consequences of their indulgence. They "shall lie down in sorrow."
Isaiah 50:11."

John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained
you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should
remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may
give it you."

Our requests must be presented in the name of Jesus.

DA 668 "The Lord is disappointed when His people place a low estimate
upon themselves. He desires His chosen heritage to value themselves
according to the price He has placed upon them. God wanted them, else
He would not have sent His Son on such an expensive errand to redeem
them. He has a use for them, and He is well pleased when they make the
very highest demands upon Him, that they may glorify His name. They
may expect large things if they have faith in His promises.
"But to pray in Christ's name means much. It means that we are to
accept His character, manifest His spirit, and work His works. The
Saviour's promise is given on condition. "If ye love Me," He says, "keep
My commandments." He saves men, not in sin, but from sin; and those
who love Him will show their love by obedience."

Job 35:13 "Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty
regard it."

Pride and vanity should be put away

James 1:6-7 "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that
wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For
let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."

The individual that one day asks God to help him overcome sin and
the next day chooses sin, can not expect help.

EW 73 "I asked the angel why there was no more faith and power in
Israel. He said, "Ye let go of the arm of the Lord too soon. Press your
petitions to the throne, and hold on by strong faith. The promises are
sure. Believe ye receive the things ye ask for, and ye shall have them." I
was then pointed to Elijah. He was subject to like passions as we are, and
he prayed earnestly. His faith endured the trial. Seven times he
prayed before the Lord, and at last the cloud was seen. I saw that we
had doubted the sure promises, and wounded the Saviour by our
lack of faith. Said the angel, "Gird the armor about thee, and above all
take the shield of faith; for that will guard the heart, the very life, from
the fiery darts of the wicked." If the enemy can lead the desponding to
take their eyes off from Jesus, and look to themselves, and dwell upon
their own unworthiness, instead of dwelling upon the worthiness of Jesus,
His love, His merits, and His great mercy, he will get away their shield of
faith and gain his object; they will be exposed to his fiery temptations.
The weak should therefore look to Jesus, and believe in Him; they then
exercise faith."

SR 359

Persistent Prayer
Elijah - refused to be discouraged

1 Ki 18:44 "And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold,
there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said,
Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the
rain stop thee not."

7 Times

Gen 33:3 "And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the
ground seven times, until he came near to his brother."

Lev 4:6 "And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of
the blood seven times before the LORD, before the veil of the sanctuary."

Lev 4:17 "And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and
sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the veil."

Lev 8:11 "And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and
anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to
sanctify them."

Lev 14:7 "And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the
leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the
living bird loose into the open field."

Lev 14:16 "And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his
left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before
the LORD:"

Lev 14:27 "And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the
oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD:"
Lev 14:51 "And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the
scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird,
and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:"

Lev 16:14 "And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it
with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat
shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times."

Lev 16:19 "And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven
times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children
of Israel."

Lev 25:8 "And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee,
seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years
shall be unto thee forty and nine years."

Lev 26:18 "And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will
punish you seven times more for your sins."

Lev 26:21 "And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto
me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your
sins."
Lev 26:24 "Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet
seven times for your sins."

Lev 26:28 "Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I,
will chastise you seven times for your sins."

Num 19:4 "And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger,
and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the
congregation seven times:"

Josh 6:4 "And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of
rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times,
and the priests shall blow with the trumpets."

Josh 6:15 "And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early
about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same
manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven
times."

1 Ki 18:43 "And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And
he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again
seven times."

2 Ki 4:35 "Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and
went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven
times, and the child opened his eyes."
2 Ki 5:10 "And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in
Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou
shalt be clean."

2 Ki 5:14 "Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan,
according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like
unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean."

Psa 12:6 "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a
furnace of earth, purified seven times."

Psa 119:164 "Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous
judgments."

Prov 24:16 "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but
the wicked shall fall into mischief."

Dan 3:19 "Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his
visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego:
therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace
one seven times more than it was wont to be heated."

Dan 4:16 "Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart
be given unto him: and let seven times pass over him."

Dan 4:23 "And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming
down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet
leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron
and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew
of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven
times pass over him;"

Dan 4:25 "That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be
with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as
oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times
shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."

Dan 4:32 "And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be
with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen,
and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High
ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."

Mat 18:21-22 "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith
unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times
seven."

Luke 17:4 "And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and
seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt
forgive him."

7th Time

Josh 6:16 "And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew
with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath
given you the city."

1 Ki 18:44 "And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold,
there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said,
Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the
rain stop thee not."

RH March 27, 1913 "Important lessons are presented to us in the

experience to Elijah. When upon Mt Carmel he offered the prayer for
rain, his faith was tested, but he persevered in making known his request
unto God. Six times he prayed earnestly, and yet there was no sign that
his petition was granted, but with a strong faith he urged his plea to the
throne of grace. Had he given up in discouragement at the sixth time, his
prayer would not have been answered. .... We have a God whose ear is
not closed to our petitions; and if we prove His word, He will honor our
faith. He wants us to have all our interests interwoven with His interests,
and then He can safely bless us; for we shall not then take glory to self
when the blessing is ours, but shall render all the praise to God. God
does not always answer our prayers the first time we call upon Him; for
should He do this, we might take it for granted that we had a right to all
the blessings and favors He bestowed upon us."

RH May 26, 1891 "The servant watched while Elijah prayed. .... As he
searched his heart, he seemed to be less and less, both in his own
estimation and in the sight of God. it seemed to him that he was nothing,
and that God was everything; and when he reached the point of
renouncing self, while he clung to the Saviour as his only strength and
righteousness, the answer came."

RH Oct 16, 1913 "However courageous and successful a man may be in

the performance of a special work, unless he looks constantly to God
when circumstances arise to test his faith he will lose his courage. Even
after God has given him marked tokens of His power, after he has been
strengthened to do God's work, he will fail unless he trusts implicitly in
Omnipotence."

GC 323 ""Another kind of evidence that vitally affected my mind," he

says, "was the chronology of the Scriptures. . . . I found that predicted
events, which had been fulfilled in the past, often occurred within a given
time. The one hundred and twenty years to the flood (Genesis 6:3); the
seven days that were to precede it, with forty days of predicted rain
(Genesis 7:4); the four hundred years of the sojourn of Abraham's seed
(Genesis 15:13); the three days of the butler's and baker's dreams
(Genesis 40:12-20); the seven years of Pharaoh's (Genesis 41:28-54); the
forty years in the wilderness (Numbers 14:34); the three and a half years
of famine (1 Kings 17:1) [see Luke 4:25;] . . . the seventy years' captivity
(Jeremiah 25:11); Nebuchadnezzar's seven times (Daniel 4:13-16); and
the seven weeks, threescore and two weeks, and the one week, making
seventy weeks, determined upon the Jews (Daniel 9:24-27),--the events
limited by these times were all once only a matter of prophecy, and were
fulfilled in accordance with the predictions."--Bliss, pages 74, 75."

PP 533 "After "seven sabbaths of years," "seven times seven years,"

came that great year of release--the jubilee. "Then shalt thou cause the
trumpet of the jubilee to sound . . . throughout all your land. And ye shall
hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto
all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall
return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man
unto his family." Leviticus 25:9, 10."

RH May 5, 1896 "How unscientific, how inconsistent, would they have

thought the movements of Joshua and his army at the taking of Jericho!
"Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none
went out, and none came in. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have
given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men
of valor. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round
about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall
bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day
ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the
trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast
with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the
people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall
down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before
him." Where were the scientific methods in this manner of warfare?"

PK 246 ""So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood
at the door of the house of Elisha." Through a messenger the prophet
bade him, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come
again to thee, and thou shalt be clean."

3SG 130 "Esau was marching against Jacob with an army for the purpose
of killing his brother. But while Jacob was wrestling with the angel that
night, another angel was sent to move upon the heart of Esau in his
sleeping hours. In his dream he saw Jacob an exile from his father's
house for twenty years, because he was afraid of his life. And he marked
his sorrow to find his mother dead. He saw in his dream Jacob's humility,
and angels of God around about him. He dreamed that when they met,
he had no mind to harm him. When Esau awoke, he related to his four
hundred men his dream, and told them that they must not injure Jacob,
for the God of his father was with him. And when they should meet Jacob,
not one of them should do him harm. "And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and
looked and behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men." And he
passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times,
until he came near his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced
him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him, and they wept." Jacob
entreated Esau to accept a peace-offering, which Esau declined, but Jacob
urged him. "Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee;
because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.
And he urged him, and he took it.""

1T 706 "These trials of life are God's workmen to remove the impurities,
infirmities, and roughness from our characters, and fit us for the society
of pure, heavenly angels in glory. But as we pass through these trials, as
the fires of affliction kindle upon us, we must not keep the eye on the fire
which is seen, but let the eye of faith fasten upon the things unseen, the
eternal inheritance, the immortal life, the eternal weight of glory; and
while we do this the fire will not consume us, but only remove the dross,
and we shall come forth seven times purified, bearing the impress of the
Divine."

2T 309 "Naaman the Syrian consulted the prophet of God as to how he

could be cured of a loathsome disease, the leprosy. He was bidden to go
and bathe in Jordan seven times. Why did he not immediately follow the
directions of Elisha, the prophet of God? Why did he refuse to do as the
prophet commanded? He went to his servants, murmuring. In his
mortification and disappointment he became passionate, and in a rage
refused to follow the humble course marked out by the prophet of God. "I
thought," said he, "he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on
the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and
recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better
than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So
he turned and went away in a rage." His servant said: "My father, if the
prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done
it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash [merely], and be
clean?" Yes, this great man considered it beneath his dignity to go to the
humble river Jordan, and wash. The rivers he mentioned and desired were
beautified by surrounding trees and groves, and idols were placed in
these groves. Many flocked to these rivers to worship their idol gods;
therefore it would have cost him no humility. But it was following the
specified directions of the prophet which would humble his proud and
lofty spirit. Willing obedience would bring the desired result. He washed,
and was made whole."

4T 121 "The sacrificial heifer was conducted without the camp and slain
in the most imposing manner. Thus Christ suffered with out the gates of
Jerusalem, for Calvary was outside the city walls. This was to show that
Christ did not die for the Hebrews alone, but for all mankind. He
proclaims to a fallen world that He has come to be their Redeemer and
urges them to accept the salvation He offers them. The heifer having
been slain in a most solemn manner, the priest, clothed in pure white
garments, took the blood in his hands as it issued from the body of the
victim and cast it toward the temple seven times. And having an high
priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,
and our bodies washed with pure water.""

12MR 397 "Christ fulfilled still another feature of the type. "His visage
was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of
men; so shall He sprinkle many nations" [Isa. 52:14]. In the Temple
service, when the animal brought as a sacrifice was slain, the high priest,
clothed in white robes, caught in his hand the blood that gushed forth,
and cast it in the direction of the tabernacle or Temple. This was done
seven times, as an expression of perfection. So Christ, the great antitype,
Himself both High Priest and Victim, clothed with His own spotless robes
of righteousness, after giving His life for the world, cast the virtue of His
offering, a crimson current, in the direction of the holy place, reconciling
man to God through the blood of the cross."

7 times purified (heart)

RH Apr 10, 1894 "It is in mercy that the Lord reveals to men their hidden
defects. He would have them critically examine the complicated emotions
and motives of their own hearts, and detect that which is wrong, and
modify their dispositions, and refine their manners. God would have his
servants become acquainted with their own hearts. In order to bring to
them a true knowledge of their condition, he permits the fire of affliction
to assail them, so that they may be purified. The trials of life are God's
workmen to remove the impurities, infirmities, and roughness from our
characters, and fit them for the society of pure, heavenly angels in glory.
Then as we pass through trial, as the fire of affliction kindles upon us,
shall we not keep our eyes fixed upon the things that are unseen, on the
eternal inheritance, the immortal life, the far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory? and while we do this, the fire will not consume us, but
only remove the dross, and we shall come forth seven times purified,
bearing the impress of the Divine."

RH Jan 19, 1864 "But now he invites you. Now, just now, he calls upon
you without delay to return unto him, and he will graciously pardon, and
heal all your backslidings. God is leading out a people who are peculiar.
He will purify them, he will cleanse them, and fit them for translation.
Every carnal thing will be separated from God's peculiar treasure, until
they stand out, each one like gold seven times purified."