Prayer

wilderness. They claim little, when they might claim much; for there is no limit
to the promises of God. Such ones do not correctly represent the sanctification
that comes through obedience to the truth. The Lord would have all His sons and
daughters happy, peaceful, and obedient. Through the exercise of faith the believer
comes into possession of these blessings. Through faith, every deficiency of character
may be supplied, every defilement cleansed, every fault corrected, every excellence
developed.
Prayer is heaven’s ordained means of success in the conflict with sin and the
development of Christian character. The divine influences that come in answer to the
prayer of faith will accomplish in the soul of the suppliant all for which he pleads.
For the pardon of sin, for the Holy Spirit, for a Christlike temper, for wisdom and
strength to do His work, for any gift He has promised, we may ask; and the promise
is, “Ye shall receive.”(The Acts of the Apostles, 563, 564.)
Daily temptations make prayer a necessity—The strength acquired in prayer
to God, united with individual effort in training the mind to thoughtfulness and
care-taking, prepares the person for daily duties and keeps the spirit in peace under
all circumstances, however trying. The temptations to which we are daily exposed
make prayer a necessity. In order that we may be kept by the power of God through
faith, the desires of the mind should be continually ascending in silent prayer for help,
for light, for strength, for knowledge. But thought and prayer cannot take the place
of earnest, faithful improvement of the time. Work and prayer are both required in
perfecting Christian character.—(Testimonies for the Church 4:459.)
Daily prayer turns mistakes into victories—If one who daily communes with
God errs from the path, if he turns a moment from looking steadfastly unto Jesus,
it is not because he sins willfully; for when he sees his mistake, he turns again, and
fastens his eyes upon Jesus, and the fact that he has erred, does not make him less
dear to the heart of God. He knows that he has communion
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