Seventh-Day Adventist Church

March 6, 2021

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). The apostle James reminded us: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously, and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith,” he adds, “without any doubting” (James 1:5,6). Christ again: “If two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19). Of course, we need to ask according to His will (1 John 5:14). Regarding the Holy Spirit, Elisha was bold enough to ask for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit (1 Kings 2:9). It happened, because a lot more is told about Elisha’s ministry than Elijah’s, including double the miracles. The prophet Zechariah urges believers to “Ask rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain (KJV, ‘latter rain”) and promises to “pour out…the Spirit of grace and supplication” that will cause revival (Zechariah 10:1; 12:10-12). To the disciples in the Upper Room, Christ promised the Holy Spirit: “Whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13, 14). Seven times in one night Jesus encouraged His followers to “ask” in His name! The other five are in John 15:7, 16, & John 16:23, 24, and 26. Why ask God for anything? Remember that our praying to God is not to keep Him updated but to keep us connected. “We are not willing enough to trouble the Lord with our petitions, and to ask Him for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Lord wants us to trouble Him in this matter. He wants us to press our petitions to the throne.” (Fundamentals of Christian Education, 537). “… If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit.” (The Acts of the Apostles, 50). “All with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14). The conditions for revival are very clear: 1) confession, 2) humiliation [surrender], 3) repentance, and 4) earnest prayer. Since the first three depend on the last one, “a revival need be expected only in answer to prayer.” (1 Selected Messages, 121).