John 16:23 (KJV)
“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.”
Read in the BibleA Prayer of Faith: Christ's Character in Us
Ask our Heavenly Father in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. Bring your need before Him according to His will, seek the mind and character of Christ, and rest upon His written promises.
The pioneers' counsel on surrender and prayer
“Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.”
Ellen G. White, Christ's Object Lessons, p. 159.3
“Through faith in Christ, every deficiency of character may be supplied, every defilement cleansed, every fault corrected, every excellence developed.”
Ellen G. White, Education, p. 257.5
“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; then we are to believe that we receive, and return thanks to God that we have received.”
Ellen G. White, Education, p. 258.1
Ask the Father in the name of His Son
A sample prayer for Christlike character and your petition
This original sample prayer draws on Scripture and the pioneer counsel above. Make it your own as you bring your need before our Heavenly Father.
Our Heavenly Father,
As surely as the LORD liveth, before whom we stand, we come unto Thee in reverence, humility, repentance, and faith. We come not trusting in our own righteousness or merit, but in the name of Thy true and literal only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Saviour, who died for our sins, was raised from the dead, and ever liveth to make intercession for us.
According to Thy Son's promise in John 16:23, we ask Thee, our Father, in His name. By faith we come into the Most Holy Place in the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ our great High Priest ministers for us. Grant us mercy and grace to help in time of need.
Search us and know our hearts. Forgive our sins, our pride, our selfishness, our unbelief, and our careless words. Create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. Write Thy law upon our hearts. Bring every appetite, affection, motive, word, and thought into obedience to Christ.
Grant us the mind of Christ. Let His presence and power abide in us. Perfect His character in us: His tenderness, purity, humility, patience, love, and faithful obedience. Give us victory over every besetting sin. Keep us humble and teachable, walking as Jesus walked and loving our brethren.
Revive the testimonies and experience of the original Advent pioneers. Restore the old paths. Grant the refreshing from Thy presence. Awaken us to earnest prayer, diligent searching of the Scriptures, brotherly love, and holy living. Prepare us for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, Father, in the name of Thy Son, we present our special petition:
[INSERT YOUR REQUEST FOR HEALING, DELIVERANCE, RESTORATION, PROVISION, OR ANOTHER NEED, ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL.]
We ask according to Thy will and submit to Thy infinite wisdom. Purify our desires and lead us in the path Thou hast chosen. We rest upon Thy word in 1 John 5:14-15: Thou hearest the petitions offered according to Thy will.
As we agree together in prayer, we claim Matthew 18:19. Remove every mountain that stands in the way of Thy will. Remember Thy Son's compassion toward those in need. Grant the help that will glorify the Father in the Son and serve the eternal good of those for whom we pray.
Teach us to abide in Christ and let His words abide in us. Help us to ask in faith, as He taught in Mark 11:23-24, and to trust Thy promises above our feelings and outward appearances. We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. Thou wilt not break Thy covenant, and no good thing wilt Thou withhold from them that walk uprightly.
We thank Thee for hearing us. Let Thy perfect will be accomplished in us, through us, and for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, our Saviour and High Priest. Amen.
Which Bible promises can we claim in prayer?
Ask in Christ's name, abide in Him, and seek the Father's will. His promises call us to faith, obedience, humility, and love. Matthew 14:14 shows the Saviour's compassion; the verses below place our petitions in the setting of His Word.
John 16:24 (KJV)
“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
Read in the Bible1 John 5:14-15 (KJV)
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
Read in the BibleMatthew 18:19 (KJV)
“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
Read in the BibleMark 11:23-24 (KJV)
“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
Read in the BibleJohn 14:13-14 (KJV)
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
Read in the BibleMatthew 21:22 (KJV)
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
Read in the BibleJohn 15:7 (KJV)
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
Read in the BiblePsalm 84:11 (KJV)
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
Read in the BiblePsalm 89:34 (KJV)
“My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.”
Read in the BibleMatthew 14:14 (KJV)
“And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.”
Read in the Bible2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV)
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Read in the BiblePsalm 51:10 (KJV)
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
Read in the BiblePhilippians 2:5 (KJV)
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”
Read in the Bible2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
Read in the Bible1 Corinthians 8:2-3 (KJV)
“And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.”
Read in the Bible1 John 2:6-10 (KJV)
“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”
Read in the BibleJeremiah 12:16 (KJV)
“And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.”
Read in the Bible1 Kings 17:1 (KJV)
“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”
Read in the BibleJeremiah 12:16 speaks of learning the ways of God's people and saying “The LORD liveth.” Elijah's words “As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand” are in 1 Kings 17:1. Together they express reverence for the living God; the prayer above draws on that language.
Walk as Christ walked: humility and love
True understanding is joined with humility and love. First Corinthians 8:2–3 calls us away from self-confidence; 1 John 2:6–10 calls us to walk as Jesus walked and love our brethren. Let the prayer for a Christlike character become the practice of daily life.
Copy and share the prayer and promises
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