Promises for Power

by Ellen White

And the natural powers are enlarged because of holy obedience. From the study of the words of life, students may come forth with minds expanded, elevated, ennobled. 8T 323

The Holy Spirit will take the things of God and show them unto you, conveying them as a living power into the obedient heart. COL 149

While we yield ourselves as instruments for the Holy Spirit's working, the grace of God works in us to deny old inclinations, to overcome powerful propensities, and form new habits....

As we seek to win others to Christ, bearing the burden of souls in our prayers, our own hearts will throb with the quickening influence of God's grace; our own affections will glow with more divine fervour; our whole Christian life will be more of a reality, more earnest, more prayerful. COL 354

Through the same faith we may receive spiritual healing. By sin we have been severed from the life of God. Our souls are palsied. Of ourselves we are no more capable of living a holy life than was the impotent man capable of walking. There are many who realise their helplessness, and who long for that spiritual life which will bring them into harmony with God; they are vainly striving to obtain it. In despair they cry, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?"[1 ROM. 7:24, MARGIN.] Let these desponding, struggling ones look up. The Saviour is bending over the purchase of His blood, saying with inexpressible tenderness and pity, "Wilt thou be made whole?" He bids you arise in health and peace. Do not wait to feel that you are made whole. Believe His word, and it will be fulfilled. Put your will on the side of Christ. Will to serve Him, and in acting upon His word you will receive strength. Whatever may be the evil practise, the master-passion which through long indulgence binds both soul and body, Christ is able and longs to deliver. He will impart life to the soul that is "dead in trespasses."[2 EPH. 2:1.] He will set free the captive that is held by weakness and misfortune and the chains of sin. DA 203

It is not the highest work of education to communicate knowledge merely, but to impart that vitalising energy which is received through the contact of mind with mind, and soul with soul. It is only life that can beget life. What privilege, then, was theirs who for three years were in daily contact with that divine life from which flowed every life-giving impulse that has blessed the world. Above all his companions, John the beloved disciple yielded himself to the power of that wondrous life. He says, "The life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us." "Of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace."[1 1 JOHN 1:2; JOHN 1:16.]

In the apostles of our Lord there was nothing to bring glory to themselves. It was evident that the success of their labours was due only to God. The lives of these men, the characters they developed, and the mighty work that God wrought through them, are a testimony to what He will do for all who are teachable and obedient. DA 250

He who called the fisherman of Galilee is still calling men to His service. And He is just as willing to manifest His power through us as through the first disciples. However imperfect and sinful we may be, the Lord holds out to us the offer of partnership with Himself, of apprenticeship to Christ. He invites us to come under the divine instruction, that, uniting with Christ, we may work the works of God. DA 297

There are many who testify daily, I am not changed in character, only in theory . . . All may through faith gain a conqueror's crown, but many are not willing to engage in hand to hand warfare with their own imperfect dispositions. They retain attributes which make them offensive to God. Daily they are transgressing the principles of His holy law. If all would only learn the simple lesson that they must take and wear the yoke of Christ and learn of the Great Teacher His meekness and lowliness of heart, they would better fulfil their covenant to love God supremely and their neighbour as themselves. . . They must begin at the very beginning, Christ says, Take My yoke of restraint and obedience upon you, and learn of Me. . The heart will then be made right with God, through the creative power of Christ. Partakers of the divine nature, they are transformed. . . HP 162

Christian workers can never attain the highest success until they learn the secret of strength. They must give themselves time to think, to pray, to wait upon God for a renewal of physical, mental, and spiritual power. They need the uplifting of His Spirit. Receiving this, they will be quickened by fresh life. The wearied frame and tired brain will be refreshed, the burdened heart will be rested. HP 83

All the Lord requires is a willing mind to walk in the way of the Lord. If there be a pure heart he shall see God and will feel His keeping power even in the busiest, most excitable crowd, if duty requires him to be there . . . In such places every true, genuine receiver of Christ . . carries the lamp of life . . .

We must not have a religion that is retained only in favourable circumstances. A religion dependent on circumstances will surely fail when it is most needed, in the most difficult surroundings. HP 84

The same power that Christ exercised when He walked visibly among men is in His word.... So with all the promises of God's word. In them He is speaking to us individually, speaking as directly as if we could listen to His voice. It is in these promises that Christ communicates to us His grace and power. MH 122

Every promise that is in God's book holds out to us the encouragement that we may be partakers of the divine nature. This is the possibility - to rely upon God, to believe His Word, to work His works, and this we can do when we lay hold of the divinity of Christ. This possibility is worth more to us than all the riches in the world. There is nothing on earth that can compare with it. As we lay hold of the power thus placed within our reach, we receive a hope so strong that we can rely wholly upon God's promise; and laying hold of the possibilities there are in Christ, we become the sons and daughters of God.... He who truly believes in Christ is made partaker of the divine nature, and has power that he can appropriate under every temptation. He will not fall under temptation or be left to defeat. In time of trial he will claim the promises, and by these escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust.... To make us partakers of the divine nature, heaven gave its most costly treasure. The Son of God laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown and came to our earth as a little child. He pledged Himself to live from infancy to manhood a perfect life. He engaged to stand in a fallen world as the representative of the Father. And He would die in behalf of a lost race. What a work was this!... I hardly know how to present these points; they are so wonderful, wonderful.... By His life of sacrifice and death of shame He has made it possible for us to take hold of His divinity, and to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.... If you are partakers of the divine nature, you will day by day be obtaining a fitting for that life that measures with the life of God. Day by day you will purify your trust in Jesus and follow His example and grow into His likeness until you shall stand before Him perfected. ML 274 (1908)

Let not the messengers return to their fields of labour, until they can go in humility of spirit, with the power of the grace of Christ in their hearts, and with a deep experience in the things of God. We must be clothed with humility as with a garment. We must act our part. Let us do it here and now. Let us have the power of God manifested among us. Let us have the shout of the King in the camp. When we have humbled our hearts before God, his grace will be poured upon us, and we shall bear a clean-cut testimony that will cleave its way to the hearts of men. RH JUN.18,1889

Man was so weakened through transgression that he did not possess sufficient moral power to turn from the service of Satan to the service of the only true God; but Jesus, the Prince of life, to whom is committed "all power in heaven and earth," will impart to every soul who desires salvation the strength necessary to overcome the enemy of all righteousness....

[C.6]We must yield all the powers of our being into the service of God, and then we shall be kept from falling into the snares of the enemy. RH MAR.6,1888

What a privilege it is to labour for the conversion of souls! Our calling is high. We may enjoy the companionship of the heavenly angels. We may not discern their forms, but by faith we may know that they are with us. [Heb. 1:14 quoted.] Brethren, sisters, God invites us to unite with the angels in their ministry. Thus every one of us may become his helping hand. To fit us to do this work, he will strengthen our minds as verily as he strengthened the mind of Daniel. As we give to those in darkness the truths that have enlightened us, God will enable us to understand these truths still better. He will give us apt words to speak, communicating to us through the angel standing by our side.... Let us close the windows of the soul earthward, and open them heavenward. Let us not allow earthly things to take possession of the mind, but let us keep it open to receive the communications that the heavenly angels are ready to give to us. RH NOV.11,1902

Why do you not cease from sin? You may overcome if you will co-operate with God. Christ's promise is sure. He pledges himself to fill the office of personal Intercessor, saying `I will pray the Father.' He who could not see human beings exposed to eternal ruin without pouring out his soul unto death in their behalf, will look with pity and compassion upon every one who realises that he cannot save himself....

[A.8] Oh, how weak is our faith, that we do not avail ourselves of the rich, glorious promises of God! It is his nature to bestow his gifts upon us. All-wise and all-powerful, he will give liberally to all who ask in faith. RH OCT.30,1900

Those who come into sacred relation with the God of heaven are not left to the natural weakness and infirmity of their natures . . . The world loses all attraction for them; for they seek a better country, an eternal world, a life that is to continue through never-ending ages. This is the theme of their thought and conversation. The Word of God becomes exceedingly precious. They discern spiritual things. They rejoice in "that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). RH SEP.16,1890 (HP 95)

You are to realise that he loves you, and that you love him because he first loved you. Then you will feel that every power belongs to him. You take his free gift to you, and then come to him and give yourself freely to him. Say, "I come to present myself to God in the name of him who has died for me. I give my heart to Jesus, and I desire his blessing and his Spirit;" and the power of God will come upon you. ST FEB.22,1892

The strength given to Christ in the hour of bodily suffering and mental anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, has been and will be given to those who suffer for his dear name's sake. The same grace given to Jesus, the same comfort, the more than mortal steadfastness, will be given to every believing child of God, who is brought into perplexity and suffering, and threatened with imprisonment and death, by Satan's agents. Never has a soul that trusts in Christ been left to perish. The rack, the stake, the many inventions of cruelty, may kill the body, but they cannot touch the life that is hid with Christ in God. ST JUN.3,1897

Through faith in Christ as our personal Saviour, we receive moral power by which we may surrender every faculty to the service of God. With a full sense of our obligation to God, we may devote every entrusted ability to the service of Christ, and bring every power under the control of the will of God. In doing the will of God, we are assured of developing characters after the divine similitude. ST SEP.24,1894

Christ died that we might live, and we want to be sure that we are trying to do his will. Then we shall be acceptable to him. Angels of God will be near to help us, and we shall realise the aid of a power above ourselves.... Power from above will be given you, to enable you to show to others that we have a living Saviour, a Redeemer who can forgive our transgressions. YI JUN.9,1914

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