WHILE every action taken at the recent Autumn Council is important, yet none is more vital to the growth and well-being of the church than the recommendation on prayer. As this was presented to the Council it was passed in an atmosphere of fervent solemnity. All sensed its importance. Here it is:
United Prayer for the Holy Spirit
Recognizing that the hour to which we have come demands that the church seek for the power of God, and realizing the importance of these statements from the pen of the Lord's messenger that-
"the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the church is looked forward to as in the future; but it is the privilege of the church to have it now. Seek for it, pray for it, believe for it. We must have it, and Heaven is waiting to bestow it" (Ellen G. White in The Review and Herald, March 19, 1895), and further, that
"If we ever needed the Holy Ghost to be with us, if we ever needed to preach in the demonstration of the Spirit, it is at this very time" (Evangelism, page 180, par. 2);
and concerning the experiences of the early church it is recorded—
"After Christ's ascension, the disciples were gathered together in one place to make humble supplication to God. And after ten days of heart searching and self-examination, the way was prepared for the Holy Spirit to enter the cleansed, consecrated soul temples. Every heart was filled with the Spirit, as though God desired to show His people that it was His prerogative to bless them with the choicest of heaven's blessings" (Ellen G. White in The Review and Herald, June 10, 1902); and,
Whereas, The maintenance of high standards of spirituality in our churches is of growing concern to both our leadership and our laity; and,
Whereas, Prophecy reveals that the final efforts of the church are to be accompanied by mighty acts of the Spirit's power and presence; therefore,
We recommend, That our leaders, pastors, and church officers around the world give careful study as to how this can be made a vital experience to our people, and that definite plans be laid on the local church level toward leading our people into an experience of repentance, contrition, and reformation conditional to the reception of a larger out pouring of the Holy Spirit.
Calling God's people to prayer is certainly not new, for the church was born in an atmosphere of importunate prayer. And at every advance through the centuries of her history prayer has been the prime prerequisite. Only as the church is moved by the Spirit of God is she able to make progress. And the Holy Spirit comes in answer to prayer.
We all sense that our greatest need as a people or as individuals is a revival and a reformation. But revivals do not just hap pen; they are usually the result of earnest, prayerful preparation. The word revival means new life, but this must be the work of God's Spirit, for only His Spirit can im part new life. The recommendation calls us as leaders to make broad plans for our churches to enter into this deeper experience. But in all our planning we must be sure that the Spirit of God has the place of supreme and absolute control; He must be the Chairman of every committee or counsel.
In the days of Zechariah the Lord promised, "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications." True revivals come only when the Lord pours out the spirit of grace and supplication upon His people. It is His work, and it must begin with Him. Prayerless revivals are shams. Yet if prayer is to be effectual and acceptable the Holy Spirit must help our infirmities and teach us how to pray.
How true are these words used in the introduction of this recommendation: "If we ever needed the Holy Ghost to be with us, if we ever needed to preach in the demonstration of the Spirit, it is at this very time." Everywhere today there is a sense of urgency. But that very condition creates the opportunity for the church to do a great work for God. As leaders we must lead our people not only to desire but to determine that they will enter into the spirit of real revival and reformation.
The objective of this Fall Council action is to roll upon our members and our church officers the burden for earnest, importunate, and continuous prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Only when men and women realize their deep need of God's Spirit will He come. God is not re luctant to give this blessing, for there is nothing He delights to do so much as to send forth His Spirit into the hearts of sub missive men and women, boys and girls. While the Holy Spirit is like the wind, blowing where He willeth, yet He always wills to blow where it is consistent for Him to do so. If we meet the conditions, God will answer by an outpouring of "the spirit of grace and of supplications." To those first Christian leaders our Lord, anticipat ing His departure, said: "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you." Then He added, "If I depart, I will send him unto you." When the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, comes He proceeds from the throne of grace, sent not only to com fort sad hearts but more definitely to be our Advocate, our parakletos, one who stands by our side to sustain our cause.
When a church or a community comes to the place where there is recognition of real need, when they begin to pray for the outpouring of the Spirit, and are willing to take their eyes off their fellow men and surrender absolutely to the control of God, then revival is inevitable.
As this call to prayer goes to the world field it would be wonderful if every conference and mission president, with their administrative committees, together with the pastors of our 12,500 churches, our teachers, colporteurs, Bible instructors, and medical workers in every world division would begin to plan for a revival of im portunate prayer. It must be more than a plan, however. It must be an individual reaching out for God. And in this program no worker is so important as the pastor. How true it is that a worker of small gifts, laboring amid discouraging environments, has been mightily used of God because he and his people looked not to themselves but to the Holy Spirit; while, conversely, other men with naturally large gifts have accomplished little or nothing of real and permanent value because they depended upon themselves and not upon the Holy Spirit.
Great revivals have usually had their beginnings when a few warm, humble hearts set themselves to praying. Then the fire, once kindled, began to spread until whole communities became ablaze with the glory of God. As the spirit of self-searching and surrender gripped the people multitudes were added to the church. It is easy in these days of efficient organization to put our emphasis on work, methods, and machinery; but we all know that our great need is prayer. As ministers and leaders in God's cause, let us heed His counsel and lead our churches in earnest, fervent prayer, asking the Lord for rain in this time of the latter rain. If every time we meet with one another in counsel, or even in our social gatherings, we begin to pray for the prom ised blessing, and then in turn lay the bur den upon our church officers, encouraging them to lead out in special meetings for prayer, it will not be long before the whole church will begin to feel the impact and catch the spirit. And let us not depend on only the regular midweek meeting, but rather arrange for special gatherings at our churches, and more particularly in the homes of our members. If we would enourage the gathering together of smaller groups where our friends and neighbors could join us, and let our prayers be for the baptism of the Spirit of God, we would soon see the salvation of our God.
When more than a million Adventists begin to pray as we should be praying, we will see the work of God go forward with mighty power. How our hearts rejoiced as reports were brought to us of the work of God in some parts of the world field! Think of our brethren in Korea. How those dear people have suffered in recent years! But during the past three years our membership in that land has doubled; thousands are seeking admission to the church. And what has brought this about?—a praying membership. In the early morning hours before our brethren went to their places of labor, these faithful toilers were at times meeting for prayer.
When a church lays hold on God in ear nest, importunate prayer for the Holy Spirit, the Lord always answers. Shall we not, then, as leaders take hold of this work in earnestness and devotion, believing that God will do for us abundantly above any thing that we have asked or thought?
Years ago the messenger of the Lord said:
I have been deeply impressed by scenes that have recently passed before me in the night season. There seemed to be a great movement—a work of revival —going forward in many places. Our people were moving into line, responding to God's call. My brethren, the Lord is speaking to us. Shall we not heed His voice? Shall we not trim our lamps, and act like men who look for their Lord to come?"— Testimonies to Ministers, p. 515.
R. A. A.
