1. Prayer is the opening of the heart to God
Ellen White (1827-1915): “Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend” (SC, p. 93, 1892).
John Bunyan (1628-1688): “It is the opener of the heart to God…By prayer the Christian can open his heart to God, as to a friend, and obtain fresh testimony of God’s friendship” (A Discourse Touching Prayer, 1662, Acacia John Bunyan Online Library).
2. Prayer is a key
Ellen White (1827-1915): “Prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence” (Steps to Christ, pp. 94, 95. 1892).
Edward Bickersteth (1786-1850): “Prayer has been compared to a key, that in the morning opens the treasury of god’s mercies; and in the evening shuts up under his protection and safeguard” (A Treatise On Prayer, p. 112, 1822).
J. C. Ryle (1816-1900): Prayer – “Prayer is the very life-breath of true religion…It is the key that unlocks the treasury of promises, and the hand that draws forth grace and help in time of need” (The Upper Room: The Duties of Parents, 1887).
3. Prayer does not bring God down to us
Ellen White (1827-1915): “Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him” Steps to Christ, p. 93, 1892).
Edward Bickersteth (1786-1850): “We do not say that prayer really changes the purposes of god, though it may sometimes so explained in condescension to our infirmities; we may think indeed, that we are drawing God nearer to us, when we in truth draw nearer to him” (A Treatise on Prayer, p. 26, [1818] 1822).
4. Prayer is the breath of soul
Ellen White (1827-1915): “Prayer is the breath of soul. It is the secret of spiritual power” (Gospel Workers, p. 254, 1915).
Edward Bickersteth (1786-1850): “Prayer is breath of the spiritual life in the soul” (A Treatise on Prayer, p. 20, 1822).
Edward Bickersteth (1786-1850): “Prayer is a necessity; for it is the life of the soul” (A Treatise on Prayer, p. 258, 1822).
5. Prayer is a privilege and necessity
Ellen White (1827-1915): “His humanity made prayer a necessity and a privilege” (Steps to Christ, p. 95, 1892).
Ellen White: “Said the angel; “This is their privilege and duty” (1Testimonies, p. 178, 1868).
Edward Bickersteth (1786-1850): “When we are consistent in secret prayer, not as an act of self-righteousness, but from a feeling of necessity, and of its being both our duty and privilege” (A Treatise on Prayer, p. 59, 1822).
Edward Bickersteth(1786-1850): “The duty and privilege of daily family prayer” (A Treatise on Prayer, p. 158, 1822).
Octavious Winslow (1808-1878): “And why is the throne of grace so seldom resorted to, and prayer itself felt to be so much a duty, and so little a privilege;…” (The Glory of The Redeemer, p. 151).
William Nevins (1797-1835): “But prayer, while it is a duty, is rather to be viewed by us in the light of a privilege. And O it is such a privilege!” (Practical thoughts, p. 21, 1836).
6. When and where to pray
Ellen White (1827-1915): “There is no time or place in which it is inappropriate to offer up a petition to god…as did Nehemiah when he made his request before king Artexerexes. It was thus that Enoch walked with God” (Steps to Christ, p. 100).
Edward Bickersteth (1786-1850): “Nehemiah is an eminent example of the spirit of prayer… Being sorrowful in the presence of the king, and having stated his reason” (A Treatise on Prayer, p. 172, 1822).
Edward Bickersteth (1786-1850): “Thus Enoch, Noah, and Abraham and David walked with God” (A Treatise on Prayer, p. 175, 1822).
Ellen White: “Pray in your closet, and as you go about your daily labour…” (2T, p. 496; SC, p, 98, 1871).
Edward Bickersteth (1786-1850): “But I would not be hurried out of my closet for a thousand worlds” (A Treatise on Prayer, p. 30, 1822).
7. Let nothing hinder your prayers
Ellen White (1827-1915): “There is necessity for diligence in prayer. Let nothing hinder you” (Steps to Christ, p. 98).
Edward Bickersteth (1786-1850): “Let nothing hinder you from giving regular and full time to God” (A Treatise on Prayer, p. 235, 1822).
8. Do not take counsel with your doubts and fears
Ellen White (1827-1915): “If we take counsel with our doubts and fears, or try to solve everything that we cannot see clearly, before we have faith, perplexities will only increase and deepen. But if we come to God, feeling helpless and dependent, as we really are, and in humble, trusting faith make known our wants to Him whose knowledge is infinite, who sees everything in creation, and who governs everything by His will and word, He can and will attend to our cry, and will let light shine into our hearts. Through sincere prayer we are brought into connection with the mind of the Infinite. We may have no remarkable evidence at the time that the face of our Redeemer is bending over us in compassion and love, but this is even so. We may not feel His visible touch, but His hand is upon us in love and pitying tenderness” (SC, p. 97, 1892).
Daniel March (1816-11909): “While we take counsel with our doubts and fears, or try to solve the problem of the universe in the cabinets and laboratory of science, or to explore the depths of eternity… we shall only increase our perplexity and deepen our disappointment. But let them go up to the mount of God where man meets his Maker in humble, trusting prayer… Let them leave all the false guides which they have been following, and look only to Him who sees everything at one view and governs everything with a word… In every act of sincere prayer the soul comes into living contact with the infinite mind. We see no face bending over us with looks of compassion. No voice answers to our humble cry. No hand is let down for us to grasp” (Night Scenes In The Bible, pp. 336-337, 339-340, 1869).