Day 1 - 10 Days of Prayer - The urgency of Prayer

“How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

LUKE 11:13

A Daunting Task The world’s population is exploding. The latest population figures reveal that our world has 7.8 billion people crowded onto this spinning globe called Earth as it catapults through space at 67,000 miles per hour. With approximately 385,000 babies born each day, or 140 million each year, we wonder how we can ever reach this world with the good news of the gospel and Christ’s soon return. Each year nearly seven times more people are born than are currently members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Or consider the challenge another way. The world’s cities are growing rapidly. There are at least 548 cities with a population of one million or more. Many of these cities are in countries where the Seventh-day Adventist Church has very little presence. The daunting task of reaching this world with the three angels’ messages looms large before us. Millions are dying without Christ and a knowledge of the good news of salvation and the hope of His second coming. The task before us at times seems impossible—and this should drive us to our knees in earnest prayer. Through the Power of the Holy Spirit No amount of human effort is sufficient to reach our world for Christ. Human plans are powerless unless they are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit will this world be reached with heaven’s end-time message. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can millions in the great cities of this world be reached. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can unentered countries resistant to the gospel be reached. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can our communities be reached. And the incredibly good news is that God is already working in these “difficult to reach” places. He invites us to seek Him for the power to accomplish the task before us. How Much More Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13). Notice the expression “how much more” in this text. Jesus wants to do much more for us personally and much more for His church than we can possibly imagine. He urges us to ask for the Holy Spirit, to plead for the Spirit, to seek the Spirit’s blessing with our whole heart—not because He is unwilling to give it but because we are unprepared to receive it. As we begin these ten days of prayer this year, let’s claim this promise together. “The promise of the Holy Spirit is not limited to any age or to any race. Christ declared that the divine influence of His Spirit was to be with His followers unto the end. From the Day of Pentecost to the present time, the Comforter has been sent to all who have yielded themselves fully to the Lord and to His service” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 49). Let’s pray together. Prayer Time (30–45 Minutes) Testimony from 2021 Ten Days of Prayer “I am thankful for the Ten Days of Prayer. I'm feeling like a fire has been reignited in me. I am spending more time in the Bible and with the Lord. . . . I thank and praise God for opening my eyes, my heart, and my mind to fully accept Jesus and the Holy Spirit in my life.” (Constance) A Powerful Promise “‘If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in Heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:19, 20). ‘Ask of Me, and I will answer your requests.’ The promise is made on condition that the united prayers of the church are offered, and in answer to these prayers there may be expected a power greater than that which comes in answer to private prayer. The power given will be proportionate to the unity of the members and their love for God and for one another” (Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, p. 303). All prayer groups have different ways of praying together. We encourage you to spend the next 30-45 minutes in united prayer, in whatever way the Holy Spirit leads. Below are some examples of praying through Scripture. You may pray through other passages also. See the Leader’s Guide for other prayer ideas. Praying God’s Word – Luke 11:13 “How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” “How Much More” God, You are good. You desire my good, much more than even the most loving parent ever could. You know me in my inmost being and heart, and You alone understand how to restore, heal, and transform me. “The Holy Spirit” Jesus, thank You for the promise of the Holy Spirit. He brings the blessings of God into our lives. He glorifies You in our hearts. He applies the benefits of the salvation You wrought on Calvary in our lives. Thank You for this gift! “Who Ask Him” Father, I claim the promise of Luke 11:13 today. Daily I will joyfully ask You to fill my life with the present, the presence, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Please clear out of my life everything that stands in the way of complete surrender to You. Baptize me and my church with the Holy Spirit so we can glorify Jesus in a world that needs You. More Prayer Suggestions Thanks and Praise: Give thanks for specific blessings and praise God for His goodness. Confession: Take a few minutes for private confession and thank God for His forgiveness. Guidance: Ask God to grant wisdom for current challenges and decisions. Our Church: Pray for regional and world church needs (see separate sheet with requests). Local Requests: Pray for current needs of church members, family, and neighbors. Listen and Respond: Take time to listen for God’s voice and respond in praise or song. Song Suggestions SDA Hymnal: Spirit of the Living God (#672); Sweet, Sweet Spirit (#262); Fill My Cup, Lord (#493); Sweet Hour of Prayer (#478); Come, Holy Spirit (#269).