Heralds Digest

"And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand." (Revelation 8:4 NKJV) Prayer is often conceived as effectual after the gifts are received or results are seen. This type of conception places little emphasis on the benefit of an intimate fellowship between man and God, as the primary privilege of an effectual fervent prayer from the saints of God. However, prayers of saints always ascend to the presence of God, irrespective of an apparent delay in the response from heaven. Therefore, prevailing prayer is more about the ascent of saints to heaven than the descent of gifts from heaven.

"...and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”" (Revelation 7:10 NKJV) Grace is simply put as God's righteousness at Christ's expense. Christ, being the Lamb of God, paid the price of man's redemption by His blood. However, the tribulation saints have the opportunity to attain righteousness by their own blood, if they endure the brutality of the period of great tribulation without denying the truth about God's salvation. Grievous price is paid for graceless salvation, which would have been unnecesary for those who make haste to respond to the message of grace.