There is a difference between simple faith and presumption. Some people take things for granted because God has promised similar things, without considering well if their prayer is according to the will of God. The Lord has promised bodily healing to his children. He says, “The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” Jas. 5:15. This is conditional, the conditions being recorded in the following verse: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.” The glorious Bible doctrine of divine healing has many times been disgraced by mere presumption. Many when they are anointed presume they are healed because God has promised it in his Word when they have failed to sit in the valley of humiliation to learn of God their faults that need correction. They find in a short time that their presumption does not prove effectual and witnesses are made to scorn the idea of divine healing. We hear of no relapsing in a few days of those who were healed by the Lord and his church in the morning light. If any had such severe trials of faith as to be as sick or worse than ever apparently, it was thought wisdom to exclude such testimony from the Bible, and if wise to exclude it from the Bible, we are persuaded it is wise to exclude it from public testimony at any time. The same may be said of prayers for spiritual and temporal blessings. Never mistake presumption for faith. An individual might ask God for some temporal blessing and because God has promised to supply “all our needs,” and if “we ask anything he will do it,” take it for granted he is soon going to receive it, and when it fails to appear is disappointed and discouraged. By close examination it will be found that there was not a humble resignation of all things into the hands of God. The prayer was tinctured with selfish desire and more presuming than heart-felt faith. For a perfect operation of faith that will draw blessings and life and power from God to the soul there must be a humble yielding, a perfect surrender of all to the Father’s loving control. When all is resigned, and we sit in holy submission at his feet, faith will spring up, and if it is for some temporal blessing we are asking, God will answer to the soul and we will know and feel within us that we have the object desired. Though we have it not as yet in our possession it will never fail to appear at God’s own appointed time, which is never too late. We believe that many presume that they are sanctified, but afterwards discover that they have not a perfect and pure heart. In all probability there was a lack in the consecration, which hindered a perfect operation of faith, and presumption was mistaken for belief. Such has doubtless been the result also in seeking justification. Positive faith affects God on his throne and brings a clear understanding consciousness to the soul.