Torch, Spring 1982

8 H ave you had any prayers answered lately? Most of us have. But, let us be honest. There are times when heaven seems to be a concrete fortress and our prayers appear to have the penetrating power of ping pong balls. Why? Is this just the way it is? Is this part of normal Christian living? Is there a secret to "praying with power"? If so, does our God reveal it only to "spiritual giants"? A voice out of the past would shout a resounding "No!" and further investigation would confirm that George Mueller believed all Christians can pray with power. History reveals that George Mueller was perhaps one of God's greatest prayer warriors. From 1805- f898, simply by prayer and faith, without asking any other individual for financial assistance, he was enabled by God to: - Erect five large orphan houses in Bristol, England. - Shelter, feed, and clothe 10,000 orphans, many of whom received Jesus Christ as Savior. - Circulate 109 million books and leaflets, 279,000 Bibles, and 1.4 million Testaments . - Establish or assist 117 schools in 10 different coun– tries in which 122,000 young people were educated. - Travel 200,000 miles by sea and land, preach in 42 countries in five continents after he was 70 years old . - Pray in $6,905,850. - Give away $407 ,450 sent for his personal use. - Leave a personal estate valued at $800 . Are you amazed? Of course! Did Mueller pray with power? Undoubtedly! But, can you and I pray like Mueller and get results? He once said, " ... I pray to the Lord, and expect an answer to my requests; and may not you do the same, dear believing reader? Oh! I beseech you, do not think me an extraordinary believer, having privileges above other of God's dear children, which they cannot have; nor look on my way of acting as something that would not do for other believers." George Mueller believed that power in prayer is available to all Christians and that God delights to grant His children's petitions when they are offered to Him according to a few simple rules . His life exemplified obedience to those rules. HE PRAYED IN GOD'S WILL "I seek at the beginning," said Mueller, "to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord's will, whatever it may be." Then Mueller was able to claim I John 5: 14, 15: "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us : And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him." HE PRAYED SPECIFICALLY One particular Scripture had a profound impact on George Mueller's life. " ... open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it" (Psalm 81: 10) . Prompted by the potential of this verse, he recalled, " .. .I then fell on my knees and opened my mouth wide, asking Him for much. I asked in submission to His will, and without fixing a time when He should answer my petition. I prayed that He would give me a house (orphanage), i.e., either as a loan, or that someone might be led to pay the rent for one, or that one might be given permanently for this object; further, I asked Him for $5 ,000; and likewise for suitable individuals to take care of the children. Besides this, I since have been led to ask the Lord to put into the hearts of His people to send me articles of furniture for the house, and some clothes for the children." Mueller then adds a comment that wonderfully gives evidence of his confidence in his prayers. "When I was making the petition, I was fully aware of what I was doing - that I was asking for something which I had no natural prospect of obtaining from the brethren whom I know, but which was not too much for the Lord to grant."