Friday, January 27, 2017

Book Review: Prevailing Prayer

Prevailing Prayer. D.L. Moody. Foreword by Erwin Lutzer. 1987/2016. Moody. 143 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: THOSE WHO HAVE LEFT the deepest impression on this sin-cursed earth have been men and women of prayer.

I enjoyed reading D.L. Moody's Prevailing Prayer. Prayer is one of those subjects that is always, always relevant for believers. Not all books on prayers are created equal, I've found. Prevailing Prayer is one of the good ones.

What I appreciated most about this one is how practical it is. Moody examined what the Bible had to say about prayer and showed readers how to apply what the Scripture teaches to their own prayers.

How practical is practical? Moody focused on nine elements that are essential to true prayer. These elements are: adoration, confession, restitution, thanksgiving, forgiveness, unity, faith, petition, submission. A few of these terms readers may be familiar with. But I'm guessing a few will be new to you. (I know they were new to me).

Favorite quotes:
  • If our sermons are going to reach the hearts and consciences of the people, we must be much in prayer to God, that there may be power with the word.
  • Holiness belongs to God; sinfulness belongs to us. 
  • When we see the holiness of God, we shall adore and magnify Him. When we hear men trying to make out that they are holy, and speaking about their holiness, they make light of the holiness of God.  It is His holiness that we need to think and speak about; when we do that, we shall be prostrate in the dust. 
  • The judgment of God must begin with us. 
  • God will hear our prayer and turn our captivity when we take our true place before Him, and confess and forsake our transgressions. 
  •  I think if God searches us, we will find a good many things in our lives for us to confess. If we are tried and tested by God’s law, there will be many, many things that Will have to be changed. 
  • Very often when we cry to God we do not really mean anything. 
  • The only way to trouble God is not to come at all. He encourages us to come to Him repeatedly, and press our claims. 
  • Too often we knock at mercy’s door, and then run away, instead of waiting for an entrance and an answer. Thus we act as if we were afraid of having our prayers answered. 

 
© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

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