In George Muller’s book, Answers to Prayer, Muller tells of a young Irishman by the name of McQuilkin who was brought to the knowledge of God in November of 1856 in Ireland. Two months after his conversion, he got hold of one of Muller’s early books and became aware of the fact that things could be obtained from God through prayer, so he began to pray that God would give him a spiritual friend. Very soon God led him to another Christian young man and they began to meet for prayer each week. They prayed that God would lead them to others who knew the Lord. Soon, by autumn of 1857, one year after his conversion, the Lord brought them two more young men who were also Christians. Young McQuilkin believed that God had brought that group of four men together by believing prayer. He proposed to the other three that they should meet on Friday nights to pray for their work in the Sunday schools and in the prayer meetings and for the preaching of the gospel. So, in the autumn of 1857, they met for prayer every Friday evening. On January 1, 1858, they had their first answer to prayer. A young farm servant was converted and joined them. There were now five of them agreeing to meet and pray. Not long after, another young man, age 20, was converted and now there were six of them meeting and praying. This really encouraged the first four.
About Christmas of 1858, now this is two years into their adventure of prayer, a young man from a nearby community had been converted through the testimony of this group of men, and he went back to his little town and told his friends what had happened and this friend wanted these men to come over and preach the gospel to them and tell them about Jesus Christ. So on February 2, 1859 they all went together and held meetings in one of the churches there and as a result of those meetings, some people believed and wanted them to come back and minister again. So they came back two weeks later.
Muller wrote, “From that time on, the Spirit of God began to work and to work mightily. Souls were converted and conversions multiplied rapidly. Some of these converts went to other places and carried the spiritual fire with them. The blessed work of the Spirit of God spread in many places. Such was the beginning of that mighty work of the Holy Spirit, which has led to the conversion of hundreds of thousands. Some of my readers will remember how, in 1859, this fire was kindled and spread through Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland. How the continent of Europe was more or less partaking of this mighty working of the Holy Spirit. How it led thousands to give themselves to the work of evangelism and how, in the year 1874, not only the effects of this work first begun in Ireland was felt, but that new, more, blessed work was going on in Europe in general. It is almost needless to add that in no degree was the honor due to the instruments (which is these young men), but to the Holy Spirit alone. Yet these facts are stated in order that it may be seen what delight God has in answering abundantly the believing prayer of His children.”
Muller wrote, “From that time on, the Spirit of God began to work and to work mightily. Souls were converted and conversions multiplied rapidly. Some of these converts went to other places and carried the spiritual fire with them. The blessed work of the Spirit of God spread in many places. Such was the beginning of that mighty work of the Holy Spirit, which has led to the conversion of hundreds of thousands. Some of my readers will remember how, in 1859, this fire was kindled and spread through Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland. How the continent of Europe was more or less partaking of this mighty working of the Holy Spirit. How it led thousands to give themselves to the work of evangelism and how, in the year 1874, not only the effects of this work first begun in Ireland was felt, but that new, more, blessed work was going on in Europe in general. It is almost needless to add that in no degree was the honor due to the instruments (which is these young men), but to the Holy Spirit alone. Yet these facts are stated in order that it may be seen what delight God has in answering abundantly the believing prayer of His children.”
How big is our praying? What are we asking God to do? Let me challenge you with something. If God were to promise you that tonight at 12:00 o’clock midnight, all of your prayers would be answered -- every one of them -- what would change? What would change in your family? What would change in your church? What would change in your life -- if all of your prayers could be answered at midnight tonitght?
Taken from: www.praybold.org
Taken from: www.praybold.org
