Why God Used D. L. Moody, pt 2 - Surrender and Prayer

The first reason Torrey gives for D. L. Moody's power and usefulness is that he was a "fully surrendered man". Not that he was perfect, but that he had intentionally endeavoured to submit his entire life to Christ.  He tells the story:

Henry Varley, a very intimate friend of Mr. Moody in the earlier days of his work, loved to tell how he once said to him: 'It remains to be seen what God will do with a man who gives himself up wholly to Him.'  I am told that when Mr. Henry Varley said that, Mr. Moody said to himself: 'Well, I will be that man.'...
     If you and I are to be used in our sphere as D. L. Moody was used in his, we must put all that we have and all that we are in the hands of God, for Him to use as He will, to send us where He will, for God to do with us what He will, and we, on our part, to do everything God bids us do."

Torrey concludes that

"There are thousands and tens of thousands of men and women in Christian work, brilliant men and women, rarely gifted men and women, men and women who are making great sacrifices, men and women who have put all conscious sin out of their lives, yet who, nevertheless, have stopped short of absolute surrender to God, and therefore have stopped sort of fullness of power."

The second reason Torrey gives is that Moody was a man of prayer, even stating that he was "a far greater pray-er than he was a preacher."

"Time and time again he was confronted by obstacles that seemed insurmountable, but he always knew the way to surmount and to overcome all difficulties.  He knew the way to bring to pass anything that needed to be brought to pass.  he knew and believed in the deepest depths of his soul that 'nothing was too hard for the Lord' and that prayer could do anything that God could do...
     Often times Mr. Moody would write me when he was about to undertake some new work, saying: 'I am beginning work in such and such a place on such and such a day; I wish you would get the students together for a day of fasting and prayer'...
     Often we were gathered in the lecture room far into the night -- sometimes till one, two, three, four or even five o'clock in the morning, crying to God, just because Mr. Moody urged us to wait upon God until we received His blessing.  How many men and women I have known whose lives and characters have been transformed by those night of prayer and who have wrought mighty things in many lands because of those night of prayer!"

It is no wonder the Lord moved so powerfully in Moody's ministry - and it is not surprising why we often see so little fruit in ours.  Oh, that we today would recapture that same passion for prayer - that would lead us to forsake sleep, even food, for the sake of the work of God and the salvation of the lost!

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Kindle Availability:
"Why God Used D. L. Moody" is available in these Kindle eBooks:

• How to Pray and Why God Used D. L. Moody - just $1.00
• Included in "The Works of R. A. Torrey, Vol 1" for just $4.99 

    

Why God used D. L. Moody

I recently read this short classic for the first time and was struck with the wisdom and depth packed into it.
R. A. Torrey, who wrote this book, was a well-known evangelist, writer and teacher, as well as a personal friend of Moody's.  More than anyone else he was able to comment - from both a personal and spiritual viewpoint - why it was God's hand rested so mightily on Moody.  But his focus wasn't just on Moody, but rather on encouraging others to live the life he had lived that they might also see God's blessing on their ministry.  Torrey states,

"The God who used D. L. Moody in his day is just as ready to use you and me, in this day, if we, on our part, do what D. L. Moody did, which was what made it possible for God to so abundantly use him...God does not give His power arbitrarily. It is true that He gives it to whomsoever He will, but He wills to give it on certain conditions, which are clearly revealed in His Word."

 Torrey then goes on to share 7 principles he felt were key to Moody's life and impact:

1. A fully surrendered man
2. A deep and practical student of the Bible
3. A man of prayer
4. A humble man
5. Freedom from the love of money
6. Consuming passion for the salvation of the lost
7. Endued with power from on high

In the days to come we'll look more closely at a few of these 7 important areas.  Suffice to say that this little book will challenge you deeply and  should be a must-read for those who are ministering for the Lord!

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Kindle Availability:
"Why God Used D. L. Moody" is available in these Kindle eBooks:

• How to Pray and Why God Used D. L. Moody - just $1.00
• Included in "The Works of R. A. Torrey, Vol 1" for just $4.99