The Power of Prayer in the Life of the Believer

Long before megachurches existed, nearly 6,000 people packed the "tabernacle" services to hear Charles Spurgeon's sermons. Discover why his masterful preaching caused amazement in his time.

Considered by his contemporaries (and by today's standards) the "Prince of Preachers," Charles Spurgeon turned London's Metropolitan Tabernacle into the largest independent congregation in the world in the 19th century. While many factors have been highlighted to explain the success of Spurgeon's preaching, the key secret to his effectiveness was his devotion to prayer.

When people visited the Metropolitan Tabernacle, he would show them the prayer room, located in the basement, where people were always on their knees interceding for the church. Then the pastor would declare to them: "Here is the power house of this church." This statement was supported by the astonishing number of sermons Spurgeon preached on prayer.

Spurgeon was a believer who practiced passionate prayer, guided by the Holy Spirit. The vivid images that describe the marvelous throne of grace, before which God invites believers to feed, are well worth this book alone. But even though Spurgeon strongly encouraged prayer, he knew—and commented on—the conflicts of prayer that every believer experiences.