Prayer Answered
D.L. Moody's sermon illustrates the profound impact of prayer through the transformative story of a mother and her two sons who found Christ.
D.L. Moody shares a powerful testimony of a mother in Philadelphia who, in desperation for her two wayward sons, sought the prayers of fellow Christians. After a heartfelt prayer meeting, both sons, unbeknownst to each other, encountered the Lord at different gatherings and were transformed by His grace. Their mother's faith and the collective prayers of the community led to a miraculous change in their lives, resulting in a joyful reunion and a happy home. This story illustrates the profound impact of prayer and the hope it brings to families in distress.
Text
Only a few years ago, in the city of Philadelphia, there was a mother who had two sons. They were just going as fast as they could to ruin. They were breaking her heart, and she went into a little prayer-meeting and got up and presented them for prayer.
They had been on a drunken spree, or had just got started in that way, and she knew that their end would be a drunkard's grave, and she went among these Christians, and said, "Won't you just cry to God for my two boys?" The next morning those two boys had made an appointment to meet each other on the corner of Market and Thirteenth streets, though not that they knew anything about our meeting; and while one of them was there at the corner, waiting for his brother to come, he followed the people who were flooding into the depot building, and the spirit of the Lord met him, and he was wounded and found his way to Christ.
After his brother came, he found the place too crowded to enter, so he too went curiously into another meeting and found Christ, and went home happy; and when he got home he told his mother what the Lord had done for him, and the second son came with the same tidings. I heard one of them get up afterwards to tell his experience in the young converts' meeting, and he had no sooner told the story than the other got up, an said, "I am that brother, and there is not a happier home in Philadelphia than we have got."
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Introduction to the power of prayer - The story of the mother and her two sons - The urgency of prayer in desperate situations
- II points: - The transformative power of prayer - How prayer led to the sons' conversion - The role of community in prayer
- III points: - The joy of answered prayer - The impact on the family - Celebrating the change in lives
- IV points: - Encouragement to pray for others - The importance of faith in prayer - Conclusion and call to action
Key Quotes
“Won't you just cry to God for my two boys?” — D.L. Moody
“I am that brother, and there is not a happier home in Philadelphia than we have got.” — D.L. Moody
“The spirit of the Lord met him, and he was wounded and found his way to Christ.” — D.L. Moody
Application Points
- Pray persistently for those in need, trusting in God's power to change lives.
- Engage with your community in prayer, as collective faith can lead to miraculous outcomes.
- Celebrate the answered prayers in your life and share those testimonies to encourage others.