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Prayer Power
Prayer brings us into vibrant contact with God. In these inspiring pages, you will uncover the prayer secrets of Paul, Jesus, Hudson Taylor, and George Mõller. As you come to know that nothing is impossible with our prayer-hearing God, you will see that He is waiting to abundantly answer you with showers of blessings.
159 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1914
798 people are currently reading
855 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Murray
1,199 books546 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Murray was Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Murray became a noted missionary leader. His father was a Scottish Presbyterian serving the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, and his mother had connections with both French Huguenots and German Lutherans. This background to some extent explains his ecumenical spirit. He was educated at Aberdeen University, Scotland, and at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. After ordination in 1848 he served pastorates at Bloemfontein, Worcester, Cape Town, and Wellington. He helped to found what are now the University College of the Orange Free State and the Stellenbosch Seminary. He served as Moderator of the Cape Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church and was president of both the YMCA (1865) and the South Africa General Mission (1888-1917), now the Africa Evangelical Fellowship.
He was one of the chief promoters of the call to missions in South Africa. This led to the Dutch Reformed Church missions to blacks in the Transvaal and Malawi. Apart from his evangelistic tours in South Africa, he spoke at the Keswick and Northfield Conventions in 1895, making a great impression. upon his British and American audiences. For his contribution to world missions he was given an honorary doctorate by the universities of Aberdeen (1898) and Cape of Good Hope(1907).
Murray is best known today for his devotional writings, which place great emphasis on the need for a rich, personal devotional life. Many of his 240 publications explain in how he saw this devotion and its outworking in the life of the Christian. Several of his books have become devotional classics. Among these are Abide in Christ, Absolute Surrender, With Christ in the School of Prayer, The Spirit of Christ and Waiting on God.
Murray was Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Murray became a noted missionary leader. His father was a Scottish Presbyterian serving the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, and his mother had connections with both French Huguenots and German Lutherans. This background to some extent explains his ecumenical spirit. He was educated at Aberdeen University, Scotland, and at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. After ordination in 1848 he served pastorates at Bloemfontein, Worcester, Cape Town, and Wellington. He helped to found what are now the University College of the Orange Free State and the Stellenbosch Seminary. He served as Moderator of the Cape Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church and was president of both the YMCA (1865) and the South Africa General Mission (1888-1917), now the Africa Evangelical Fellowship.
He was one of the chief promoters of the call to missions in South Africa. This led to the Dutch Reformed Church missions to blacks in the Transvaal and Malawi. Apart from his evangelistic tours in South Africa, he spoke at the Keswick and Northfield Conventions in 1895, making a great impression. upon his British and American audiences. For his contribution to world missions he was given an honorary doctorate by the universities of Aberdeen (1898) and Cape of Good Hope(1907).
Murray is best known today for his devotional writings, which place great emphasis on the need for a rich, personal devotional life. Many of his 240 publications explain in how he saw this devotion and its outworking in the life of the Christian. Several of his books have become devotional classics. Among these are Abide in Christ, Absolute Surrender, With Christ in the School of Prayer, The Spirit of Christ and Waiting on God.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
December 16, 2019
The best book on prayer that I have read.
January 20, 2024
The personal conclusion born out of my own experience is that having a prayer and spiritual life whiteout God is nonexistent. You need God so than you can live this type of life because on your own strength you absolutely can not.
Praises be to the Lord who is good to us all and is waiting us with open arms to receive us no matter how arrogant, dirty or sinful we are!
Praises be to the Lord who is good to us all and is waiting us with open arms to receive us no matter how arrogant, dirty or sinful we are!
March 31, 2012
Very good points.....deals mainly with the issue of prayerlessness. A challenging book that if not heeded our prayers will not be effective, but bounce back to us from the ceiling. Changes are called for and there is a great reward waiting for those who prepare to bow the knee.
January 20, 2022
I'm still digesting and trying to put so much of what I read into action but this is a VERY good book on prayer, especially helping believers realize we can't live a prayerful life in our own efforts and striving. We ask God to help transform our prayer lives and develop deeper intimacy with Him
November 18, 2009
I've only read a chapter and a half . . . and I'm already convicted!! But inspired!
This is gonna be an awesome book! Read it, read it read it!
This is gonna be an awesome book! Read it, read it read it!
November 23, 2015
I should have been reading Andrew Murray's works years ago. I was edified, challenged and spurred onto much greater intimacy with Jesus.
February 28, 2017
Itself was good but members who read this book together were best. That's why I rated it 5Stars.
It seems more important that members and the period of reading than the book itself.
It seems more important that members and the period of reading than the book itself.
May 11, 2013
"Satan endeavours to become the master of the Christian prayer time."
That statement is written on the third last page of this marvellous book but is a great reminder of where the battle for our souls is played out. The enemy knows we are ineffective against him if we aren't praying.
Andrew Murray in this relatively short book emphases the power of prayer by exploring Jesus' commitment to it. His ministry wouldn't have been as effective if it weren't for His prayer life. I know I often forget this.
Murray regards prayerlessness as the scourge of the christian community: we just don't pray enough. This book needs to be read diligently as Murray explores many new ideas. It isn't a "To Do guide" only featuring the one small chapter on how to spend one's prayer time but rather by focusing on the Word, the lives of Jesus, Paul and some more modern day Christian heroes like George Mueller and Hudson Taylor, encourages us to greater commitment to prayer.
It got me praying more which is the best recommendation I can make about a book on prayer.
That statement is written on the third last page of this marvellous book but is a great reminder of where the battle for our souls is played out. The enemy knows we are ineffective against him if we aren't praying.
Andrew Murray in this relatively short book emphases the power of prayer by exploring Jesus' commitment to it. His ministry wouldn't have been as effective if it weren't for His prayer life. I know I often forget this.
Murray regards prayerlessness as the scourge of the christian community: we just don't pray enough. This book needs to be read diligently as Murray explores many new ideas. It isn't a "To Do guide" only featuring the one small chapter on how to spend one's prayer time but rather by focusing on the Word, the lives of Jesus, Paul and some more modern day Christian heroes like George Mueller and Hudson Taylor, encourages us to greater commitment to prayer.
It got me praying more which is the best recommendation I can make about a book on prayer.
March 10, 2017
The message of the book was really powerful but if I didn't read it with my bookclub buddies, I wouldn't have felt it this way. I had a good time with buddies.
December 22, 2023
Outstanding!! Very inspiring and encouraging! This is the best book I've ever read on prayer. It is essential for every Christian. I'll pick this book atlist once a year.
August 28, 2025
Some good thoughts to chew on. My biggest takeaway? Prayerlessness is sin. If I forget everything else from the book, this one lesson is crucial to a healthy spiritual life.
July 30, 2025
This is a very powerful little book. Written in the late 1800s, this work is still relevant today. Prayer should be one of the most important part of a Christian life, and Murray goes to show how this kind of life is possible. And how to live it. A must read for every Christian for every Christ honoured life.
January 26, 2020
THE PRAYER LIFE is an excellent, worthwhile Christian classic. If there is one key takeaway from this book, I think it would be this: “Prayer is indeed the very pulse of the spiritual life.” This theme runs continuously throughout the book, and Murray effectively demonstrates how prayer is foundational to the Christian walk. Importantly, Murray spends a good deal of time examining the inverse of this theme—the “sin of praylessness”—that is often downplayed if not entirely ignored. Another 5 star Murray read that gives the reader much food for thought.
October 11, 2011
Convicting. There is some great devotional work done by Scottish Presbyterian/Dutch Reformed Christians in the 19th and 20th centuries.
August 3, 2019
Victory in the prayer life
I would re-title this book VICTORY IN THE PRAYER LIFE. I gain so much from this reading and I will definitely read it again .
I would re-title this book VICTORY IN THE PRAYER LIFE. I gain so much from this reading and I will definitely read it again .
November 2, 2019
It is a classic -- a thoroughly inspirational read. It is also worth re-reading from time to time.
November 27, 2024
“Prayer is not merely coming to God to ask something of Him. It is, above all, fellowship with God and being brought under the power of His holiness and love, until He takes possession of us and stamps our entire nature with the lowliness of Christ, which is the secret of all true worship.”
“Think of it! In every prayer the triune God takes a part— the Father who hears, the Son in whose name we pray, and the Spirit who prays for us and in us.”
“Oh, reader, believe it: a victorious life is possible. Christ, the Victor, is your Lord, who will undertake for you in everything and will enable you to do all that the Father expects of you. Be of good courage. Trust Him to do this great work for you, who has so freely given His life for you and forgiven you your sins. Only be bold to surrender yourself to a life kept from sin by the power of God. Along with the deepest conviction that in you dwells no good thing, confess that you see in the Lord Jesus all the goodness you will ever need for the life of a child of God.”
“You must prepare yourself for prayer by Bible study. The first reason why the quiet time is not attractive to most is that people do not know how to pray. Their storehouse of words is soon exhausted, and they do not know what else to say, because they forget that prayer is not a soliloquy, where everything comes from one side; it is a dialogue, where God’s child listen to what the Father says, replies to it, and then makes his requests known.”
“Dare we complain that it is too much for us to spend so much time in prayer? Will we not commit ourselves entirely to the love that gave up all for us and look upon it as our greatest joy to have daily fellowship with Him?”
“Think of it! In every prayer the triune God takes a part— the Father who hears, the Son in whose name we pray, and the Spirit who prays for us and in us.”
“Oh, reader, believe it: a victorious life is possible. Christ, the Victor, is your Lord, who will undertake for you in everything and will enable you to do all that the Father expects of you. Be of good courage. Trust Him to do this great work for you, who has so freely given His life for you and forgiven you your sins. Only be bold to surrender yourself to a life kept from sin by the power of God. Along with the deepest conviction that in you dwells no good thing, confess that you see in the Lord Jesus all the goodness you will ever need for the life of a child of God.”
“You must prepare yourself for prayer by Bible study. The first reason why the quiet time is not attractive to most is that people do not know how to pray. Their storehouse of words is soon exhausted, and they do not know what else to say, because they forget that prayer is not a soliloquy, where everything comes from one side; it is a dialogue, where God’s child listen to what the Father says, replies to it, and then makes his requests known.”
“Dare we complain that it is too much for us to spend so much time in prayer? Will we not commit ourselves entirely to the love that gave up all for us and look upon it as our greatest joy to have daily fellowship with Him?”
March 13, 2019
Convicting and encouraging. It's no wonder to me that many consider Murray's writing classic. My quibble with this is my quibble with Murray's Keswick-influenced theology: it contains some subtle "Let go let God" terminology. It's not pervasive, but I caught him encouraging passivity in regards to letting God come fill you and giving you the Spirit of prayer. It was hard for me to know what he really meant with that. For that reason, I'd recommend this book to mature believers and probably point newer believers elsewhere.
Here's a short blog post in which I shared an impactful section.
Here's a short blog post in which I shared an impactful section.
July 6, 2020
Decided to finish reading this in time of our prayer and fasting and it convicted me so much of my sin of prayerlessness. I pray of course but it's just that it's not enough. I knew it wasn't yet enough because I used to be so passionate in praying especially for other people. Interceding was once my favorite thing to do to express my love for a person. But a lot of things got in the way and I chose to fight for my intimacy with the Lord most of the time.
So along with the prayer & fasting time, this helped me built my convictions once more especially in the aspect of intercession.
So along with the prayer & fasting time, this helped me built my convictions once more especially in the aspect of intercession.
January 30, 2025
With a Cru background, I had heard Andrew Murray significantly influenced Bill Bright. In this work, I was pretty amazed at seeing all of the theological foundations for the teachings of the gospel, prayer, and life in the Spirit that have characterized Cru as a ministry. It was a more in-depth treatment of discusses that often are discussed quickly or simply. I've been gaining an appreciation for Murray over the last year and this work was a good one to work through related to prayer and life in the Spirit.
January 9, 2025
A Good Foundation for Building an Effective Prayer Life
Reading this book gave me a fresh perspective on prayer. A major echo throughout the chapters is to lean of Christ and Him alone. Our strength has and will fail us. The secret to living the spiritual life consistently and successfully is leaning on Christ alone.
I would recommend this book to everyone that wants a proper foundation of prayer as it gives a proper and rounded perspective for starting and staying.
Reading this book gave me a fresh perspective on prayer. A major echo throughout the chapters is to lean of Christ and Him alone. Our strength has and will fail us. The secret to living the spiritual life consistently and successfully is leaning on Christ alone.
I would recommend this book to everyone that wants a proper foundation of prayer as it gives a proper and rounded perspective for starting and staying.
April 5, 2019
The book I read was published in 1941 called The Prayer Life. Not sure if this is the same book or not. Anyway, Murray's hope was to encourage a life of prayer and hidden fellowship with God. He hoped to encourage those in conflict. A reminder that everything depends on obedience and a fellowship of helping one another.
December 2, 2023
Excellent book on prayer, and he pulls no punches. He views prayerlessness as a sin and makes a strong push for praying in the inner chamber/prayer closet. As with all of his books, he speaks in a way that is easy to understand and incredibly practical and logical.
He speaks how you wish CS Lewis spoke. ;-)
He speaks how you wish CS Lewis spoke. ;-)
December 26, 2020
“Begin at the beginning. Be faithful in the inner chamber. ...bow in silence before the loving Lord Jesus, who so longs after you.” Excellent admonition for prayer and the sin of prayerlessness.
I will probably read this book again.
I will probably read this book again.
March 21, 2021
A simple devotional style book on prayer from Andrew Murray, who wrote a lot on the subject.
A helpful book, but again this is one area we need to be doing and not just reading about.
Still it is a helpful book.
A helpful book, but again this is one area we need to be doing and not just reading about.
Still it is a helpful book.
April 3, 2021
Outstanding book on the dire importance of the prayer life. Motivated to write this book on his and other pastor's concern about the sin of prayerlessness of the church. A must read for those who are devoted to the savior.
December 10, 2021
This was excellent. This covers not only the importance of prayer, but also what it looks like to be faithful in prayer. It has helped me confess my sin of prayerlessness and to move toward actually abiding with Christ daily.
January 27, 2022
I read the original version, an old book published in early 1900's. While I have a copy of the "updated" version, so mi6ch richness of language is lost! This is one I most definitely recommend and recommend the original.
November 28, 2022
An excellent little book that really digs into the problem of a stunted Christian prayer life. Why it's such a tragedy, what causes it, and what to do about it. Not too long, easy to read, but full of wisdom. Highly recommend!
November 23, 2018
Needful read!
Anyone serious about their relationship with Jesus should read this book!
A prayerful life is the strength for people of faith.
Anyone serious about their relationship with Jesus should read this book!
A prayerful life is the strength for people of faith.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews