One of the most inspiring stories in church history is that of George Mueller. This man, known for his incredible prayer life, lived a sinful life for the first 30 years before experiencing a life-changing conversion. He passed away at the age of 93, having been saved for 63 years. His journey of faith began with a miraculous answer to prayer, which set the foundation for his remarkable life.
George Mueller became a person of incredible prayer, diligently keeping a journal of his daily prayers. Upon his death, his biographer discovered that he had recorded over 50,000 specific answers to prayer throughout his lifetime. This alone speaks volumes about his deep relationship with God and his unwavering faith.
One of Mueller’s greatest callings was to care for orphans. Despite having no money or business background, he turned to prayer for guidance. Miraculously, people started giving him funds and providing buildings to establish orphanages. Over the course of his life, George Mueller started more orphanages than anyone else before or since, and he personally cared for approximately 20,000 orphans. This earned him the nickname “the defender of Bristol,” the city where he resided.
However, Mueller’s story goes beyond his remarkable achievements in orphan care. When he was saved, he had five friends who were his drinking and partying companions. After his conversion, he faithfully prayed for their salvation every day. The first friend was saved after 18 months of prayer, while the second friend was saved after five years of intercession. The third friend’s salvation came six years later, making it a total of 11 years of continuous prayer. The fourth friend, astonishingly, gave his life to Christ 52 years after Mueller began praying for him. It is worth noting that George Mueller was saved at the age of 30 and lived until 93, which means he prayed for this friend for more than half of his saved life.
The fifth friend remained unsaved even as Mueller approached the end of his life. However, Mueller remained steadfast in his prayers, confidently stating in his journal that although his friend had not yet been converted, he would be. On his deathbed, Mueller fervently prayed for this friend, and those present heard him utter his name. Astonishingly, this friend attended Mueller’s funeral, and upon hearing the story of his prayer, he was convicted by the Lord. Overwhelmed with emotion, he fell to his knees and surrendered his life to Christ.
The story of George Mueller is a powerful reminder of the importance of prayer and perseverance. Mueller’s unwavering faith and commitment to intercession led to countless lives being transformed. His life serves as a testimony to the fact that we should always pray and never lose heart, for our Lord loves to answer prayers.