Why so little fruit?

Years ago I couldn't understand why my work produced so little fruit. Then I came across a book that explained it all.

I happened to see it in a discount store with the interesting title, The Power of Prayer: and the Prayer of Power.

The writer, R. A. Torrey, grabbed my attention with this question: "'Why is it,' many a minister is asking, 'that I see so little fruit from my ministry?'"

I was hooked. I wanted to find out why my work seemed so futile... no salvations, few restorations, little interest in seeking God's face in the small church I served.

Torrey continued, "Why are there so few conversions? Why does my church grow so slowly? Why are the members of my church so little helped by my ministry, and built up so little in Christian knowledge and life?"

His answer? "And again God replies: 'Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.'" (Emphasis his. See chapter one of Torrey's book.)

Torrey went on to tell of Scottish preacher John Welch who interceded for revival by praying, "Give me Scotland or I die!" Welch considered any day wasted if he didn't spend seven or eight hours of it in prayer.

Torrey's book woke me up to the power and privilege of prayer. I read other great writers on the subject: E.M. Bounds, Andrew Murray, Alexander Whyte, Ole Hallesby, S.D. Gordon, George Muller... too many to mention.

I discovered that reading great books on prayer breathed life into my prayer time. They made me hunger to know God, to pray more and more, and to be effective in prayer... therefore, being more effective at kingdom work.

And that drove me into the Scriptures. I read the entire Bible, marking verses that mentioned prayer, or verses that were themselves prayers. I discovered that the Bible mentions prayer more than 850 times.

And when I read All The Prayers Of The Bible by Dr. Herbert Lockyer, I found out that the Bible contains 650 prayers and records 450 definite answers to those prayers.

All of this reading propelled me into a lifelong quest to pray more and to help others do the same. It all happened because of reading good books, and the Great Book, on prayer.

Has that brought the fruit I was missing? Yes, many times over. The next church we served doubled in size in just under three years. But other fruit has been even more remarkable. Lives changed, bodies healed, marriages repaired... all the events we associate with answered prayer.

But there's been more. Knowing Him has surpassed it all. The great power in prayer isn't just the answers we get to life's issues. It's the constant upward trek toward knowing Him better.

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith." (Ephesians 3:16-17 NIV.)