Extraordinary praying like Luther

Charles Spurgeon

Charles H. Spurgeon related this incident about answered prayer in one of his sermons.

"Oh! to have heard Luther pray!  Luther, you know, when Melancthon was dying, went to his death-bed, and said, “Melancthon, you shall not die!”

“Oh,” said Melancthon, “I must die! It is a world of toil and trouble.”

“Melancthon,” said he, “I have need of thee, and God’s cause has need of thee, and as my name is Luther, thou shalt not die!” The physician said he would. Well, down went Luther on his knees, and began to tug at death. Old death struggled mightily for Melancthon, and he had got him well nigh on his shoulders."

Philipp Melancthon

Philipp Melanchthon (1497 – 1560), born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation.  Wikapedia notes he was the intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems. He stands next to Luther and John Calvin as a reformer, theologian, and molder of Protestantism. As much as Luther, he is the primary founder of Lutheranism.

Martin Luther

“Drop him,” said Luther, “drop him, I want him.”

“Ho,” said death, “he is my prey, I will take him!”

“Down with him,” said Luther, “down with him, death, or I will wrestle with thee!”

"And he seemed to take hold of the grim monster, and hurl him to the ground, and he came off victorious, like Orpheus with his wife, up from the very shades of death.  He delivered Melancthon from death by prayer!

“Oh,” you say, Spurgeon concluded, 'that is an extraordinary case.' No, beloved, not one-half so extraordinary as you dream. I have men and women here who have done the same in other cases; that have asked a thing of God, and have had it; that have been to the throne, and showed a promise, and said they would not come away without its fulfillment, and have come back from God’s throne conquerors of the Almighty; for prayer moves the arm that moves the world."

Extraordinary needs of prayer

At the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent where I serve as a chaplain, there are two inmates I'd like to share about in Ty and Lou.  Ty has been at the MRJC since 2009 while Lou just came in several months ago

Ty has been at the MRJC a long time and has gone through a cycle of rotating public defender attorneys to get to his upcoming trial in March after multiple continuances.  ty and I actively pray about his real understanding of growing in his relationship with Jesus.  He participates in the Union Gospel Mission life skills weekly program and with me in mentoring sometimes twice weekly.

Lou came into the MRJC over the past month. We meet together about twice weekly and I just try to be a quiet listener.  He has a solid faith and church ministry background with a complex history that led to his incarceration. He shared with me coming to a point of fresh surrender, this past week.

He could face up to 10 years of prison time so we are praying together about resentments and yielding difficult relationships to the Lord.