The Overcoming Life by D. L. Moody, a book review

Dwight Lyman Moody was one of the greatest evangelists of all time. He was the sixth child in a family of nine children, and was born February 5, 1837, in the town of Northfield, Massachusetts. After accepting Christ, his passion for seeing others come to know and love the Lord consumed him and caused him to work diligently to see the gospel spread far and wide. 

In his book, The Overcoming Life, D. L. Moody presents practical information on how to live a life that not only pleases the Lord, but one that overcomes life lived in the world. He helps the reader understand we are constantly in battle. He explains how to recognize the battle and equips us to fight it. Not only does he equip us to fight, he provides detailed strategies on learning to live life abundantly.  

According to Moody, the Christian life is a life of conflict and warfare. We can only fight by living a life of faith in Jesus Christ. Moody says, "A young believer can often become discouraged and disheartened when he realizes this warfare. He begins to think that God has forsaken him, and that Christianity is not all that it claims to be. Instead, he should consider it an encouraging sign. No sooner has a soul escaped from his snare than the great adversary takes steps to ensnare it again. He utilizes all his power to recapture his lost prey. The fiercest attacks are made on the strongest forts. The fierce battles the young believer is called on to wage is the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in his heart. God will not desert him in his time of need any more than He deserted His people of old when they were hard pressed by their foes."  

D. L. Moody presents Biblical information throughout his book that equips the reader to not only understand how to live a life that pleases Christ but how to life a life that overcomes all obstacles the enemy presents on a daily basis. He gives a list of internal and external foes the believer has to constantly face and explains each one in great detail. Regarding internal foes, Moody says, "An enemy inside the fort is far more dangerous than one outside." As I read this statement, I realized how very true his statement to be. Some of the internal foes included in Moody's list are temper, covetousness, and pride. External foes, Moody explains, are found listed in the Bible in the first chapter of John chapter 2 verses 16-17. "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away and the lust thereof, but he that does the will of God abides forever." A few traits from the list of external foes include pleasure, worldly habits, and persecution. 

Not only does Mr. Moody want us to understand our enemy and how to fight the battle, he wants us to learn valuable lessons from a life of repentance. By understanding how to ask for God's forgiveness and accept His free gift of grace, the reader learns all aspects of successful Christian living. 

I found this book to be a wonderful teaching tool on living an abundant life in Christ. Mr. Moody's evangelistic heart shone brightly throughout each chapter. His clear and concise explanations would prove helpful to not only the baby Christian, but also to the mature person of faith. 

I would like to thank Aneko Press for providing me with this complementary copy of  The Overcoming Life in exchange for my honest review. I was not encouraged to provide a positive review but it is my pleasure to give this book a big thumbs up. It is important for believers to walk in victory and the lessons included in this book will help them do just that. 

To purchase the book, click here.