Weapon of Prayer

Edward McKendree Bounds wrote extensively on prayer during his decades as a Methodist preacher, but his manuscripts remained largely unpublished at his death in 1913. Weapon of Prayer emerged from this posthumous collection, compiled and edited by Homer Hodge and published in 1931. The work crystallizes Bounds' conviction that prayer represents the church's most potent spiritual force, developed through his experiences as a Confederate chaplain during the Civil War and subsequent pastoral ministry across the American South.

Bounds argues that prayer functions not merely as personal communion with God but as active spiritual warfare against the forces opposing God's kingdom. He contends that prevailing prayer—persistent, faith-filled intercession—literally moves the hand of God to accomplish what human effort cannot achieve. The book emphasizes that such prayer requires discipline, sacrifice, and often solitude, demanding from the believer what Bounds calls "praying through" until breakthrough comes. He insists that the church's greatest need is not better programs or more capable leaders but men and women wholly committed to the work of intercession. Throughout, Bounds weaves together biblical exposition with practical instruction, calling readers beyond casual petition toward what he terms "militant prayer."

Weapon of Prayer has remained influential within evangelical and Pentecostal circles for its uncompromising vision of prayer as spiritual combat. Bounds' emphasis on persistence and intensity in prayer has shaped generations of intercessors and prayer warriors, particularly within traditions that emphasize the supernatural dimensions of Christian faith. The work continues to challenge contemporary believers who may have settled for prayer as mere religious routine.

Who should read this: Those seeking to deepen their prayer life beyond casual requests will find Bounds' intensity both challenging and instructive. Readers uncomfortable with militant metaphors for spiritual life or seeking more contemplative approaches to prayer should look elsewhere.