Power Through Prayer is a motivational book on prayer by Edward McKendree Bounds. It explains what and why of prayer instead of the how. Its goal is to lead pastors on their knees, so they are more effective.
Even though most people are not pastors, this book is still broadly applicable because God has planted each person in a specific set of circumstances for a purpose. This book will help anyone to prayerfully advance God’s kingdom. Bounds says there is an interplay between pulpit and pew. The shepherd must be praying for the members of his flock, and the sheep must be praying for their shepherd, in order for the church to flourish.
This book is motivational. In prayer, as in almost everything, practice goes a long way towards perfection. Getting better at running, reading, mathematics or public speaking requires doing the “thing” not just reading about it. Technique can help but not substitute for practice, and most people do not pray enough. Bounds describes the prayer lives of well known Christians at his time (the late 1800s and early 1900s) and shows how their strength came through prayer.
Bounds discusses “unction” extensively, but its meaning is vague. The dictionary defines unction as a religious act of anointing. In Bounds writing, however, it means that a sermon or message sinks into the hearer’s heart and effects change. A sermon may be technically excellent but lack unction. Conversely, a sermon may not be as well written but have a profound impact on the hearer. Bounds exhorts us to prioritize unction over technique and says unction is achieved through prayer.
Wasting effort is never pleasant, especially when serving God. Bounds exhorts us to make sure our good works count and says that the key is our prayer life. Let this book be your guide to more unction.
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