When Stormie Omartian wrote The Power of a Praying Wife, she didn’t just offer another Christian self-help book; she opened a window into the sacred power of intercession in marriage. The idea is simple yet profoundwhen a wife chooses to pray for her husband, not to change him but to bring him before God in love, she taps into one of the most transformative forms of faith.
I’ve seen this truth unfold countless times in ministry. A wife burdened for her husband’s heart discovers that her quiet prayers move mountains that words alone never could. It’s not magicit’s surrender. It’s choosing faith over frustration.
Let’s walk through what makes this book so enduring, what Scripture says about a praying wife’s strength, and why prayerespecially from a loving spousehas the power to reshape homes, hearts, and futures.
What the Book Is About
At its heart, The Power of a Praying Wife is about alignmentaligning your heart with God’s will for your marriage. Stormie Omartian guides women through thirty-one focused prayers covering every dimension of their husbands’ lives: faith, finances, work, temptation, health, and purpose. But the book isn’t only a manual for petitioning Godit’s a mirror that reflects back the state of the wife’s own soul.
Stormie writes as a woman who learned through personal struggle that her greatest influence wasn’t through control but through intercession. Instead of praying “Lord, make him do this,” she learned to pray “Lord, show me how to love him the way You do.” That shift changes everything.
Each chapter begins with Scripture, moves into reflection, and closes with a prayer. The companion Power of a Praying Wife Devotional extends that journey, offering daily moments of renewal for wives who want to keep their prayer life alive through changing seasons.
The Heart of Stormie Omartian’s Faith
Stormie Omartian’s story is grounded in Christian faithspecifically, in evangelical Christianity that centers prayer as a living relationship with Christ. She’s not writing from abstract theology but from lived redemption. Her testimony includes a difficult childhood marked by fear and emotional isolation, and she speaks openly about how prayer rebuilt her life and marriage.
That transparency makes her relatable. She doesn’t present herself as a perfect wife but as one who discovered that humility in prayer invites God to heal what human effort can’t. Her faith isn’t about ritualit’s relational. She prays not to earn favor but to draw closer to God, trusting that divine presence to do the real work in her home.
This authenticity has helped The Power of a Praying Wife reach millions of women across denominations, proving that heartfelt prayer transcends theological boundaries. What matters most isn’t the denomination but the directionturning toward God with honesty.
What the Bible Says About a Praying Wife
Scripture overflows with examples of the quiet strength of women who prayed. Hannah prayed for a son with tears (1 Samuel 1:10–20). Esther prayed before stepping into the throne room to plead for her people (Esther 4:16). The Proverbs 31 woman, though often quoted for her diligence, was also a woman of deep faithher strength “comes from the Lord.”
When the Bible speaks about marriage, it emphasizes mutual submission, love, and spiritual partnership. In 1 Peter 3:1-2, Peter writes, “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.”
That phrase “without words” captures the essence of The Power of a Praying Wife. Prayer doesn’t argueit intercedes. It invites the Holy Spirit to move in unseen ways.
The Apostle Paul reminds believers to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In marriage, that persistence becomes sacred stewardship. A wife’s prayer is both shield and seedshielding her husband from spiritual attack and planting seeds of grace in his life.
The Spiritual Dynamics Behind Prayer in Marriage
Prayer between spouses is an act of unity. But when one partner takes the initiative to pray faithfully for the other, it becomes an expression of covenant love. Jesus said in Mark 10:9, “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” When a wife prays, she’s not trying to control outcomes; she’s protecting what God joined.
There’s also spiritual warfare at play. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood.” Too often, couples turn on each other, forgetting that the real battle is unseen. A praying wife fights wiselynot with harsh words but with heavenly weapons.
In pastoral counseling, I’ve seen couples on the verge of collapse find new footing when prayer re-entered the picture. Not because the husband changed overnight, but because prayer softened the wife’s heart first. Love began to replace resentment; patience began to grow again. That’s how God worksHe transforms the one who prays before transforming the one being prayed for.
What Makes This Book Different
Stormie Omartian’s approach isn’t theoryit’s practice. Each prayer is specific, practical, and anchored in Scripture. The chapters cover topics like:
- His faith and spiritual walk
- His emotions and mindset
- His role as husband and father
- His protection, health, and purpose
- His integrity and leadership
Unlike many marriage guides that focus on communication techniques or emotional language, this book starts where transformation truly beginswith the soul. By turning inward toward God first, a wife finds the peace and clarity to respond to her husband with grace instead of fear or frustration.
Readers often describe how, over time, their perspective changes. They begin to see their husbands not as projects to fix but as men in processloved by God, imperfect, and worthy of prayer. That is the quiet revolution of faith.
How Prayer Strengthens a Marriage
Prayer strengthens marriage in three key ways: it builds intimacy with God, empathy toward the spouse, and endurance through hardship.
1. Intimacy with God
Before prayer changes a relationship, it changes the person praying. Spending time with God reshapes the heart. Philippians 4:6-7 promises that when we bring everything to God in prayer, His peace will “guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” That guarding effect protects marriage from anxiety and impulsive reactions.
2. Empathy Toward Your Spouse
Praying regularly for someone shifts your perspective. It becomes harder to stay angry when you’re sincerely asking God to bless them. Compassion begins to outweigh criticism. In a world that often reduces marriage to convenience, prayer rekindles covenant love.
3. Endurance Through Hardship
Every marriage faces seasons of silence, stress, or misunderstanding. Prayer gives couples endurancean inner strength that doesn’t depend on circumstances. Romans 12:12 says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” That triadjoy, patience, faithfulnesskeeps a marriage steady when emotions fluctuate.
Common Misunderstandings About a Praying Wife
Some readers misinterpret The Power of a Praying Wife as suggesting that women alone bear the spiritual load of marriage. But that’s not Stormie’s message. The emphasis is on what one can do, not what one must do alone. Her invitation isn’t to carry both sidesit’s to release control and let God work in ways only He can.
Prayer doesn’t replace communication, counseling, or mutual effort; it complements them. It’s the hidden foundation beneath the visible work of love. A husband who is prayed for feels supported even if he doesn’t know every word spoken on his behalf.
The Bible never assigns spiritual superiority to either spouse. It calls both to humility and love. In Ephesians 5:21, Paul instructs believers to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Prayer, then, becomes mutual respect in motion.
The Power of a Praying Wife Devotional
For those who finish the original book, the Devotional offers a next stepa daily rhythm of prayer and reflection. Each entry is short enough for a busy morning but rich enough to linger in thought. It’s designed to keep spiritual conversation alive.
I often recommend that couples, not just wives, use devotionals like this together. Even reading a short verse aloud can open conversation that might not happen otherwise. The more we invite God into daily rhythms, the more ordinary life becomes sacred space.
Chapter Themes and Their Real-Life Relevance
The chapters of The Power of a Praying Wife trace nearly every area a husband faces in modern life. Here’s how a few of them connect to real experience:
His Work
Many men carry silent pressure to provide and succeed. A wife’s prayer for her husband’s work protects him from burnout and pride alike. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). Prayer keeps ambition anchored in gratitude.
His Temptations
Temptation is universal, but prayer builds a spiritual hedge. Rather than suspicion or accusation, prayer covers with compassion. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13).
His Health
Praying for physical and emotional health acknowledges that the body and spirit are intertwined. A caring prayer for wellness is a form of love that listens.
His Faith
Above all, prayer for his faith life is central. When a husband grows in faith, the home’s spiritual temperature rises. Wives who pray for their husbands’ spiritual strength often find their own faith deepened in the process.
Why This Book Still Matters Today
In an era where relationships are often transactional, The Power of a Praying Wife reminds believers that love is covenantal. The book’s enduranceover two decades of relevancecomes from its rootedness in truth that doesn’t age: prayer works, not because of technique, but because of the One who hears.
It also reframes the idea of power. In the world’s eyes, power means control or dominance. In God’s kingdom, power flows through surrender. A praying wife is powerful precisely because she depends on divine strength, not her own.
Every revival in history began with prayer. Every healed marriage I’ve witnessed started with humility before God. This book equips wives to be part of that quiet revivalone home at a time.
Living Out the Message
To live out the message of The Power of a Praying Wife means cultivating habits that keep prayer real and relational:
- Pray with Scripture – Let verses guide your words. If your husband feels anxious, pray Philippians 4:6-7 over him. If he faces big decisions, pray James 1:5 for wisdom.
- Keep a Prayer Journal – Record answered prayers. Seeing progress, even small, builds faith.
- Pray Together When Possible – Even a short prayer before bed binds hearts. Jesus said, “Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).
- Release the Results – True prayer isn’t about outcomes; it’s about trust. Surrender what you can’t control.
- Practice Gratitude – Thank God for small signs of grace. Gratitude keeps bitterness from taking root.
When a wife embraces these rhythms, prayer stops being a task and becomes a lifestyle. Her words begin to echo eternity’s hope within the ordinary moments of marriage.
Final Reflection from Reverend Daniel Harper
Every time I reread this book or counsel a couple walking through difficulty, I’m reminded that prayer is the most intimate act of love. It’s standing in the gapnot to fix, but to intercede. It’s the whispered “Lord, help him” that carries more power than a thousand arguments.
A praying wife doesn’t lose herself in prayer; she finds her truest self there. Because when she stands before God for her husband, she’s reflecting the heart of Christthe ultimate intercessor who “always lives to make intercession” (Hebrews 7:25).
So if you’re reading this wondering whether prayer still matters, whether God still listensHe does. And every prayer, spoken or silent, shapes the unseen future of your home.
Let this be your reminder: your prayers are not small. They are seeds of eternity, sown in faith, watered with tears, and destined to bloom in God’s time.
Reverend Daniel Harper is the lead editor of BibleThinks.com. With 25 years in ministry and theology, he guides readers through Scripture with wisdom, faith, and clear teaching rooted in biblical truth.
