Praying in the Spirit
By the Spirit '23 • Sermon • Submitted
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Four Ways the Spirit Leads Us to Pray
Four Ways the Spirit Leads Us to Pray
1) Spirit-directed prayer.
1) Spirit-directed prayer.
Often, the Spirit directs us to pray - even at times when we are not already in prayer or planning to pray at that moment.
44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.
Spirit-directed prayer is when God, by His Spirit, draws us to come to Him in prayer at a specific moment or for a specific thing.
We see the example of Christ drawing Himself away - even in the midst of dynamic ministry - to pray.
15 However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.
16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
God’s Word Translation:
16 But he would go away to places where he could be alone for prayer.
2) Spirit-inspired prayer.
2) Spirit-inspired prayer.
The word “inspire” comes from the same Latin root that means breath, breathe and spirit
The etymology for ‘inpsire’ tells us that it is an “adaptation of Latin inspīrāre to blow or breathe into, from in- + spīrāre to breathe.”
The Old Engish Dictionaryfor the word ‘spirit,’ informs us that it is “adapted from Latin spīritus breathing, breath, air, etc. related to spīrāre to breathe.” It delves even deeper, telling us that the “earlier English uses of the word are mainly derived from passages in the Vulgate, in which spiritus is employed to render Greek πνεῦµα (pneuma in the NT) and Hebrew rūaḥ (ruach in the OT).
Both of these words in the Bible are translated as both “breath” and “spirit.”
It is illustrated in:
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
Spirit-inspired prayer is when the Spirit breathes into and through us as we pray connecting our spirit to His Spirit.
9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
According to Paul, when the breath of God blows through the believer, the Spirit searches the both heart of the believer and the Heart of God for His will in the life of the believer.
Because the Spirit fully knows both the heart (inner workings) of individual and the Heart of God, this Spirit to spirit connection brings revelation, understanding, and surrender making our prayers fervent and effective.
36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
‘Effectual fervent’ is one Greek word (energeo) that means, “to be operative, put forth power, to effect.”
It is the root for our word “energy.”
When the Spirit inspires us, our prayers are energized to have God’s desired effect.
Some Christians stop here but the Word of God shows us there is more for the child of God.
Some Christians stop here but the Word of God shows us there is more for the child of God.
Some Christians stop here, but we believe that the Prophet Joel’s prophecy of the Last Days outpouring of the Spirit is for us:
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
When the Apostle Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost immediately after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, he recounted Joel’s prophecy and went on to declare that the gift of the Holy Spirit as manifested in the Upper Room was for all those that Lord will call. That includes us.
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
From what we see in the Scriptures, we understand that the indwelling Spirit of God enables us to pray at an even deeper level of Spirit-to-Spirit connection.
From what we see in the Scriptures, we understand that the indwelling Spirit of God enables us to pray at an even deeper level of Spirit-to-Spirit connection.
3) Spirit-empowered prayer (Praying in the Spirit)
3) Spirit-empowered prayer (Praying in the Spirit)
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Spirit-empowered prayer is what is commonly called “praying in the Spirit” or “using your prayer language” among Pentecostal and Charismatic believers.
The noun “groaning” in the Greek refers to a sigh or a groan. The verb tense means to “sigh deeply, bemoan, bewail, grumble, complain strongly.
There is no indication from the original language that it is a non-verbal exercise, but, rather, that which the believer cannot put into words.
There is no indication from the original language that it is a non-verbal exercise, but, rather, that which the believer cannot put into words.
In these instances, the Spirit of God who has already searched the heart of the individual and know the will of the Father, prays the perfect prayer through verbal expressions that we do not understand.
1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
When we pray in the Spirit we are speaking directly to God. It is like an end-to-end, spirit-to-Spirit hot-line call to the Father, made by the Spirit Himself on our behalf. Like the proverbial red telephone on the presidents desk, this hot-line bypasses channels where the enemy can eavesdrop on the believers innermost concerns.
This is probably the most powerful tool in a believer’s prayer arsenal.
Praying in tongues is also boot camp for the other verbal gifts of the Spirit because you are practicing saying what the Spirit is saying at the moment the Spirit is peaking it, without checking it in your human intellect first.
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
Understand the Paul’s cautions in 1 Corinthians 14 are about public prayer in the congregation rather than private prayer. Paul was not discouraging praying in tongues in one’s prayer time. Remember, Paul also said,
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
and
39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.
4) Spirit-informed prayer.
4) Spirit-informed prayer.
15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
When we connect with the Spirit in prayer, the Spirit enlightens our human understanding with His understanding.
This may involve other Gifts of the Spirit such as Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Discernment, or even Interpretation if you are praying using the Gift of Tongues.
It is praying specific, targeted, prayers that go beyond any personal information about the subject of the prayer.
An example: Erin felt led to pray against oxygen deprivation and for good oxygen levels even before Chloe Caws was in labor. There was no human way she could no that the cord was wrapped and that this was the main concern during delivery.
That was a Spirit-informed prayer.
If we are listening, the Spirit will speak to us as we pray:
2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
As we learn to recognize His voice, we can proclaim with boldness the things the Spirit informs us in prayer.
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.