Praying In The Spirit

This is the 16th post in a series on Praying Effectively. We have talked about what effective prayers are and in the last related post we looked at suggestions on what to pray for.
If you are just joining me, please see the end for a special note before continuing!

Praying in the Spirit

This is more than just praying in an unknown tongue, it has to do with flowing with the Spirit of God in sensitivity and yielded-ness, but is inclusive of these utterances which the Spirit gives. Praying in the Spirit is essentially about praying with the utmost precision according to both the will and knowledge of God.


• For self-edification:

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit
Jude 1:20

The following Scripture passage will show clearly that praying in unknown tongues, as the Spirit gives utterance, is a powerful gift to the Saints of God because it allows men to speak to God above the limitations of their knowledge or ability to comprehend. The emphasis of this excerpt, however, is that in public gatherings - without also having the gift of interpreting tongues in operation - it is not edifying to the church to use this precious gift of God. I included the entire passage so that we could consider the topic in a balanced way.

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. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 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. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
1 Corinthians 14:2-19

• In intercession/about the unknown:

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. 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.
Romans 8:26-27

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel
Ephesians 6:18-19

In my own experience the Holy Spirit has many times given me clear mental thoughts and impressions of specific things to pray for/about and then let me come to find out from someone how my prayer related directly to something that actually occurred or threatened. This showed me just how critical it is to pray with specific dependence upon the Holy Spirit who knows all things. I now depend upon the Holy Spirit to direct my prayers, even without having this feedback or confirmation from others. The key is to come earnestly to God and esteem that time of prayer with Him, asking for the help of the Holy Spirit.


• For insight/wisdom of God:

However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
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.”
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 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. 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.
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:6-16

• Testimonies of persons who spend time praying as the Spirit leads include:
- Faith for physical healing
- Inner healing of emotions, healing from traumatic experiences etc.
- Personal strongholds broken
- Increased self-control; increased ability to make choices to resist temptation
- Greater understanding of, and desire for the Word of God


In the next post in this series I will say a little about prayer with fasting.


[This is the 16th post in a series on the subject of prayer. In the previous installment we looked at what we should pray for. 
These posts are interspersed among other blog topics so for the easy identification of related posts, look for the label 'praying effectively - series' in the sidebar. If you are just now joining in I recommend that you read the first post where I shared my reason for doing this series. I hope to share practical keys and insight into praying effectively, in bite-size blog posts which you can easily follow.]