MEMORY VERSE: “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:27
BIBLE PASSAGE: Romans 8:26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:9-16
INTRODUCTION
Praying in the Spirit is a privilege that God grants to those in whom the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Christ) dwells. At the creation of mankind, God deposited His Spirit into all human beings which provided the platform for us to be intimate with God. Following our regeneration experience, God provides His Spirit as a deposit in our heart guaranteeing his inheritance. Hence praying in the Spirit is, praying in accordance with the mind of God being in constant communion with the Spirit of God such that our prayers simply reflect what is on God’s heart.
It is however very important to note that praying in tongues is not synonymous with praying in the Spirit. Our Lord Jesus Christ was in constant communion with His Father Jn. 11:42, He knew what was in the Father’s heart and was indeed always praying in the Spirit. To pray in the Spirit is to be led by the Spirit to pray the mind of God Rom. 8:14. Praying in the Spirt brings about the establishment of God’s kingdom in the hearts of men and on earth.
OUTLINES
- UNDERSTANDING THE SPIRIT’S INTENTIONS
- PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT
- UNDERSTANDING THE SPIRIT’S INTENTIONS
The Holy Spirit is God’s seal of promise, the guarantee of our inheritance. He is a part of the Trinity, symbolised as the oil which sets alight the candlestick of man’s spirit and causes the man’s life to be ablaze with the life of Christ Prov. 20:27. The Spirit facilitates the utmost desires of God in us in the following ways:
- God reveals things to man who love and are committed to spiritual maturity by His Spirit 1 Cor. 2: 9-10. God reveals His heart by His Word which the Spirit expands in a man’s heart.
- The Spirit “searches… the deep things of God” 1 Cor. 2:10. The Spirit searches specific deep thoughts of God out for the life of every person in Christ Jn. 15:26; 16:14.
- The Spirit is not the spirit of the world Jn. 14:17. God’s Spirit does not admire, desire, or have any affection or allegiance to the things of the world. The Spirit does not measure a man’s spirituality by the physical assets that the world values.
- The Spirit knows the thoughts of God 1 Cor. 2:11. By His Spirit, God can share His thoughts from His Word with each one of us.
- We can receive from the Holy Spirit, what God has freely given us 1 Cor. 2:12. We have freely received salvation through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross of Calvary and this is strengthened in us as we pursue our discipleship.
- The Spirit explains spiritual realities with words conceived by the Spirit Himself 1 Cor. 2:14. These words are meaningless and unacceptable to the person who does not have the Holy Spirit, they can only be discerned by the Spirit as He communes with our spirit.
- The Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us through groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8:26-27. The Spirit intercedes for God’s people to birth the will of God in the lives of His people.
2. PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT
The intentions of the Holy Spirit are always focused on the glorification of Jesus Christ and the execution of God’s will in His Kingdom. Praying in the Spirit, in essence, simply means praying in alignment with the will of God to bring about God’s purpose on the face of the earth.
God’s intentions are clear and are found in the Scriptures; the glorification of Jesus Christ Jn. 17:5, the establishment and expansion of His kingdom, and execution of His will Isa. 9:7; Matt 6:10, the salvation of all men 1 Tim. 2:4, and conforming them to the image of Jesus Christ Rom. 8:29. Jesus Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit throughout His earthly passage and was always praying in the Spirit Matt. 6:9-13, Jn. 17:1-26. In these two prayers, you will note how the focus of Jesus’ prayers is the establishment and expansion of God’s kingdom and the glorification of God. Praying in the Spirit is an avenue for building yourself up in our most holy faith Jude 20. Hence, as you pursue your discipleship and your growth in Christ, the Spirit will increasingly reveal the deep things in the heart of God as you pray continually in the Holy Ghost.
CONCLUSION
Praying in the Spirit is not about praying in tongues. It is about understanding that the Spirit reveals the thoughts and the burdens of God’s heart. Praying in the Spirit is about praying the heart of God. He wants a two-way communication with us that enables us to know His heart and pray the execution of His will on the face of the earth and that is what His Spirit makes possible.