What does it mean to pray in the Holy Spirit?
To pray in the Spirit is to pray in dependence on the Holy Spirit and in line with His work. He helps our weakness when we do not know how to pray, He intercedes for us according to God's will, He dwells in us making us children who cry 'Abba, Father,' and He empowers the church's prayer. It is not a special technique for the few; it is the Spirit-empowered prayer of every believer, prayed through Christ and aligned with God's will.
This question arose from studying What does the Lord's Prayer teach? and How do I pray?.
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What the Scripture says
The Spirit helps our weakness in prayer
Praying in the Spirit begins with dependence. Paul writes, 'the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered.' When we do not know how to ask, the Spirit prays in us and for us. Prayer in the Spirit is not a perfected technique but a Spirit-carried dependence.
In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.
He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.
It is prayer surrendered to God's will
The Spirit who intercedes 'makes intercession for the saints according to God.' John says that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. To pray in the Spirit is to have our asking drawn into the Spirit's own alignment with God's will, so that our prayer grows from 'what I want' toward 'what God wills,' the deepest and truest thing we could ever pray.
He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.
This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.
It flows from the Spirit of adoption
The Spirit who teaches us to pray is the Spirit who makes us children. Paul says, 'you didn't receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, Abba, Father.' Galatians adds, 'God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' And God has promised to pour out a spirit of grace and supplication. The Spirit both makes us sons and empowers the prayer of sons.
For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”
I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn.
It is the Spirit-empowered prayer of the church
Praying in the Spirit is built into ordinary believing prayer, not a rare elevation. Paul urges the Ephesians to pray at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and requests, watchful and persevering for all the saints, and Jude calls believers to build themselves up in most holy faith, 'praying in the Holy Spirit,' keeping themselves in the love of God. It is the normal prayer of the church, in the Spirit's power, for the saints and for the world.
with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
It uses the whole self, mind and heart
Praying in the Spirit is not opposed to understanding. Paul says, 'I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also.' The Spirit indwells every believer, and to pray in the Spirit is simply to pray as a Christian, with our whole selves, mind and heart, depending on the Spirit who lives in us and who prays the will of God in us. It is the Spirit-worked prayer of a child of God, through Christ, to the Father.
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.
For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
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Verses to meditate on
In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.
And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”
with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn.
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