Praying in the Spirit
What then is praying in the Spirit? Simply put, praying in theSpirit means praying in his presence, with his direction, and in his power. When we pray in his presence, we enjoy his fellowship, as we saw earlier. But praying in the Spirit can also mean seeking his guidance. The Spirit may also intensify our prayers with powerful effect. We can address the Spirit directly as a full person of the Trinity by following his lead in prayer and trusting in his power.
Ephesians 6:17‑18 exhorts us to take up “the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, withall prayer and supplication.” With spiritual war raging around us, all too often we stand frozen in fear or indifference, our sword resting idly in the corner. Instead we should pray to the person of the Spirit with Scripture as our guide. For example, since the Spirit is the Helper, I often pray to him for help: “Holy Spirit, help me flee the temptations I often face, of pride, vanity, and lust.” Then I follow the prayer with a Scripture, such as, “Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Tim 2:22). Or if I want to experience communion with God, I will pray, “Spirit, you search out all things, even the depths of God, so guide me into the depths of his presence” (based on 1 Cor 2:10). Informal prayers are great too. If I am at a loss for what to pray or where to go in life I will pray, “Holy Spirit, I don’t know what’s next; I need you to guide me. Will you show me what the Father wants?” And when we lack the words, the Spirit will groan on our behalf (Rom 8:26).
Praying in the Spirit includes praying in his power, not our own.As Origen put it, the Spirit “intensifies the petition.” We mayexperience this intensification when we are praying silently or out loud, which lends a kind of power to the prayer that is very edifying for the saints. When I gather with those who are serving our church each Sunday to pray, there are often moments when the power of the Spirit is felt. Sometimes people will pray exact things that are in my sermon manuscript without knowing it. Other times fresh prayers for God’s work among us and for our city pulse with spiritual power. When this happens, it’s as if the Holy Spirit is waving a banner over us saying, “I am with you and this is what I want.”
Powerful prayer is not necessarily emotional or loud or the resultof a single charismatic cry. The Spirit’s power often works through the persistent. When Elijah prayed it would not rain, God stopped the rains for three and a half years. How did Elijah pray? Earnestly. Commenting on this kind of prayer James says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (Jas 5:16‑17 NIV). Teaching his disciples to pray and not give up, Jesus told a parable that praised the widow who continually pestered the judge for justice (Lk 18:1‑11). Hang in there. Pray often. Be righteous. But be careful to put your hope in God, not in prayer. Yield to him always and you will be blessed by the Spirit, enjoying his life and peace. Praying in the Spirit means praying in his presence, which includes following his direction and depending on his power.
Charismatic scholar Gordon Fee has noted that much of whatpasses for praying in the Spirit often misses the mark because itsevers prayer from the mission of God. When Paul gave this instruction to the Ephesians, it was with the advance of the gospel in view. Fee writes, “Praying in the Spirit is not only so that people will be able to withstand the enemy’s onslaught, but so that Paul will be enabled to carry the gospel forward.” Prayer is not merely for the “holy huddle” but for the renewal of the world. Let’s not forget to pray asking the Spirit to open the eyes of our friends, co-workers, neighbors, and family members to the magnificence of Christ. Plead with the Spirit to continue redeeming and perfecting all creation.
A final way to pray in the Spirit is, as Martin Luther put it, to“let your thoughts take you for a walk.” What did he mean? Sometimes I get stuck praying a list and I don’t allow myself to veer onto the scenic drive to take in unplanned sights of God’s glory, beauty, truth, and goodness. Remembering I need to let the Spirit take my thoughts for a walk has been very freeing for me in prayer. It has enabled me to soak in the wonder of God, linger over some truth about his character, or contemplate a phrase in his Word.
I used to feel guilty when I departed from my list because Iwould run out of time to pray for others, but God has freed mefrom that by reminding me of the ultimate goal of enjoying hispresence. I find myself “veering off ” when I pray aloud or by myself. Be careful to put your hope in God, not in prayer. When I’m out and about walking in my neighborhood or on a trail, I will simply talk to God as though he is walking beside me.Onlookers may confuse me with a madman!
Praying in the Spirit—rather than in a doctrine, list, or emotion— is a wonderful way to cultivate communion with God and enjoy his fellowship. Unlike the father we encountered in the story at the beginning of chapter seven, we need not construct ceremonies out of thin air and breathe on them for meaning. Instead, the Holy Spirit has breathed new life into us and given us meaning in his fellowship and mission.
*Taken from Here in Spirit by Jonathan K. Dodson. Copyright (c) 2018 by Jonathan K. Dodson. Published by InterVarsityPress, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com
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