Because we desire to develop a body of believers who are strong and confident in prayer, we have done quite a bit of teaching on the subject of prayer.  We believe praying in the spirit to be a powerful component to a strong prayer life.

The purpose of this training was to introduce and review some basic concepts on Praying In the Spirit.    By the end of this lesson, each person was able to:

  • Explain what it means to pray in the Spirit
  • Describe how praying in the Spirit works
  • List the purposes for praying in the Spirit
  • State who can pray in the spirit
  • Explain how often we should pray in the spirit.

Here are notes from the training session:

What is it?

  1. It is also called “speaking in tongues”
  2. It is speaking in an “unlearned” or “unknown” language
  3. It may sound to some like nonsense or gibberish
  4. When you pray in the Holy Spirit is “guiding” how you pray and what you pray for. He is moving, motivating, enabling and energizing your prayers.

How does it work?

  1. The Holy Spirit will not force anyone to speak.
  2.  It is not the work of your own mind.
  3. It is not the same as praying with understanding and praying in the Holy Spirit.  The mind must be yielded to the Holy Spirit for one to pray in the Holy Spirit.  ~ “For if I pray in an unknown tongue… my understanding is unfruitful”  (I Corinthians 14:14-15).
  4. It requires you not to put confidence in your own self, but rather to trust God. ~ “Worship in the Spirit of God…and put no confidence in the flesh…” (Phil 3:3b)
  5.  After speaking in tongues the Holy Spirit may enable you give understandable words to what was said in tongues. ~ “Wherefore, let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret” (I Cor 14:13).

What are the purposes for speaking in tongues?

  1. It is “prayer” is unto God, not to men ~ “For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries”  (I Corinthians 14:2)
  2. It is the ability to pray when we don’t know how to pray for someone or something; in doing so, we are praying according to “the will of God”. ~ “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.    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 8:26-27).
  3. It is the ability to sing praises in a language other than our own.  ~ “… I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also”  (I Corinthians 14:15).
  4. It is the one way a believer can edify (build up and strengthen) himself so he/she will not faint during hard trials. ~ “He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; (I Corinthians 14:4). ~ “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 1:20). ~ “Be on guard that your hearts may not be weighed down…worries of life…that will come upon all those that dwell on earth…Keep alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength. (Luke 21:34-36)
  5. Speaking in tongues may also edify the church body as well. ~ “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.    Wherefore let him that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue pray that he may interpret”  (I Corinthians 14:12-13).

Who can pray in the Spirit?

  1. Every believer can pray in the spirit (speak in tongues) even though not every does it.  ~ “I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying”  (I Corinthians 14:5).  ~ “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues” (Acts 2:4)

How often should you pray in the spirit?

  1. Always ~  “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Eph 6:18)

For a more comprehensive study on Praying in the Spirit visit this website.

RELATED BLOGS

  1. Praying In the Spirit – By Rivers of Hope

  2. Praying in The Spirit by Bartimaeus’ Quiet Place

 

~Blessings!