Text: Jude 1:20-21
Memory verse:
”praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—“
Ephesians 6:18 NKJV
Warfare prayer involves praying in your understanding and in the Spirit or with the spirit. Praying in your understanding alone will limit your effectiveness in spiritual battles. Ephesians 6:18 (NLT) says “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion…”. The GNT puts it this way, “Do all this in prayer, asking for God’s help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads.”
What does it mean to ‘Pray in the Spirit’? It is to completely rely on the Holy Spirit for help and direction in prayer. It is seeking His help to be consistent with God’s ways and His kingdom goals (Jude 1:20).
What does praying “with the spirit” mean? It refers to praying using the special utterance called “speaking in tongues or the unknown tongue”. This utterance is given by the indwelling Holy Spirit to speak mysteries in prayer. It is the Holy Spirit taking over your spirit to pray. It is an unknown language because the speaker doesn’t understand the language nor does the listener, except by the interpretation which is given by the Holy Spirit and as He wills. ”For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.“ (1 Cor 14:14 NLT).
Both praying in the Spirit and praying with the spirit are related because both originate from the spirit or the innermost being of the person praying. Praying in the Spirit is to pray with a reliance on the Holy Spirit to help in the prayer while praying with the spirit is possible because of the Holy Spirit or it is the Holy Spirit empowering your spirit to pray in an unknown language.
However, praying in the Spirit or with the spirit is in contrast to following formality or mere words uttered from the intellectual mind. It is not repetitive or the prayer, which is just repeated after the leader as it is common in the church today. Most believers merely repeat or respond to the words of the prayer leader.
Friends, just as no one can worship God acceptably without worshipping in the spirit and truth (John 4:24), likewise, no one can succeed in spiritual warfare without praying in the Spirit or with the spirit. It is the prayer that flows from your innermost being and inspired by the Holy Spirit that draws power in prayer and not mere repetitive or intellectual prayer.
Prayer points
1. Father, please give me help by Your Spirit in the place of prayer so I will always pray according to Your way and will, in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, pour Your Spirit afresh on me so I will always pray in the Spirit or with my spirit, in Jesus’ name.
Today’s declarations
1. When I pray in the Spirit or with my spirit, I pray from my innermost being and not from my mind.
2. Only when the Holy Spirit is involved in my prayer that I draw power in prayer and not when I follow formality.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng