Prayer XXIV

In the first article, I wrote on definitions on prayer, when prayer starts and some of the components of prayer. While in the second article I finished my brief exegesis on components of prayer. The third article is centered on those who should pray. The fourth is on some of the reasons why talk (pray) to our heavenly father. The fifth article is on places of prayer while the sixth and seventh centered on occasions that move men to pray unto God. The eight article is on period (time) that men can pray. The ninth article focuses on how we should be praying. In the tenth article I write on a type of prayer, which is the prayer of thanksgiving.

While in the eleventh article I talked about three types of prayers which are, prayer of praise, prayer of worship and prayer of dedication (consecration). In the twelfth article I have talked about the following types of prayer: prayer of supplication, prayer of agreement, corporate prayer, prayer of commitment and prayer of imprecation. And in the thirteenth article I talked about prayer of vengeance, prayer of restoration, prayer of forgiveness, prayer of repentance and silent prayer. Article fourteen focuses on prayer of binding and loosing. In article fifteen I write on the prayer of contemplation. In the sixteenth article I start writing on the intercessory prayer and capped this up with some of the essentials of this prayer in article seventeen. Articles eighteen to twenty talk about prayer of faith.

In article twenty-one, I wrote on prayer of faith and then proceed to another type of prayer which is called eyes opening prayer. In article twenty-two I wrote prayer of difference. In article twenty-three I write on prayer of authority.

However, in this article I shall be talking on praying in the spirit.

At the inception of faith this kind of prayer was hidden to the believers, but as the knowledge of the word of God increases as the waters that cover the sea, then the conundrum about the type of prayer was removed and it becomes exposed to all.

“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9)

The increase in the gift of the Holy Ghost also helps in revealing this kind of prayer unto believers as we now have teachers, prophets, apostles, pastors, evangelists in our midst who could dig deep into the mind of God through prayers.

We shall not forget that this also has been the promise of Jesus Christ to us, the believers and his followers that except he leaves the world we would be lacking in many things, we shall not be able to comprehend so many things, but when he leaves the world we shall be able to comprehend things, yea deeper things concerning the kingdom.

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (Joh 16:7 & 12-13)

God through his Spirit living in us has exposed this type of Prayer to us as He had done in revealing other things pertaining to our wellbeing and godliness unto us.

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:” (2 Pet 1:3)

Because as a good father would not want his children to suffer God also who is our heavenly father does not want us to suffer, thus he reveals this kind of prayer to believers.

It would assist our knowledge to know that the word "Praying in" in Greek has the following meanings:

(i) Praying by Means of: Means is defined as a thing or method for achieving a result. This word is close to help, but it does not totally mean help. To understand this let us consider someone who wants to enter another country, an immigrant. There are legal ways of entering a country and there are illegal ways of entering a country. The means would be discovered if the person is apprehended, but if he is not apprehended it cannot be detected. Praying in the spirit is going through a legal means of approaching the throne of grace.

(ii) Praying with the Help of: We shall understand this more when we can reflect on some sportsmen, who uses some performance enhancing drugs to outrun others in a competition. Those people are not ordinary they are under the influence of something. This is what it means to pray through the help of something. It means you are using something to assist you in your prayers.

(iii) Praying in the Sphere of: Again let us bring our minds to sportsmen, especially athletes when they went for competition at a place, the climatologists or meteorologists would say something of the atmospheric condition of the place, they may say they are running against the wind or wind is supporting them. When we pray in the sphere where we are receiving spiritual supports we shall enjoy the prayer.

(iv) Praying in Connection to: Some sportsmen would be performing their duties because they are related to some people. Through the influence of such people they would rise while there may be others who are better around but who are neither fielded nor used. When we pray in connection to the Holy Spirit, it means we are praying in association with him, praying with his support to ascend to the throne of grace unlike when we pray with our human efforts.

To know what praying in the spirit is, it is expedient of us to know what it means not to pray in the spirit.

(a) It is not Words we are Saying: It is essential that believers know that praying in the spirit is not words we are saying it is deeply rooted in the Lord, in the spiritual realm.

(b) It is not Speaking in Tongues Alone: The earlier teachings about praying in the spirit is centered on praying in tongues alone. And this has generated a lot of controversies among the believers. Yes, praying in spirit means praying in tongues, speaking with a new tongue but it does not connote speaking in tongues alone.

Having introduced the topic to us, telling us what praying in means according to Greek and what praying in the spirit does not mean, I shall be telling us what praying in the spirit means in the next article.