All Kinds of Prayers in the Spirit!

“Through all prayer and supplication, praying in the Spirit in every season and unto this very thing, watching with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. And also for me, that in the opening of my mouth, divine utterance may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” Ephesians 6:18-19

All kinds of prayers can be made in the Spirit: praise, thanksgiving and supplications. Paul in Corinthians shows how the prayer of the mind and the prayer of the spirit can be onto the same concept though the words uttered by the spirit are mysteries that are spoken onto God. “For the one speaking in a tongue speaks not to men, but to God.” 1 Corinthians 14:2 Yet the general subject of the prayer can be of one accord with the prayer of the mind. “I will pray with the spirit, but also I will pray with the mind. I will sing praise with the spirit, but also I will sing praise with the mind. Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how will the one filling the place of the uninstructed say the “Amen” at your thanksgiving, since he knows not what you say?” 1 Corinthians 14:15-16

How else could he possibly make known his spirit is giving thanks unless he is doing so in his mind. “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.” [vs.14]  So he also engages his mind in the prayer so it might not be unfruitful. 

By the same concept, all kinds of prayers and supplications can be made to God while praying in the Spirit through the consent of the mind. We might not have the words to speak onto God according to His will but the Spirit does. “The Spirit joins to help us in weakness; for we do not know the things which we should pray for as it behooves, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession with inexpressible groaning(s).” Romans 8:26 Now though this verse refers to the prayer the Holy Spirit Himself expresses through us in unutterable groaning(s), which are prayer without words, therefore it is not tongues since tongues are composed of utterance. However the same principle can be applied when praying in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit knows what we ought to pray for and in a manner we need to. So we instigate a prayer by our spirit uttering words that are given by the Holy Spirit, to make our petition to God according to His perfect will. 

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit was giving to them to utter forth.” Acts 2:4 

Even though the main purpose of prayer in the Spirit is for the edification of the one who prays “The one speaking in a tongue edifies himself.” 1 Corinthians 14:4 [And] “But you, beloved, building up yourselves in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21

However we are also able to make perfect prayers onto God in the Spirit and make petitions and supplications for all the saints according to the needs we perceive in our minds. So we can pray with our mind so the servants of God may be equipped and strengthened in the dispensation of godly duties and utter the words in the Spirit. 

“I will pray with the spirit, but also I will pray with the mind.” 

Therefore we can dedicate the portions of our prayers in the Spirit onto a matter we want to address or make a petition on behalf of another according to their needs which only God would know.

Praying in the Holy Spirit.   

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