## Praying in the Holy Spirit

## Jude 20

IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE COMMANDS IN SCRIPTURE CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE FOLLOWING COMMANDS:

1. GRIEVE NOT THE SPIRIT. EPH. 4:30

2. QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT. I TH. 5:19

3. WALK IN THE SPIRIT. GAL. 5:2

I WANT US TO CONSIDER JUDE 20, AND THE COMMAND OF "PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST". READ: Vs7-23

HERE THE COMMAND TO BE "PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST" IS ONE OF SEVEN EXHORTATIONS TO BELIEVERS.

1. REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLES.

2. BUILD UP YOURSELVES IN THE FAITH.

3. PRAY IN THE HOLY GHOST.

4. KEEP IN THE LOVE OF GOD.

5. LOOK FOR THE MERCY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

6. HAVE COMPASSION.

7. SAVE OTHERS WITH FEAR.

PRAYER IS THE VITAL FACTOR IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE WHICH ACTIVATES THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF THE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. TRUE PRAYER IS EXERCISED IN THE SPHERE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT IS MOTIVATED AND EMPOWERED BY HIM. WE MUST BE SPIRIT-FILLED AND SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TO REALLY PRAY.

THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD LEADS US IN OUR PETITIONS AND GENERATES WITHIN US THE FAITH NECESSARY FOR ACCEPTABLE AND ANSWERABLE PRAYER. THERE ARE THREE BASIC PASSAGES WHICH DEAL WITH THE MATTER OF PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE WANT TO CONSIDER EACH OF THEM TO GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THIS TERM. TOO OFTEN WE ALLOW OTHERS TO DEFINE OUR TERMS. MANY HAVE SHIED AWAY FROM THIS BECAUSE OF THE PENTECOSTALS. JUDE 17-23 EPHESIANS 6:13-20

1) TAKE THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD AND STAND.

a. TRUTH

b. RIGHTEOUSNESS

c. PEACE

d. FAITH

e. SALVATION

f. WORD OF GOD

2) PRAYING INTHE SPIRIT.

3) WATCHING WITH PERSEVERANCE.

a. WHY IS PERSEVERANCE NEEDED FOR WATCHING? Satan never quits.

b. WHO ARE WE TO WATCH AND PRAY FOR? The enemy

ROMANS 8:18-28

1) 'GROANINGS' = INAUDIBLE PRAYERS; INWARD AND UNEXPRESSED FEELINGS.

2) JUST AS CREATION 'GROANETH TOGETHER', AND WE 'GROAN WITHIN OURSELVES',

3) LIKEWISE (OR IN THE SAME MANNER) THE SPIRIT ALSO HELPETH OUR INFIRMITIES 'WITH GROANINGS'.

4) WHY DOES HE HELP US?

a. WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE SHOULD PRAY FOR AS WE OUGHT.

b. JAS. 4:3, "YE ASK, AND RECEIVE NOT, BECAUSE YE ASK AMISS, THAT YE MAY CONSUME IT UPON YOUR LUSTS."

5) HOW DOES HE HELP US?

a. HE 'MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US' IN VERSE 26.

b. HE 'MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR THE SAINTS' IN VERSE 27.

c. ALTHOUGH THESE TWO STATEMENTS APPEAR TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME, THEY ARE NOT:

1. HE GOES WITH US TO THE FATHER AND INTERCEDES ON OUR BEHALF WHEN WE ASK. V26

2. HE MAKES INTERCESSION FOR US FOR THINGS WE DO NOT ASK. V27

6) HE IS OUR PRAYER PARTNER. V26

a. NOTICE SOME PRINCIPLES OF 'PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT':

1. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE NEED.

2. THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES KNOW WHAT WE NEED.

3. HE WILL HELP US IN OUR WEAKNESSES.

4. HE WILL REVEAL TO US OUR REAL NEEDS.

5. HE WILL GO WITH US AND INTERCEDE ON OUR BEHALF.

b. THAT MEANS WE NEED TO BE IN HARMONY WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN WE PRAY.

c. NOTICE: ACTS 15:28, 'FOR IT SEEMED GOOD TO THE HOLY GHOST, AND TO US, TO LAY UPON YOU NO GREATER BURDEN THAN THESE NECESSARY THINGS.'

1. THIS VERSE IS PART OF THE LETTERS SENT TO THE GENTILE CONVERTS IN ANTIOCH.

2. THE CHURCH AT JERUSALEM WAS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT ON THE MATTER.

3. THIS IS A SIMILAR PRINCIPLE AS FOUND IN JOHN 15:7 'IF YE ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YE SHALL ASK WHAT YE WILL, AND IT SHALL BE DONE UNTO YOU'.

d. GO, 'PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST' IS WHEN WE HAVE GONE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR HELP IN KNOWING WHAT WE SHOULC PRAY FOR, AND THEN HE GOES WITH US TO THE FATHER TO PRESENT THE PETITIONS THAT WE HAVE AGREED UPON.

7) HE ALSO PRAYS FOR US CONCERNING THINGS FOR WHICH WE DO NOT ASK.

a. REMEMBER, HE KNOWS OUR NEEDS.

1. SOMETIMES WE FORGET TO ASK FOR THINGS THAT WE NEED

2. WHEN WE DO, HE INTERCEDES FOR US AND ASKS FOR THEM

b. HE KNOWS WHAT WE NEED, EVEN IF IT MAY BE SOMETHING WE WOULDN'T ASK FOR IN OUR PRAYERS.

1. WE MAY WANT ALL SUNNY DAYS, BUT HE KNOWS WE NEED SOME CLOUDY ONES.

2. WE MAY WANT ALL VICTORIES, BUT HE KNOWS THAT WE NEED A DEFEAT.

3. THIS IS WHERE WE CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND V28

4. THE HOLY SPIRIT ALWAYS PRAYS ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL.

5. 1 THESS. 5:18, 'IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS: FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS CONCERNING YOU.,

Note: 1 Co. 14:14-17

Paul makes it clear that we are to pray and sing with understanding that others might be edified. To pray with the Spirit is to allow the Spirit of God to control our prayer life. To be in harmony with Him is to realize answered prayer. He is our prayer partner...He is our intercessor. He knows exactly what we need and will help us in our prayers. Are we in tune with Him?