Holy Spirit – A Spirit of Prayer
By Maureen Buckingham
Romans 8:26-28 AMPC - So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will. We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
Jude 1:20 AMPC - But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit;
Romans 8:26-28 AMPC - So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will. We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
Jude 1:20 AMPC - But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit;
From these verses we see that the Holy Spirit is a spirit of prayer. He inspires us to pray and then enables us to pray according to God's will.
Comes to our aid and bears up: The Holy spirit strengthens us and is our helper. So often we try to act on our own and carry things in weakness even to the point of despair. However John 14:26 AMPC tells us, But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.
In our weakness (infirmity): Although infirmity can be interpreted as a physical weakness or diseases, it also refers to aspects of the mind and heart, spiritual weakness. For example, weakness can be in understanding the things of God, in faith, prayer, desire and other areas in accordance to God's way and purpose. Sometimes we do not know our own infirmities but we can trust the Spirit's help.
Quote from Bensen's Commentary about the spirit of prayer... By a principle of grace derived from him, and by his enlightening, quickening, sanctifying, and comforting influences, showing you what blessings you may and ought to pray for, inspiring you with sincere and fervent desires after those blessings, and enabling you to offer these desires to God in faith, with gratitude for the blessings which you have already received.
The phrase in Jude 20, praying in the Holy Ghost, means we are to pray under his influence and by his leadership, according to the Word, with faith, fervency, and passion, being convinced we have what we ask for.
Practically speaking the Holy Spirit may stir in us to pray about an issue in our heart, a situation in our life, over a scripture passage for insight or for someone that comes to mind. Remember, when the Holy Spirit stirs you to pray that means God wants to do something. He doesn't stir on us for activity or something to do, he is intentional with a will and purpose. Many believers do not realize but they have stunted their own growth in God because they have ignored and grown cold to the Holy Spirit's leading in regards to their own lives and those around them.
How often do we sense a nudge to pray but we put it off for several reasons? Maybe we are preoccupied at the moment and think we will do it later, or we are not sure how to pray or we have no practical information so we shrug it off thinking it can't be that important, someone else will pray or we do not explore as to whether it was even the Holy Spirit speaking to us or not.
Eph 4:23 tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit and 1 Thessalonians 5:19 tells us not to quench him yet we do not seem to see our lack of responding to his leading to pray as that big of an issue or maybe we see it more like one of many possible options of how to spend our time that day.
The God who holds the universe desires to pray through us and for us. The sovereign God wants to do something so, I don't know about you, but I want to be part of his plan and walk in all he has for us. I want him to know that when intercession is needed he can stir in me to pray and I will.
I encourage you to ask God to forgive you for not taking the spirit of prayer seriously and for grieving him. Tell him he can stir on you again and use you for his purposes whether you see the fruit of your prayer or not. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be alert and recognize the call to pray for yourself and others. The more we surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading the more we walk and live in the spirit, led of him and sensitive to him. Romans 8:5 AMPC says, For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit. And Galatians 5:16 AMPC says, But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
Eph 6:18 AMPC Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).
1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to be unceasing in prayer so there is obviously a communing with the Spirit we are to live in that is in agreement and conformity to his will. If we neglect prayer and do not focus on these types of verses and what they really mean in our life, then we will never pursue the greater things through the Holy Ghost. We need to ask him to quicken us, convict us and to bring these things back to our remembrance so we grow and are continually filled with his Spirit and rivers of living water pour forth. (Eph 5:18, John 7:38)
Comes to our aid and bears up: The Holy spirit strengthens us and is our helper. So often we try to act on our own and carry things in weakness even to the point of despair. However John 14:26 AMPC tells us, But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.
In our weakness (infirmity): Although infirmity can be interpreted as a physical weakness or diseases, it also refers to aspects of the mind and heart, spiritual weakness. For example, weakness can be in understanding the things of God, in faith, prayer, desire and other areas in accordance to God's way and purpose. Sometimes we do not know our own infirmities but we can trust the Spirit's help.
Quote from Bensen's Commentary about the spirit of prayer... By a principle of grace derived from him, and by his enlightening, quickening, sanctifying, and comforting influences, showing you what blessings you may and ought to pray for, inspiring you with sincere and fervent desires after those blessings, and enabling you to offer these desires to God in faith, with gratitude for the blessings which you have already received.
The phrase in Jude 20, praying in the Holy Ghost, means we are to pray under his influence and by his leadership, according to the Word, with faith, fervency, and passion, being convinced we have what we ask for.
Practically speaking the Holy Spirit may stir in us to pray about an issue in our heart, a situation in our life, over a scripture passage for insight or for someone that comes to mind. Remember, when the Holy Spirit stirs you to pray that means God wants to do something. He doesn't stir on us for activity or something to do, he is intentional with a will and purpose. Many believers do not realize but they have stunted their own growth in God because they have ignored and grown cold to the Holy Spirit's leading in regards to their own lives and those around them.
How often do we sense a nudge to pray but we put it off for several reasons? Maybe we are preoccupied at the moment and think we will do it later, or we are not sure how to pray or we have no practical information so we shrug it off thinking it can't be that important, someone else will pray or we do not explore as to whether it was even the Holy Spirit speaking to us or not.
Eph 4:23 tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit and 1 Thessalonians 5:19 tells us not to quench him yet we do not seem to see our lack of responding to his leading to pray as that big of an issue or maybe we see it more like one of many possible options of how to spend our time that day.
The God who holds the universe desires to pray through us and for us. The sovereign God wants to do something so, I don't know about you, but I want to be part of his plan and walk in all he has for us. I want him to know that when intercession is needed he can stir in me to pray and I will.
I encourage you to ask God to forgive you for not taking the spirit of prayer seriously and for grieving him. Tell him he can stir on you again and use you for his purposes whether you see the fruit of your prayer or not. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be alert and recognize the call to pray for yourself and others. The more we surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading the more we walk and live in the spirit, led of him and sensitive to him. Romans 8:5 AMPC says, For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit. And Galatians 5:16 AMPC says, But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
Eph 6:18 AMPC Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).
1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to be unceasing in prayer so there is obviously a communing with the Spirit we are to live in that is in agreement and conformity to his will. If we neglect prayer and do not focus on these types of verses and what they really mean in our life, then we will never pursue the greater things through the Holy Ghost. We need to ask him to quicken us, convict us and to bring these things back to our remembrance so we grow and are continually filled with his Spirit and rivers of living water pour forth. (Eph 5:18, John 7:38)
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