How To Pray In The Spirit

Introduction: Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20

I. The Holy Ghost works in the activation of our wills in prayer. (Romans 8:5-8)

- To pray in the flesh is to fail

- To pray in the spirit is to succeed

- We do not want to pray because we are carnally minded

- We are in flesh rather than in the Spirit

- (Romans 8:15)

- (Galatians 4:6)

- (Philippians 2:13)

- When you get filled with the Holy Ghost you will want to pray!

- It is the HG job to activate our will.

II. The Holy Ghost works in the animation of our bodies in prayer. (Romans 8:10-11)

- Our minds wander in prayer

- We get sleepy

- There is a legitimate need for rest (Mark 6:31)

- (Matthew 26:40-41)

- “The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”

- (John 4:32)

- The Holy Ghost will refresh you and energize you for what God calls you to do.

- (Romans 8:26)

- God helps us with our weaknesses

- Our weakness is an asset (2 Corinthians 12:9)

- “Our problem is not that we are weak, it’s that we are not weak enough.” Adrian Rodgers\

III. The Holy Ghost works in the adaptation of our requests. (Romans 8:26)

- Sometimes we just do not know what to pray for.

- In our prayer meetings what kinds of things are we praying for

- Usually we are praying for the sick

- Almost never do we pray for the lost

- Sometimes we are praying to keep our sick alive and out of heaven and Jesus is praying Father let them come.

- We are more interested in keeping the saints out of heaven than we are the lost out of hell.

- Could it be that the early church prayed God would strike Saul dead?

- Illustration of an electrical transformer and how it reduces electricity to adapt it to our appliances so they will not be overrun with electricity.

IV. The Holy Ghost presides over the administration of our access. (Romans 8:14-15)

- (Ephesians 2:18)

- We pray to the Father, through Jesus (because of, in His name) in the (led by) Spirit.

- When you are in the Spirit God is in you

V. The Holy Ghost works in the articulation of our words. (Romans 8:26b)

- Words are just trucks to carry thoughts

- Sometimes the thought is too heavy for the truck

- We get tongue tied

VI. The Holy Ghost works in the enunciation of our confidence. (Romans 8:28)

- “And we know”!

Note* Original outline by Dr. Adrian Rogers