Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
It seems that now above any time in history Satan is unleashing a full attack on God’s children. Aren’t you glad God has not left us stranded and alone? He will never leave us or forsake us, and He’s given us some mighty weapons. One of these is the gift to pray in the Holy Spirit. Now is a time where God’s children need to be proactive. The enemy will lay traps for God’s children to stumble into. But, when you pray in the Spirit, you can stop the avenger, the Lord will help us do this very thing. Let’s read in the book of Romans…
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
helps -- is a compound of three different Greek words
Strong’s literal translation, joins in to help . co-operate (assist):
Or to take hold with us together against our weaknesses.
The gifts of the Spirit are for every child of God. I have found they are available to all who are truly hungry for them. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled.
Praying in the Spirit is a gift of God we all can have and use, and I believe opens the door for the other gifts to manifest. Praying in the spirit will put us in tune and in a place where we are already receptive to the things of God and flowing in the Spirit. We can not make all of the gifts manifest, as so many times they are as the Spirit wills. We can however be ready and willing to cooperate as the Holy Spirit wills. How many have missed out because they were not in a place spiritually where they could be receptive to the things of God, and because of this were not used. We’ve all missed it at times, I know I have. I also know that I have purposed in my heart to be sensitive and be used when the Lord does want to use me in these areas. We should all take this attitude. We can stop the enemy from his main job, that is to steal kill and destroy God’s children .
Romans 8:28 goes on to say --- And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
This is tied directly in with verses. 26 and 27. You know you don’t start a sentence with and, unless you are finishing a thought. I realize this verse is often quoted by itself without the previous verses tied into it, yet if we read it the way it was written and not single out a verse, we will see more clearly what is being said. I would like to look at this section of Scriptures in the New English Bible. I believe it is said in such a ways as to be a little more understandable, and you can see how this is all tied together.
--New English Bible
Romans 8:26-28. In the same way the Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness. We do not even know how we ought to pray, but through our inarticulate groans the Spirit Himself is pleading for us, and God who searches our inmost being knows what the Spirit means, because He pleads for God’s people in God’s own way; and in everything He co-operates for good with those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
It is talking about the saints interceding in co-operation with the Holy Spirit to overcome every adversity within the body of Christ,
that’s the will of God. Glory to God! Can you see this?
Let the Holy Spirit work together with us against our weaknesses, and also the weaknesses of our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we can truly say as Paul did, if God be for us who can be against us.
And, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
This portion of scripture has been the source of much prayer, consideration, and meditation, for me. I believe we as the body of Christ have largely missed it in this area. Lets see what the Word of God is saying, and not just sit back and let Satan do as he wills with us! He doesn’t have the right, yet we have the spiritual tools to defeat him. All things can work out to our benefit when we are interceding with the help or co-operation of the Holy Spirit to bring the purpose of God into being. Intercession is God’s way to help us fulfill His will and His purpose in our lives, and the lives of others as well. Another way of saying this is to say that intercession is processing out the very plan of God. It is also thwarting the plan of Satan.
This applies not only to us, but can reach out to others as well. We won’t always know who we are praying for, but occasionally the Lord will show us. I believe sometimes it is just none of our business. Aren’t you glad He doesn’t show everybody your business? However sometimes He does show us things. One time after a prolonged period of praying in the Spirit, I had a vision of someone in our church. I knew of this man but didn’t know him personally other than I might have shook his hand a couple of times. I saw his face as clearly as if he was standing in front of me. The next time we went to church I asked about him and found out that he wasn’t there. Several weeks went by and he and his wife were not there. This was very unusual for him as he hardly ever missed. I finally found someone that I know knew him and asked about him. He said this person had lost his job and had taken it very hard. I knew he was older and near retirement and that loosing your job at this point would be a very difficult thing. However the very day I was praying I knew I had gotten a release in my spirit about him, and knew that things would be alright.
Shortly thereafter he got another job working in an area of ministry that he had spent a lifetime learning in the secular world. God is good, and I know many times what Satan means for our destruction God turns around for our good. Praying in the Spirit is one of the ways this takes place. It is literally praying into existence the plan and purpose of God.
This thing that was meant to do him harm was turned around by calling us to fulfill His purpose with the co-operation of the Holy Spirit interceding to fulfill His will. Wow.
Even in the small things the mighty Holy Spirit is there to help and assist. There is no area of our life He won’t help us if we will avail ourselves of Him. I know of one particular instance I was out running errands and had been in a store to do some shopping, when I came out, my car wouldn’t start. I did what most guys do, I raised the hood and looked at the engine as if I actually knew what I was doing. That didn’t help much. I walked across the street to a service station that had a tow truck and asked for help. As I got back to my car and was waiting, some time went by and I realized that the tow truck wasn’t coming. This was before cell phones were so prevalent, and my wife was also out running some errands, so I couldn’t call her anyway. I had no where to go and no way to get there, so I just sat there and started to pray in the Spirit. I was thinking I might as well be productive while I am waiting till my wife got home. After some time, maybe a half hour or so, I knew the answer supernaturally. I didn’t have a vision or hear a voice, I just knew in my spirit exactly what to do. I opened my hood and looked to the back passenger side of the engine and saw a bunch of wires. I lifted these up and saw a single wire that had a plug on the end of it. Next to it was something that looked as if this wire were supposed to be plugged into it. I simply plugged the wire in, went back and put the key into the ignition and the car started up with no problems.
Whether the problem is great or small, the One who knows all the answers is on the inside of us and is an ever present help in a time of need. He will never leave us alone. If He will help with a small wire being unplugged, He will help with all the issues of life, for He is surely able and willing to do just that. We have to put ourselves in a place where we can receive this help, and also be used, so that through us the Lord can help others.
These are the things we the body of Christ should be putting into practice on a very regular basis. Some might say I’ve never really been taught this. I would say to you it is never too late to start, start today and begin to intercede on the behalf of others. The Word of God tells us to pray for one another that we may be healed. In praying for others we open the door for God to bring blessings to ourselves as well. This law of sowing and reaping as the Word of God declares, the very thing we sow we shall reap. Aren’t you glad this is not just in the negative, but a positive force that God can use to bring blessings to us and through us. As we begin to apply these things in our lives we will develop and grow in them. The more we put into practice the things of God the more we will develop in them as well. As we develop we will begin to have greater confidence in these areas. We should always continue to grow in the things of God and not keep the same status quo. As we do, we will grow to greater levels.
Many times the lord will warn us of things to come for the very purpose of averting disaster. One such instance happened to me a couple of years ago. My older son was going on a cross country trip with a friend to go and visit his grandmother. On the second day into the trip I was awakened in the night and began to pray very intensely in the Holy Spirit. This went on for a good portion of the night. The next morning we received a phone call from our son telling us how he had hit an ice patch and his car had flipped three times. He and his friend we virtually unhurt except for a few very minor scrapes and bruises. The car was completely totaled, but by the grace of God and through the help and co-operation of the Holy Spirit their lives were both spared. I have more stories that are just as dramatic and show God’s absolute faithfulness to us His children I would share if room permitted. I pray that the true understanding of this great and precious gift of God will begin to operate and grow in your lives as you step out and begin to co-operate with the Holy Spirit of God to avert the destroyer and to bring the plan and purpose of God to pass. Amen
