PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT
Eph. 6:18
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A man was taking his eight-year-old son to school. While driving down the freeway, the boy he noticed a large flatbed truck with a forklift on the back.
2. His eyes widened and he said, pointing to the forklift, "Boy, I sure would like one of those!"
3. Curious as to why an eight-year-old would want a forklift, his dad asked, "What would you do with a forklift?"
4. With a determined look on his face the boy answered, "Anything I want to!"
5. Thank God that in children there's still the desire to do mighty things. We're going to talk about a gift that God wants to give all of us to make us "strong in the Lord and in His mighty power."
B. TEXT
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” Eph. 6:18 NIV.
C. THESIS
1. What is the source of the energy, the freshness, and the forcefulness of the Pentecostal/charismatic movement that has propelled it to its position as the largest Protestant body? The Holy Spirit!
2. The Fingerprints of the Holy Spirit are everywhere; from Genesis to Revelation the Person of the Holy Spirit permeates the working of God in this world.
3. Without the working of the Holy Spirit, there would have been no New Testament church to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.
4. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a vital milestone in the believer's progress because it grants full ascendancy to the Spirit. It is the beginning of a great adventure in Christian living called "life in the Spirit."
5. The Golden Text of Pentecostalism is "And they were all filled with a Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" Acts 2:4. Jesus promised, "He that believes on Me... out of his belly [innermost being] shall flow rivers of living water" John 7:38-39.
6. Jesus called this experience "the promise of the Father" and said we would be "endued with power from on high" Luke 24:49. He foretold we would be "baptized with the Holy Ghost" Acts 1:5. Peter called it "the gift of the Holy Spirit" Acts 2:38; that God was "pour[ing] out of My Spirit upon all flesh" Acts 2:17.
7. There is an emotional quality to Spirit baptism. The Greek word ecsistanto (i.e., ecstasy) is twice used in Acts 2 (7, 12) to describe those who saw the disciples filled with the Spirit. This word ecstasy denotes "a human mood of high elevation."
8. In this message I am NOT referring to the public gift of tongues, but the personal, uninterpreted prayer language given the believer when they’re baptized in the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:4, 10:46, and 19:6.
9. So we are going to look at what “Praying in the Spirit” is, its benefits, and additional reasons why we should seek this gift.
I. AS AN AID TO PRAYER
A. WE DON’T KNOW HOW TO PRAY
1. “Likewise the Spirit also helps [Gr. “takes share”] 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. 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” Rom. 8:26-27, NKJV.
2. Tongues relate the worshiper directly to God, and transcend the ordinary limitations of human speech. Scripture contrasts prayer in the Spirit with prayer framed by human understanding (1 Cor. 14:14-15).
3. Karl Barth referred to tongues as "an attempt to express the inexpressible." Through tongues, prayer and worship are raised to their highest level and elevated far above superficial lip service.
4. Tongues speaking is a new way of praying; leaving the realm of human thought and allowing the Holy Spirit to pray according to the will of God.
5. It is expressly said to be prayers prayed according to God’s will. Those are the kinds of prayers which are answered! (1 John 5:14-15).
B. IT BYPASSES OUR MINDS
1. JOKE
a. A Swiss guy, looking for directions, pulled up at a bus stop where two Americans were waiting.
b. “Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" he asked. The two Americans just stare at him. "Parlez vous Francais?" he tries. "Parlare Italiano?" No response. "Hablan ustedes Espanol?" Still nothing.
c. The Swiss guy drove off, disgusted. The first American turned to the second, "Y'know, maybe we should learn a foreign language."
d. "Why?" says the other. "That guy knew four languages, and it didn't do him any good."
e. English won’t always get you there; That’s why we need a heavenly language!
2. Paul said, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful” 1 Cor. 14:14.
3. In the human, there are two origins of prayer: the living human spirit or the mind. In Paul's description, the human spirit is praying without the interaction of the human mind.
4. Why is bypassing the mind important? Because often our minds are so clouded with trouble that we can’t see what’s the right direction to go or how to pray. The H.S. knows which way we should go and helps us!
5. And just as a lawyer clothes our case in the proper phraseology for the courtroom, the Holy Spirit rewrites our requests in such a way as to be fitting and weighty for the throne room of God. Thank God for the H.S.!
C. HELPS US PRAY FOR UNKNOWN NEEDS
1. For he that speaks in an unknown tongue…in the spirit he speaks mysteries” 1 Cor. 14:2.
2. According to W. E. Vine, the Greek word is mysterion (mysteries) refers to that which is "outside the range of unassisted natural apprehension...to those only who are illuminated by His Spirit" (Vine’s, p. 97).
3. One time I was praying in the Spirit, very earnestly, when I saw a vision of who I was praying for -- an old man in a convalescent home. He was in great pain.
4. I went to see him and he had been put in the hospital. Only the Holy Spirit knew that and had me praying for him.
D. IS A MEANS OF GIVING THANKS, BLESSING
1. “Else when you shall bless with the spirit….For you verily give thanks well, but the other is not edified” 1 Cor. 14:16-17.
2. In Acts 2:11, the disciples were said to be declaring (in tongues) "the wonderful works of God." There is no doubt that when we’re praying in the Spirit to God that a large portion of our prayer is extolling and blessing God!
3. JOKE
a. During the French Revolution, there were three Christians who were sentenced to die by the guillotine. One had the gift of faith, one the gift of prophecy, & the other had the gift of helps.
b. The first was asked if he wanted to wear a hood over his head. "No, I have the gift of faith that God will deliver me!" When the guillotine’s rope was pulled, nothing happened. The executioners were amazed and, believing it was an act of God, they freed the man.
c. The next was positioned under the guillotine blade and asked if he wanted the hood. "No," he said, "I predict that God will deliver me from this guillotine!" The rope was pulled, and again, nothing happened. The puzzled executioners assumed this must be a miracle of God, and freed the man.
d. The third Christian, with the gift of helps, was next. He was asked if he wanted to wear a hood. "No," he said, "I'm just as brave as those other guys." The executioners positioned him under the guillotine and were about to pull the rope when the man stopped them. "Hey wait a minute," he said. "I think I just found the problem with your guillotine."
II. TO GIVE PERSONAL BENEFITS
A. EDIFIES/ BUILDS YOU UP
1. Paul said, “He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself” 1 Cor. 14:4.
2. The Greek word is oikodomei. ‘Oikos’ is the word for ‘home’ and ‘demo’ means ‘to build.’ Applied to this verse it means the promotion of spiritual growth or progress.
3. When your praying in the Spirit, your spiritual man/ woman is being fashioned, molded, assembled, developed, strengthened, and quickened.
4. It’s like your own personal generator. You have something working inside of you to build you up, that a person who doesn’t pray in tongues DOES NOT have! This is one of the greatest reasons to desire this gift.
B. STIMULATES YOUR FAITH
1. “But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” Jude 20, KJV. [The NIV wrongly inserts “and” between the 2 phrases, as if they’re unrelated; there’s no “and” in the Greek.]
2. Praying in the Spirit has the effect of stimulating our faith. Somehow the Spirit strengthens our ability to believe and hold fast to God’s Word.
3. It strengthens character. I’ve long contended that those who pray have the strongest convictions. That’s what happens when we pray in the Spirit.
C. GIVES A SPIRITUAL BLESSING
1. About tongues God said, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”; and, “This is the place of repose”— but they would not listen” Isa. 28:12.
2. Isaiah (quoted by Paul in 1 Cor. 14:21) prophesied this about speaking in tongues. Praying in the Spirit ushers the pray-er into a place of rest and peaceful repose. Unfortunately more Christians don’t take this way of peace. Hymn – “Oh what peace we often forfeit…”
III. MORE REASONS TO SEEK THIS GIFT
A. IT’S COMMANDED
1. “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” “in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit….you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” Acts 1:5,8.
2. “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues” Mark 16:17.
3. We’re not to be signless Christians. The only signs in some churches are exit signs! Peter said Joel’s prophesy (Acts 2:17-18) explained the tongues phenomena. The Spirit was being poured out on “ALL flesh.” Will we miss out on it?
B. IT’S DESIRABLE
1. Paul exhorted us to “earnestly desire” the ‘charismata’ (1 Cor. 12:31; gifts of grace) and the ‘pneumatica’ (14:1; gifts of Spirit).
2. The words “earnestly desire” translate the same word, “zeloute,” from which we get our word, “zealous.” It literally means to “have warmth of feeling for” (Strong’s).
3. We should have a burning zeal for the spiritual blessings that will benefit us, and ultimately, the Church!
C. IT’S A DOORWAY TO THE GIFTS OF SPIRIT
1. The last reason to seek this gift is that it’s a doorway gift, that opens the door to the other gifts.
2. Tongues and interpretation are given last place in the list of gifts (1 Cor. 12:8-10) and Paul speaks of prophecy as ‘greater’ than tongues (14:5).
3. Every account where the phenomenon of the Spirit baptism was recorded in Acts, tongues was the norm (2:4; 10:46). Once it was said prophesying also took place (19:6).
4. Thus, it’s the easiest to receive and as a faith-builder, will lead the believer into the expression of the other gifts.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. A man saved for years to purchase passage on a ship for he and his son to America. They brought with them all the food they could, but soon got down to eating canned green beans, cold.
2. At last the son said, "I can eat those anymore! Do you have any money so I can go buy something else?" The dad gave him his last four dollars.
3. On the way through the cafeteria, the son was overwhelmed with all the different kinds of food people were eating.
4. He went to the cafeteria counter and tried to purchase a meal. The man behind the counter said, "It all comes free when you purchase your ticket for passage! You could've been eating this all along, as much as you want!"
5. The same is true of God's blessings in the Holy Spirit: when you get saved, they're all available to you, as much as you want! All you have to do is ask.
B. THE CALL
1. Paul said, “I would (Gr. thelo; “wish”) that you all spoke with tongues” and “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than you all” (1 Cor. 14:5,18). That’s a pretty good recommendation!
2. Prayer for the baptism in the Holy Spirit or renewal of the prayer language.
