BOOK IV
THE MAKING OF PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT
ROMANS 8:26-29
Likewise the Holy Spirit also helps our infirmities:
For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
But the Holy Spirit Himself makes intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered. And God that
searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the
Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit makes intercession
for the saints according to the will of God. And we
know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to His
purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
CHAPTER 10
BREATHING IN THE SPIRIT
I once heard a student home from Bible college report he
discovered nearly nine hundred books in the school library on the
subject of prayer. He planned to read each one carefully in order to
learn to pray; hence, you will find nothing new or different in this
chapter, but you will need it. It is short and simple, plain and
uncomplicated, personal and practical; worth reading again. I
personally listen and read everything on prayer I can find and I
recommend everyone do likewise, however, the best way to learn how to
pray, is to pray.
My definition of prayer was given to me by the Holy Spirit in mid
1985. I had been praying, seeking God, studying His word, and
questioning the Lord for three years on the answers to many questions I
had concerning answered prayer. When He illuminated my spirit, he gave
me this definition: Prayer is "Breathing in the Spirit."
We generally frustrate prayer by setting lengthy periods of time,
following certain formats and outlines, running down an endless list of
requests, or praying certain suggested prayers given by others. We may
religiously follow a certain pattern for months; only to become
discouraged and frustrated. Why? Could it be that we have failed
simply at becoming a prayer to God? "Pray without ceasing" (I Thess.
5:17). Unless (we) become a perpetual prayer to God, we cannot obey
that command.
Our physical bodies respond naturally to certain things: Eating,
drinking, hearing, blood flowing through our veins, and the beating of
our heart. All such things come naturally, without practice, and
without conscious thought. Breathing is perhaps the most natural. The
Holy Spirit revealed to me that prayer should be, for the Christian, as
natural as breathing is to the body. We never think of breathing;
unless, that is, our breathing becomes restricted in some way or
impeded. Why is prayer thus unnatural to one who claims to have
personal relationship with God? The answer is simple: Prayer is
unnatural/ that is, prayer is of the Spirit I.E. supernatural. As
easy, as uninhibited, as common place as physical breathing; so prayer
should be. It is not, however, because our spirit is born again - of a
new nature - but our body and soul are still of the old life. Our
physical bodies will eat, drink, and pump blood naturally but try and
exercise that body and see what happens. Rejection - resistance -
defiance. Why? It is unnatural, foreign, to the body. Does the body
benefit from such exercise? Certainly! Then why rejection? It is
unnatural.
The spiritual body - the regenerated human spirit - can, will, and
does pray naturally; that is, supernaturally. It has no trouble
functioning and operating in the supernatural realm since it, the born
again spirit, is spiritual in nature. The physical body, on the other
hand, is not spiritual but fleshly. It is because of the difference,
the contrast, therefore, we find difficulty in prayer; the soul
rebells. James confirms that the soul - the mind, will, and emotions
- of our make up is saved [delivered] only by the engrafted [planted]
Word of God (Jam. 1:21). It is the Word, therefore, to which we must
be found faithful to receive answers to our prayers.
Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made
known unto God.
I have prepared a small booklet entitled: "God's Three Steps To
Answered Prayer." It is filled with the promises of God's Word on
various topics which can be used when petitioning God. I caution the
reader not to consider these three steps as a specific formula by
which one demands of God, rather the elements of petitionary prayer.
Before looking at these three elements, might I point out that our
prayers to God are largely petitionary in nature? We need not always
ask, of course, but because He is our Heavenly Father, and because He
is indeed the God who hears and answers prayer, we will often make
request of Him. It does not anger, worry, bother, or otherwise
frustrate Him when we do. In fact, He is pleased. As one develops
spiritual intimacy with God in prayer, however, it will be discovered
that our petitions will take a great deal less time than ever before.
Actually, we will, as we pray in the Spirit, learn how to spend less
time in prayer with greater results.
ASKING
Some Biblical translations interpret "be careful for nothing" as
(anxiousness). Literally we are not to become unduly distressed by
circumstances but rather make request of God. Simply stated: "Don't
be careless but go to God with everything."
The first thing required in petitionary prayer is "asking." I no
it seems silly to mention this; but, frankly, few of us ever get
around to asking God for anything. Sure, we pray; "God it's terrible,"
or "God, why did you allow this to happen to me?" or "I thought you
could do anything, God! So get on with it!" We spend a great deal of
time when we pray complaining, griping, fussing, cussing, arguing,
disclaiming, figuring, calculating, suggesting, threatening, wishing,
wanting, suffering, pushing, crying, hoping, and worrying; but rarely
do we get around to simply asking God. If you disagree, just listen
to yourself the next time you pray. Prayer, in its most basic form, is
simply asking God. If we ask, we will receive; if we seek, we will
find; and if we knock, it will be opened to us (Matt. 7:7-8). Are
there conditions? Certainly! All such conditions, however, are
clearly identified in Scripture; thus, know the Word if you plan to
pray. Our greatest concern should first be going to Him in petitionary
prayer and we begin doing that by simply asking. The Greek word for
"prayer" in the New Testament uses the prefix pro.. In another words,
put God "in front" of every thing through prayer.
AGREEMENT
Supplication is sometimes a misused word. It literally means "to
beg." If misunderstood, however, one could easily get the idea that we
need to fall on our face before God and beg and plead and beat the
ground, rending our cloths, and casting dust in the air; hoping we can
change God's mind. After all, we know God doesn't want to answer our
prayers so somehow we have to convince Him otherwise. Little wonder
are prayers are left unanswered. Supplication is nothing more than
agreement with God. The promises in His Word are numerous; God wants
to answer our prayers. If one does not believe this, receiving answers
consistently will be impossible.
Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he
prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on
the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he
prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought
forth her fruit (Jam. 5:17-18).
Elijah secured his request through earnest prayer. In another
words, he prayed until he got what he wanted. The key is, however,
Elijah wanted what God wanted - repentance by His people Israel. The
greatest cause for a lack of real answers to prayer is that we do not
pray "will of God" prayers - we simply do not agree with God. How do
we know if God wants what we want when we pray? We must know the Word!
Most of those who read this book find it impossible to believe that God
really does want to answer their prayers since most have been taught
differently. The only way that fallacy can be corrected is by the
engrafted word. Plant the Word within your heart and that can be
accomplished as we pray. As you petition your Heavenly Father, learn
to pray His Word. If you have trouble believing His will is to answer
your prayers, obtain a copy of my little booklet on "God's Three Steps
To Answered Prayer," and begin planting.
APPRECIATION
The third element of petitionary prayer is the giving of thanks.
Most of us are certainly willing to thank God after the fact but few
are bold enough to praise Him in advance. To forsake prepraise reveals
faithlessness in our prayers. Some are uncomfortable with such an
attitude, confessing it just doesn't seem right since God has not yet
answered the request. "After all," they proclaim, "what if He doesn't
do it?" I wish we would express that kind of boldness when we pray!
Thanking God simply means (the offering of grateful language).
Certainly we can show our appreciation by praising God until the answer
comes but do we? Most do not and thus receive no answer to their
request. Such thanks and praise prier to the answer is nothing more
than gratitude for the One who can and does answer prayer. It is not
thanking God for answering the request in advance, it is thanking God,
favoring God, appreciating God for being the One who can do something
about your petition. Such should be faithfully practiced till the
answer comes.
SUMMATION
"Asking" God is telling Him what you want. "Agreement" is telling
God what He wants. "Appreciation" is telling God you are willing to
trust Him. "What if I'm unsure of what I want and what He wants? What
if I have trouble trusting Him?" Learn to pray in the Spirit. It is
the Holy Spirit who has been given to assist us when we pray "for we
know not what we should pray for as we ought." We, fortunately, have a
prayer Partner who knows not only how to pray, but prays perfect
prayers each and every time we join in partnership with Him. Could
this perhaps be the main reason why many, if not most, of our prayers
remain unanswered? It is time to begin to breath in the Spirit.
CONCLUSION
Praying in the Spirit offers purpose and Scriptural compatibility
in our fellowship with God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is one of
prayer partnership in order that His, the Holy Spirit's, power might
be manifested. Such is the plan - will of God - on earth. As God's
power is revealed in us and through us, the mystery of the Holy Spirit
in prayer will be made known. We will thus clearly see all things
working together for good to them that love God. The image of God's
Son will be clearly stamped upon our lives and others will se Him.
They will see, not a story, not a man, not a historical figure, but
they will see God in us. They will see the firstborn among many
brethren who have learned to pray in the Spirit.
FINAL THOUGHT
My youngest son was involved with an incident with an elderly
neighbor and because of his disrespect, he was punished. Following his
misdeed, I instructed him to return to the neighbor and apologize for
his misbehavior. I told him exactly what he was to say and why and I
sent along his older sister to insure my instruction would be followed
to the letter. Why did not I go myself? I felt my presence would be
of great embarrassment to him and thus sent his sister to both serve as
a witness and to confirm whether or not he repeated my Words.
The following day I suddenly realized that what had happened was a
prime example of the ministry of the Holy Spirit as our intercessor.
He bears witness that the truth is honored. He is sent to secure God's
Words in order that they, God's Words, might be spoken in the image of
His Son Jesus Christ. If my son, for example, had not gone to speak
with the neighbor, his sister could not have witnessed his
"confessions." We likewise must speak the Words of our Heavenly Father
for the Holy Spirit to bear witness of His truth at work in our lives.
I instructed my daughter to "make sure" her brother repeated word-for-
word what I had told Him to say. In another words, she was sent as an
intercessor to confirm and verify his speech/words. I trust you can
see it! Pray, and the Holy Spirit will pray, intercessory prayers of
confirmation. Learn to pray in the Spirit and you will insure that
the Words of God have been spoken.
End.