Bible Foundations: Praying in the Spirit Lesson 18

Bible Foundations: Praying in the Spirit Lesson 18 The instruction in the Word of God is to pray with the Spirit and also with the Understanding. Often people who have had an emotional experience while praying, where they feel they have been caught up in prayer beyond their normal prayer life, will refer to this as praying in the Spirit. However there is no scriptural foundation for this teaching. What then does the Bible mean when it refers to praying with the Spirit? Let us be reminded of when the church was born at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled all who were awaiting Him in the upper room, and they were filled with the Spirit and He gave them an utterance in a new language. Acts 2:1-4 “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Man is a triune or three part being. He is first a Spirit, he has a Soul (mind, will and emotions) and he lives in a Body. When a person prays with his understanding, he is utilizing the capabilities of his Soul.
Our Soul is the mind, intellect, emotions, and will. Our Soul is the “normal or natural” control center of the person. The Bible says that our “Norman” or natural mind is opposed to the things of God. Romans 8: 5-7 Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,  because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh  cannot please God 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Until we have fulfilled Romans 12: 1 and 2 having our minds renewed as God would have us to, we cannot expect to have a complete prayer life by using only our understanding. Therefore, God has given us a perfect prayer life in the Spirit where our minds do not come into play at all. Praying in the Spirit is praying in the new Language God gives to the Christian after we have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. (This baptism is a spiritual experience and is NOT water baptism.) The Bible instructs us all to pray in a new language. 1 Corinthians 14:14-18  For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.  What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;  Praying in the Spirit is for the edification of the one who is praying, and IS NOT the same as the Gift of Tongues referred to in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. The Gift of Tongues or languages is to be used during a meeting of the church, and must be interpreted. However the one who is praying to God using their heavenly language in their private prayer life is built up spiritually and is stronger in the Lord. Because our understanding is incomplete, we don't always know what to pray for. The Holy Spirit helps us in this respect, because praying in the Spirit is always praying the WILL of God. Romans 8:26- 28 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 groaning 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. 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.

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