Ephesians 6:18 – Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and petition; and through it, stay alert with all persistence and intercession for all the saints.
Part 2 ~ Prayer Directed By The Holy Spirit
We need to recognize how God wants us to be alert and attentive to the instruction of the Holy Spirit, so the life and ministry of Jesus might be revealed through us as individuals, and through the congregation of the Church as a whole. We are to pray for one another and for all men, but especially for the effectiveness of the Church (Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:1; Colossians 1:9, 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11).
Paul viewed his own effectiveness in ministry, in part, as a result of the saints praying for him. He desired the Church to pray for him: that he would be given the word to speak, that he would speak the Word of God with boldness, and that it would advance rapidly (Ephesians 6:19; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). If we can grasp the importance of prayer and the power of prayer, we would realize how more things would change upon our knees than can ever be accomplished through all our human effort. Unfortunately, if we are not careful, we will pray after our own human concern and understanding; and be completely ineffective.
Only the prayer of the Spirit is the effectual and effective prayer (1 John 5:14; Romans 8:5,27; 1 Corinthians 2:16). When we pray in the Spirit, we will also receive the utterance of specific things we are to pray for; but it will be directed by the knowledge and understanding the Holy Spirit gives, and not after our own human understanding. We can always expect the utterance of the unknown tongue the Holy Spirit gives us to excel to a point where the understanding can also be fruitful through interpretation. Prayer with the understanding also should then be by revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or interpretation of tongues – and in this way we receive instruction and edification by it (1 Corinthians 14:6, 12-13, 15-16). Many times we make the mistake of praying in the Spirit just short of the prayer that can be understood (1 Corinthians 14:6,13).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
