PRAYING WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

PRAYING WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Praying in the Spirit

INTRODUCTION: "The power is prayer that soars on high, through Jesus
to the throne. It moves the hand which moves the world to bring
salvation down." - E. M. BOUNDS. Despite the valuable
importance of prayer, it is notable that many people dread it.
To many, prayer is a drag. Though many want to really pray, but they
still find it difficult to enjoy. Believers are not left out in this
struggle. Satan does not want believers to pray, therefore most of the
hindrances are perpetrated by him. The bible teaches us to pray
without ceasing in 1 Thess 5:17. The Lord taught us to pray without
fainting in Luke 18:1-8; 11:5-13. Prayer is a valuable sacrificial key
that opens the heaven's gate and unlocks the treasure of heaven.
Many people in the bible changed their stories because they prayed.
They ruled their world because thy dared Satan and prayed to God.
Jacob wrestled with God in prayer all night long and had his
name/destiny changed from Jacob the cheat or supplanter to Israel, a
prince of God. Gen. 32:24-28. Hannah, one who was called barren,
became a mother of six children because she dared to pray. see 1 Sam.
1:12-17; 2:21. Jabez, a man born poor and whose days were full of
sorrows and pains changed the story of his life and became very great
and honorable because he prayed. See 1 Chron. 4:9-10. Elijah closed
the heaven that rain fell not for three and a half years. He opened
the heaven again and the heaven gave rain because he prayed. See James
5:17-18.
Daniel rose to the position of prominence in Babylon because he was a
man of prayer. See Dan. 6 and 9. >> All that wrought great exploits in
the bible were men and women whose secrete was traceable to their
prayer life. Because prayer is of great necessity to God's kingdom and
our lives, we must be able, even in the face of stiff opposition from
Satan, learn the secrete of praying without ceasing. This is the
reason for this teaching. It will help us to combat the drag we
usually face when we pray. It will build our interest in prayer and
cause us to enjoy all the benefits praying has to offer. Welcome to
struggle-free life of prayers.

THE NEED FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT: In Rom. 8:26-27, Paul the Apostle
wrote: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know
not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he
that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of
God" [KJV] From the above passage, we understand that we have great
needs or LIMITATIONS which are (1) We have weaknesses or hindrances in
the place of prayer. (2) We don't know how to better direct our prayer
sometimes. (3) Sometimes we don't even know what we should pray about,
though we know we should pray. (4) There is the need to to resolve the
above limitations and other drags we face in the place of prayer, and
it is the Holy Spirit who can help up out.
(5). The Holy Spirit is all-knowing (omnisciene). He searches all
things, even the deep things of God. 1 Cor. 2:10. He searches all
hearts and knows the problems of every individual, people, family, and
nations we want to pray for. He is the only one who adequately knows
the mind of God for the saints and all situations. (6). The Holy
Spirit helps us to pray with groanings which cannot be uttered or
expressed in any known articulate language. When we consider the
listed reasons, we know that we need the Holy Spirit. If we don't rely
on Him, we will not get the desired result when we pray.
SEEK HIS HELP: Isaiah 41:10,14. "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be
not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea, I will
HELP thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my
righteousness. Fear not thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel. I will
HELP thee, saith the LORD...." >> John 14:16,26. "And I will pray the
Father, and he shall give you another COMFORTER (HELPER) that he may
abide with you for ever. But the COMFORTER (HELPER), which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all
things. ..." >> John 16:13. "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is
come, he will show you things to come." >>> One of the greatest works
of the kingdom is praying, and one of the good reasons why God has
given us the Holy Spirit. To attempt to pray without his help is a
frustrated attempt, a complete waste of time and energy.
ACKNOWLEDGE HIS PRESENCE AND HELP: We already understand from the
scriptures we read that he will help us. But what use it a help that
we do not recognize. Paul the Apostle instructs us to fellowship with
the Holy Spirit in 2 Cor 13:14. This is one way to acknowledge him to
help us in times of prayer. Tell him to help and he will show up.
Jesus told Paul in 2 Cor. 12:9. "... My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in your weakness." Paul recognized his
weakness and the power of Christ (Holy Spirit) was made available for
him. In Phil. 4:13, Paul said " I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me." When you acknowledge him, seek his power,
strength and direction, prayer becomes a thing of joy.
PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT:
"Tongues have been to me, the making of my ministry. It is that
peculiar communication with God that reveals to my soul the truth I
utter to you day by day in the ministry. ~JOHN G. LAKES.
1 Cor. 14:14-15. "For if I pray in an
UNKNOWN TONGUES, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is
unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit and I will
pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I
will sing with the understanding also." KJV. >> "For if I pray in an
[unknown] tongue, my sprit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays, but
my mind is unproductive [it bears no fruit and helps nobody]. Then
what am I to do? I will pray with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that
is within me], but I will also pray [intelligently] with my mind and
understanding; ..." AMP.
I took that scripture from two translations of the bible for a clearer
understanding of what the verses mean. (1). We understand clearly from
the passage that we can pray with our human spirit by the Holy Spirit
dwelling in us. We can also pray by our mind or intellect. We can sing
and glorify God by both means. (2). When we pray with our human spirit
by the Holy Spirit within us, it is called praying in an UNKNOWN
TONGUES and our mind or intellect is not bearing fruit or helping.
When we pray with our mind or understanding, we pray in the language
we understand and choose our words carefully and intelligently so that
we do not say wrong things. (3). So we pray both in tongues and the
language we understand or learnt. (4). When we pray in an unknown
tongue, it is the Holy Spirit who supplies the utterance or language
and we don't have to be careful how we choose our words, because we
cannot make mistakes.
The Holy Spirit is a helper, he helps us by supplying the utterance
and strengthens us to prevail. The Holy Spirit is our helper in all
things we do in the kingdom of God. Without him we are helpless. He is
the essence of God's kingdom. This is why Paul said in Rom. 14:17 that
"The kingdom of God is not in meat and drink (physical); but
righteousness, and peace, and joy IN THE HOLY GHOST." Jude 20 "But
you, beloved, build yourselves up (founded) on your most holy faith
[make progress, rise like an edifice, higher and higher], praying in
the Holy Spirit." AMP. Whatsoever you do outside the Holy Ghost is not
beneficiary to the kingdom of God. Praying in tongues will remove the
drags usually encountered in prayer.

ONE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER:
Praying in tongues is a total spiritual experience. Though praying in
other language is a spiritual exercise, but not total, because our
minds are limited spiritually. The spiritual usually governs all
things. It is better to deal with spiritual matter in a more spiritual
manner. Prophetic prayer is done when the Holy Spirit takes over you
and your mind and aid your mind prophetically to choose words in a
language you understand and without struggle. The Spirit sometimes
overwhelmes you and aid you to pray in understanding perfectly
choosing words in a language you understand without much of your
efforts involved. This is prophetic prayers. It is just like the
spirit of prophecy comes on you to utter a message. This experience is
just like praying in the spirit, only the utterance is done in a known
language. This experience may not be there always, because I have been
there many times before, it is therefore important to pray in tongues
always.

GROANINGS IN THE SPIRIT: Exodus 2:23-24. "It came to pass in the
process of time that the king of Egypt died: and the children of
Israel SIGHED by the reason of the bondage ... And God heard their
GROANINGS, and God remembered his covenant ..." 1 Sam. 1:12-16. "And
it came to pass as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli
marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she SPAKE IN HER HEART (GROANED); only
her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she
had been drunken. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a
woman of SORROWFUL SPIRIT: I have drunken neither wine nor strong
drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Count not thine
hand-maiden for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my
COMPLAINT AND GRIEF have I spoken hitherto." John 11:33,38. "When
Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came
with her, he GROANED IN THE SPIRIT, and was troubled. Jesus therefore
again GROANING IN HIMSELF cometh to the grave. ..." Rom. 8:26.
"Likewise the Spirit also helpth our infirmities: for we know not what
we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with GROANINGS which cannot be uttered."
I listed all these passages so that we can read and see the truth
about this way to pray. Groanings are series of uncontrollable spasms
that is produced in no articulate language as a result of burdens that
need to be relieved. They are usually produced in no clearly defined
language. They are deep sounds, cracking sounds, sighing sounds,
mournings cryings etc. A good example of this is that which happen
when a woman is in labour to give birth. Groanings in the spirit are
the sounds the Holy Spirit helps you to produce so as to relieve
burdens, pains afflictions etc, a sound which draws God attention to
act according to the heart's desire. They are series of sounds coming
from the innermost being. A language of the spirit, by the Holy
Spirit, which can be translated or interpreted into thousands of
words. As you develop your prayer life and learn to be pregnant with
burdens for people, families, churches, nations and even yourself, you
will experience this overwhelming way to pray.

BENEFITS OF PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT: We have been able to understand
that praying with the help of the Holy Spirit means praying in the
spirit. Praying in tongues, groaning in the spirit and sometimes
prophetic prayers. The benefits of praying in the spirit are (1).
Result oriented prayer. Because it is the Spirit that gives the
language, it usually yields the desired result. This is probably what
James called the effectual fervent prayer in James 5:16. (2).
Sometimes we don't know how to pray or how to present an issue to God
well enough. The Holy Spirit helps us to do this better in tongues or
groanings. (3). Sometimes we have burdens we cannot explain. Certain
burdens are impressed on us, but we don't know what it is all about.
We are not omnisciene, but the Spirit is and he helps us to pray the
burden through. (4). Praying in tongues is exploring into the
mysteries of God. 1 Cor. 14:1-2. It is a doorway into the supernatural
of God. It helps us to build our spirits, edify ourselves for better.
It helps our spiritual gifts to develop for signs and wonders in and
out of church. (5). Praying in the spirit births the will of God in
our spirits. It is the fastest way to discover purpose and visions in
life. (6). Self-edification - we become empowered and charged up
spiritually for greater exploits. (7). You cannot pray amis. (8).
Hotline to God or a better way of communication to God. (9). For rest
and refreshing. Isa. 28:11-12, Heb. 3:7-4:1-3. Praying long in tongues
brings some spiritual refreshing to our spirits souls and bodies.
(10). Means of drawing out water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah
12:3. Jesus spoke about the rivers of living water out of our belly in
John 7:38. Praying in the spirit is the means to fulfill these
scriptures. Inside you is the well of healing, prosperity, deliverance
and all that is associated with the salvation experience. You draw
them out for your good and the good of others by praying in tongues.

LEVELS OF DEPT: Psalm 42:7. "Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of
thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me."
Praying in tongues brings an overwhelming experience in the spirits
realm. Ezek. 47:1-10. THE ANKLE EXPERIENCE: verse 3, This is a shallow
experience in tongue talking. THE KNEES EXPERIENCE: verse 4, A better
experience than the shallow, but not enough for exploits. THE LOINS
EXPERIENCE: verse 4, This is better than both the ankle and knees, but
still not enough for a great exploit. THE BILLOWS EXPERIENCE: verse 5,
Water to swim in, a river that cannot be passed over. This is the
deepest experience. This is an experience no one can walk. This an
experience you enter and be at the mercy of the torrent. A total take
over. A level of self-sufficiency in the things of the spirit. This is
the very purpose of God for us. We can get there by praying so long in
tongues. Paul described it as being consistently filled with the
Spirit. See Eph. 5:18,19.

CONCLUSION:
we can achieve the billow level of experience with God by simply
cooperating with the Holy Spirit and allow him to take us deep into
praying in tongues. In Eph. 5:18,19, Paul encouraged us to be filled
again and again with the Spirit, "speaking to yourselves in psalms,
and hymns, and spiritual songs." Don't forbid to pray in
understanding, but pray more in the spirit (tongues). As you do this
on a regular basis, your life will be transformed. It will surprise
you what God will do in your life and through you. This work is a
life-time experience. Enter into a new realm of prayer life without
struggle. Practice, and practice and keep practicing untill you are
there. God bless you.

... END!

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