Praying in the Spirit

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Eph 6:18.

I was blessed to have been raised in a praying home.  My earliest memories are hearing my mother pray and sing to me on her lap while I was experiencing an asthma attack. I remember walking through the living room where my father would be sitting in a corner "praying in the Holy Ghost".  My parents were devout people of faith. As a small boy, I recall the first time the Holy Spirit came on me. We had a visiting minister in our church and God had used him to minister to my sisters and mother. I was in the front row of our small, country church and I began to stammer as tears streamed down my face in the presence of God.  I was sitting in the front seat of the car on the way home from church and told my parents, "Tonight, my lips were moving like Sister Flo's when she gets happy."

Over the years, I have heard people mock and make fun of others who speak in unknown tongues, however when the Holy Spirit truly anoints you with that gift, it is a wonderful gift to access the realms of glory. As children, my mother and father taught us never to make fun of someone speaking in tongues, as this was a manifestation of the Holy Ghost. Jesus taught us that to all sins against the Father would be forgiven and even sins against the Son, but once the Holy Ghost was given, no sin or speaking against the Holy Ghost would be forgiven. (Matthew 12:32)

I have seen many manifestations of the Holy Ghost in my lifetime. Although there have been times the manifestation might have been outside of my comfort zone, I try to never criticize or speak against it.  If you're not sure if it's the Holy Ghost or not, better to just leave it alone and walk away.  If you are against the idea of speaking in unknown tongues by the Spirit or prophecy or any other spiritual gift, it's better that you just walk away and not comment. Ask God for understanding - after all, He is the Master Teacher (John 16:13).

Many times in my life, I've had the Holy Spirit come on me and pray with a deep groaning.  This is a Biblical concept called intercession. Likewise the Spirit helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit makes intercessions for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Roms 8:26-27 When we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, He knows what to pray for.

I learned a lesson during my stay in Jerusalem, many years ago. I learned that what we are praying or singing in the Spirit can be interpreted.  For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him; howbeit in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.  Wherefore let him that speaks in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with understanding also: I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. I Corinthians 14:2, 13-15  One Saturday afternoon, I came home from our morning service and was praying in the Spirit in the basement of our apartment. I asked God to give me the interpretation.  He gave me the sermon for that night - it was on Hidden Manna from the book Revelations.  He also allowed me to hear in the Spirit, a woman praying, that afternoon.  That night I related the story and  a woman came forward. She had been bound by alcohol, but God delivered her.

 This past Saturday, I had an overwhelming desire to get in the Spirit. I spent the first part of the day just worshiping and praising. When the Holy Spirit moved on me, I began to sing in the Spirit. Shortly thereafter, I began to receive the interpretation to what I was singing. For the next several hours, I received one line after another. It started with - In the Glory realm, in the glory realm, in the presence of the Lord." Then "Holy fire upon the altar" "Holy water in the laver". Throughout the day, I sang my way through the Outer Court, Inner Court and finally, "Behind the Inner Veil, where His love prevails, there is glory behind the Inner Veil." For the past several days, I have sang this tune over and over with new lines.  Each time, the Holy Spirit moves in and I begin to weep.

So what does all this do for the believer? But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. Jude 20 We find the Apostle Paul saying to the Corinthian church, "He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself..." I Cor. 14:4  Praying in the Spirit is like taking a vitamin or eating food that gives you an energy boost. It's God's way of helping us to grow in the Spirit.

Now, there's been many times that I've prayed in the Spirit, yet was praying in my native English.  But I knew, by the Spirit, I was being directed to pray in a certain direction and yet it was the Holy Spirit praying through me.  That's more like the gift of prophecy.

So I encourage you Pray in the Holy Ghost. Pray in the Spirit and believe for God to give you the interpretation, if He prays in a way you don't understand.