Praying in the Spirit

 

I DON’T LIKE the phrase, New levels, new devils. At every “level” I find old devils right where I am. I have trouble separating the idea of being seated with Christ in Heavenly Places with my own limited mental take on “levels.” Climbing up feels like work to me, like aspiring to a position that feeds my ego. That idea feels icky and uncomfortable. Don’t we climb higher by going lower? Moses was the meekest man on earth and Jesus said the last shall be first and the least the greatest of all.

I DO LIKE  the idea of maturity. At every stage of growing-up into more of God, I’ve found myself in places where I don’t know what God wants, places where I feel confused or helpless, where old devils might tempt, where words and thoughts are blocked and I feel like a bystander watching unhealthy situations or hurtful relationships that appear to be stuck. I’ve learned that all I can do is ask, “What do You want here, God?” And wait for an answer.

Often, while listening for an answer, I recall Jude’s instructions to build up faith by praying in the Holy Spirit. Back in the 1990’s I heard Pat Gastineau of Word of Love Ministries in Georgia teach on praying in the Holy Spirit. I took it to heart; I’ve never forgotten her wisdom, so pass it on, amplified by my own experience, as best I recall after all these years. (You can check out Pat’s teaching materials at wolprayerministries.com)

She said something like, “Don’t think about what you’re praying. Praying in the Holy Spirit is from the belly, not the mind. Pray and keep praying until you feel the Spirit’s sound within your spirit. It may be sweet, or strong, or even angry.”

Following those instructions, I’ve felt the Holy Spirit grieve in sorrow and laugh in joy. At times the Spirit is emphatic! Occasionally the Spirit groans or wails in travail. Often the Spirit brings Scriptures to mind or a song rises up from within. I’ve learned to speak out or sing out what comes. [I’m amplifying what Pat said here.]

At times prayer feels like squeezing through a narrow place, at other times like climbing a steep incline or pushing a heavy weight. Whatever it is, almost always it’s best to keep on praying. Don’t stop to try to figure it out. If you continue in this mode, eventually you will learn to know the voice of the Spirit within and He will guide and inform your prayers.

When you feel resistance to your prayers, keep praying. Resistance takes many forms: doubt, unbelief, sleepiness, boredom, distractions, negative thoughts or feelings.  Pray until the resistance is gone and you sense the Spirit’s peace.  Often you will be left with a sense of joy, an inexplicable knowing that God has heard your prayer. At other times you will glimpse what God would have you believe Him to do. When that insight comes, your place of intercession is just that, to believe Him. When doubt comes, your intercession is to oppose the doubt and regain a place of faith that fully agrees with the healing, the mercy, the goodness of God to resolve the need and bring His answer into the situation.

Most often, I sense God’s light shining on my prayer times, but very rarely, however, prayer has taken me into places that feel really icky, even demonic. I’ve learned to ask for discernment. If I sense God’s peace undergirding the prayer, I’ve learned to pray through until all darkness or infection feels resolved, healed, lifted or clean. If God’s peace withdraws and I move more fully into a tangle of negative human emotion, I think it wise to stop and ask for God’s mercy and the cleansing blood of Jesus to cover me and the people or situation I’m praying for.

A wise caution: Remember now, these are my thoughts and experience—not proven spiritual truth. If anything I write disagrees with your understanding, then listen to your conscience, ask the Holy Spirit to teach and guide you and listen to all the Bible speaks to your heart.

It’s humbling to know that while praying in tongues is a true and real gift of the Holy Spirit, we can also speak in tongues ourselves. Brother R.Edward Miller once laughingly told the story of two women in a pentecostal church. Every Sunday morning, one spoke a message in tongues and the other interpreted. One week, as usual, the first lady stood up and gave a message in tongues to the congregation. The other lady did not interpret. The first lady repeated the message, but still no interpretation. The awkward moment was passed over. After the meeting the tongues lady confronted her interpreter to demand, “Why didn’t you interpret?” Her answer went something like “You were giving your husband what-for and I didn’t want to air your fight before the whole church.” It turned out that  tongues lady and her husband were fighting on the way to church that morning and she was still angry.

I recall my own furious prayer in tongues (one dark night, about twenty years ago now) toward a man who I thought was hurting my family. I was raging blind with anger, unrighteous anger. I pulled over to the side of the road and vented in tongues until it felt safe to drive home. I’m sure I cursed him in tongues. Yes, I repented—later. And yes, I later asked the Lord to forgive me and to please, please heal him. And still later, years and years after that night, I learned that I was wrong about the man.

In all things and at all times, whether in tongues or in plain speech, we must test our hearts, our motives and our words by the Word of God. Loveless prayers that disagree with God’s character and His will are not beneficial; they can harm others. It is wisdom to remember Luke 6:31,

Do unto others as you would have others of unto you.

Perhaps even to reword it,

Pray for others as you want others to pray for you or even,  Pray for others only as you would pray for yourself.  

God’s word is quite clear about human wrath in prayer

I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; — 1 Timothy 2:8

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. — Romans 12:19

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. — James 1:19-21

Fortunately, when we pray according to His will, He hears and answers our prayers.

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. — 1 John 5:14

And we know that His will is love

Jesus said, ““You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ — Luke 10:27

Following Jesus’ example, I’m seeking grace and the Holy Spirit’s help to intentionally clear my mind, to empty myself of all but love for the Father and whomever I’m praying for,  and look for what God the Father is doing.

As we pray in agreement with God, He hears and moves to answer. He starts with us, by cleansing our own hearts, attitudes, and habits. As we grow in His love and continue in prayer, He answers our prayers for our closest friends and family. Then, in ever larger concentric circles we may begin to see answers to prayer for our extended family, our neighborhoods, and churches. Eventually as we mature, God may even show some of us His heart for our states, our nation, or the nations. It seems (with gracious exceptions) that the Holy Spirit increases our capacity to pray in proportion to our faith and our willingness to become part of His answer.  May we all  become more humble and more able to let the Holy Spirit live in us, act through us, and give us His prayers.

Always, in any language, one key to answered prayer is His love and our agreement with His desire for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. As we surrender to Him, He begins to show us His particular will. That is a Holy Place—truly praying in the Spirit, joining Jesus in His faith and His very own intercessions before the throne of God. Lord, bring us there, with You, praying always for Your Kingdom to come and Your will to be done.