PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT

The Greek word translated 'pray in' has several different meanings ... 'by means of', 'with the help of', 'in the sphere of', or 'in connection to'. Thus, praying in the Spirit is calling upon the Lord under His divine guidance. 

So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 1 Corinthians 14:15

The charismatic movement uses this verse to justify their interpretation of 'speaking in tongues'. The Word of God encourages us to pray under the influence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. How can we agree in prayer if no one, including the person praying, has an understanding of what is being said? The gift of tongues has nothing to do with manmade prattle, but the spreading of the Gospel to other nations by the early church. 

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18

This makes it clear that 'praying in the Spirit' is with cognizance. You experience a wonderful communion with your heavenly Father when the prayer coming from your lips flows from the mind of God. After the 'amen', you know without a doubt that you have been in His presence. 

John Piper - When you pray in the Holy Spirit, He is 'moving' you to pray. That is, He is the one who motivates, enables, and energizes your prayer. The Spirit of God is 'guiding' how you pray and what you pray for. It is by His power and according to His direction.

As you allow the process of sanctification to take hold in your personal walk of faith ... you will find that your prayer life becomes more intimate, your assurance of salvation becomes more real, and your love for God grows exponentially.  

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Jude 20

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and allow the Lord to direct your prayer life ...