Day 27 : Praying by the Spirit

"Pray and pray at all times by the Spirit, watch over this with all perseverance ..." (Ephesians 6:18)

What does it mean to pray by the Spirit ?

In the Epistle to the Corinthians, the apostle speaks of two ways of praying : "I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the understanding ..." (1 Corinthians 14:15). He says that praying in the spirit is speaking in tongues: "If I pray in tongue, my spirit is in prayer, but my mind remains barren" (1 Corinthians 14:14). Prayer through the Spirit is therefore a prayer inspired by the Holy Spirit.

The apostle also says : "So also the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know what to ask of us in our prayers, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible sighs, and He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because it is according to God that he intercedes in favor of the saints" (Romans 8:26, 27).

We are certainly more inclined to pray with our understanding, but it has pleased God to assist us in prayer by the Holy Spirit. Let us learn to accept and use this divine assistance. Here are three forms of prayer that the Spirit can inspire us:

First, prophetic prayers: The Spirit communicates to our mind subjects that are supernaturally revealed to us. Our mind receives this revelation, and we pray with our words for the need that has been revealed to us. This is the case of Ananias going to pray for Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9: 10/19).

Secondly, prayers in tongues mentioned by the Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 14: 14-15). Speaking in tongues, though incomprehensible to our intelligence, is one of the means by which we address prayers to God which he understands, but especially who are in his will since inspired by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 14: 2 and 28).

Third, the inexpressible sighs of the Holy Spirit, in our soul (Romans 8:26 / 27). Sometimes we miss words, but God understands the sighs of our soul : "My sighs are not hidden from you" (Psalm 38:10).

To pray by the Spirit is to be sure to express prayers, even if we do not always understand them, that best correspond to the thought of God.

Advice for this day :

Do not just repeat prayers learned by heart. Be filled with the Holy Spirit, and learn to let him inspire your prayers.

Paul Calzada