“Praying in The Spirit”

 Preacher: Pastor John H. West, III
Date: May 16, 1999
Notes: Siloam commits to spending 15-minutes in prayer every day

I had intended to preach something different this morning.   I really wanted to preach on Acts 19, "Have You Received the Holy Ghost."   However, I am not going to preach that as the Lord has burdened me with another text.  I don't know why, because I like Acts 19, but since our sick list is so long, it is clear that this is the sermon that we need to hear.

Our Text: Jude 20

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost

Our Text: Romans 8:26-27

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.

This Sunday is Pentecost, the celebration of the falling of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Christian church.  We are exhorted to pray in the Holy Spirit.

The only thing that will change our world

The one thing that will change our world, our nation, and our community... is prayer.   The Bible tells us:

Chronicles II 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

If there is one thing that will change our families and children, it is prayer.   The family that prays together, stays together.  One thing that will change our church and the people in our church is prayer.  Gossiping doesn't change anyone for the better, but if you pray, something will happen.  What we need in these last and evil days is:

Not just any kind of prayer will do

We need to offer up:

Not just any kind of prayer will do.  We need to pray in the Spirit.  Not all prayers are the same. 

Some prayers are just form and fashion

Pretty words without power.  Some prayer is selfish desire... we are like kids in a candy store.  All we say is, "Lord, gimme... gimme... gimme."  God is not our divine genie.  He is God and He will supply our needs (not necessarily our wants).

Some prayers are Biblically accurate but spiritually dead

This is a form of godliness without any power (see 2nd Timothy 3:5). 

Some prayers are emotionally stirring but not divinely inspired

These prayers move the body, but they don't move God.

 

Two points on building ourselves up in the faith

If our prayers are to transform the community, we need to learn how to pray in the Spirit.  We need to pray in the Spirit.  Look at our text again in Jude 20:

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost

There are two points we see in this scripture text:

  1. We can build ourselves up in the faith.  It doesn't say that we need the preacher to be guilt up.  You build yourself up in the faith.   So often we blame someone else for being where we are.  Some say, "The pastor just isn't teaching" or "The Sunday school teacher bores me" or "The deacons never visit me."  However, if you are spiritually week, it is your fault.  If you are a spiritual babe after 20 years as a member of the church, it is your fault.  No matter where you are, you need to get busy building up your faith.   You can go from a 90-lb. weakling to Hulk Hogan through God.  However, you need to make a decision to be built up.  To do this:
    -
    * Be in fellowship
    * Take your faith out of these four walls
    * Attend Bible study
    * Work on your prayer life
    -
  2. You cannot grow without prayer.  Prayer is the water that nourishes the seed of faith and causes it to bear fruit.  If we don't pray in the Spirit, you starve your seed and it can't bear fruit. 

When I read Jude 20, I read this:  build yourself up in your most holy faith BY or THROUGH praying in the Holy Spirit.  The road to spiritual growth comes through prayer.

We need to learn to hook up with God

Some people pray all the right words and use all the right pauses.  It is spiritual, but it has no power to transform.  That kind of prayer doesn't move God because God is not interested in our long-winded, eloquent prayers.  We need to learn to hook up with God. 

Remember old Grandma?  She didn't have much book learning, but knew God for herself.  When she got down on her knees, she didn't have a lot of fancy words like, "I'm an empty pitcher before a full fountain, seeking to be filled."  No, she just groaned in her spirit and prayed, "Father, You know all about it."   You need to know how to get in touch with God in prayer.

Our prayers should not be spirited prayers.  Some prayers can move us but they don't move God.  They get people worked up with tears rolling, shouts of "Amen" and "Hallelujah," and some folks falling out on the floor.   Still, that doesn't impress God.  It is worthless.  God is not moved by our emotionalism.  God is not moved by our tears.  God is not moved by our loud volume. 

Do you have a power hookup with the Lord?

There are two characteristics to praying in the Spirit

Pray as being led by the Spirit

When we pray in the Spirit, we are being lead by the Spirit.  Remember when Jesus was in the garden?  He first prayed according to the flesh, "Let this cup pass from Me."  Then, He prayed in the Spirit, "Nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done."  In the flesh, I want to live, but I will die for You.  In the flesh, I don't want to suffer, but I will do what You want me to.

Some of us are telling God what, how, and when.  We need to be still and quiet and wait on the Lord.  Let His will be done.  God's Spirit gives us what we need.

Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit

Don't pray in your own power.  Don't pray in the pastor's power.  Not in your own unction.  We must pray by way of the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.  Not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord (see Zechariah 4:6).

If you immerse you prayers in the power of the Holy Spirit, you will see miracles.   Then, by faith, mountains will move in your life.

It is by fasting and prayer

Remember when the disciples were praying for a demon-possessed boy, but the more they prayed, the worse the boy got?  When Jesus saw it, He became upset with them.   He healed the boy on the spot.  The disciples asked, "Why couldn't we?   We prayed and prayed without the power to do anything."   Jesus told them that they didn't have the power.  They had the right words and the right mannerisms, and they knew God, but they needed fasting and prayer.

We have no power because we eat too much.  We have no power because we watch TV too much.  We have no power because we listen to the radio too much.  We need to turn our plate over and fast and pray for God's power to transform our lives.  There is a power that can move mountains in your life.  There is a power that can transform your life.  There is a power that can break the bondage of fear and the oppression of doubt.

You won't find this in the White House.  You won't find this in the State House.   You won't find this in the mayor's house.  You need to cry out for the power of the anointing to fall down on you, like it did in Acts chapter 2.  They were praying in the Spirit and the sound of a rushing, mighty wind filled the place.   Tongues of fire came and they spoke in other tongues.  They didn't have to study "Parlez vouz français."  They didn't have to study "Sprechen sie deutsche."  They didn't have to study "Hablas Español."   They could speak it anyhow.

Let the Holy Ghost have His way

The Spirit of the Living God wants to fall on you and take over your mind, your eyes, your tongue, and make a difference in you.

Surrender and give your life to Him.  It is time for us to pray in the Spirit.   There are too many folks sick for us to shuck and jive.  You pray and stay there until you've prayed through.  Pray until the touch comes and you get the hookup with heaven.

The success or failure of this church is wrapped up in prayer.  If we learn to pray, yokes will be broken and demonic spirits will be destroyed.  This is not a "now I lay me down to sleep" prayer.  This is calling on the name of the Lord.

Make a commitment to pray, 15 minutes EVERY DAY.