Praying in the Spirit

[GaveMeJoy]

Jude 1:20
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit

What is the reformed position on "praying in the spirit?" What are the characteristics of praying in the spirit? Can one pray out of the spirit? Can prayers out of the spirit be heard and answered? Does it mean praying while walking in the spirit?

Please provide additional scriptures in support of your position if possible...I find it easy to pray corporately and in small prayer groups but having a difficult time with personal prayer life. Wondering if I'm doing it wrong... also link to other prayer threads be cool.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Jude 1:20
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit

What is the reformed position on "praying in the spirit?" What are the characteristics of praying in the spirit? Can one pray out of the spirit? Can prayers out of the spirit be heard and answered? Does it mean praying while walking in the spirit?

Please provide additional scriptures in support of your position if possible...I find it easy to pray corporately and in small prayer groups but having a difficult time with personal prayer life. Wondering if I'm doing it wrong... also link to other prayer threads be cool.

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul defines praying in the Spirit as praying in tongues. He says, "I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the understanding. I will sing with the Spirit, and sing with the understanding" (1 Corinthians 14:15). The context is his teaching on the correct use of tongues. Therefore Jude, in order to be consistent, also implies that praying in the Spirit is also praying in tongues. As a member of the early church and a contemporary of Paul and Peter, and probably one of the group in the upper room on the day of Pentecostal, he would have prayed in tongues as well as his natural language. Paul, in Ephesians 6:18: "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 Lord's people." If Paul is going to define praying in the Spirit as praying in tongues in 1 Corinthians 14, then he would not change his definition of it in Ephesians 6.

Those who choose not to believe Paul's teaching on tongues, would make his statement of praying with the Spirit and with the understanding meaningless, because if he always used his natural language and not tongues, why should he make a distinction between praying with the Spirit and with the understanding? When Paul prays with the Spirit is he praying in the will of God, and when he prays with the understanding he is not? Anyone who believes that actually disconnects their brain when they open their Bible!

 

[Carl Emerson]

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul defines praying in the Spirit as praying in tongues. He says, "I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the understanding. I will sing with the Spirit, and sing with the understanding" (1 Corinthians 14:15). The context is his teaching on the correct use of tongues. Therefore Jude, in order to be consistent, also implies that praying in the Spirit is also praying in tongues. As a member of the early church and a contemporary of Paul and Peter, and probably one of the group in the upper room on the day of Pentecostal, he would have prayed in tongues as well as his natural language. Paul, in Ephesians 6:18: "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 Lord's people." If Paul is going to define praying in the Spirit as praying in tongues in 1 Corinthians 14, then he would not change his definition of it in Ephesians 6.

Those who choose not to believe Paul's teaching on tongues, would make his statement of praying with the Spirit and with the understanding meaningless, because if he always used his natural language and not tongues, why should he make a distinction between praying with the Spirit and with the understanding? When Paul prays with the Spirit is he praying in the will of God, and when he prays with the understanding he is not? Anyone who believes that actually disconnects their brain when they open their Bible!

I thought the bible was God's gift to the smart, to help support their theological position? No ???

 

[GaveMeJoy]

None of those scriptures say anything about tongues. That's wild, your entire position on this is about tongues which is not in the verses.

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul defines praying in the Spirit as praying in tongues. He says, "I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the understanding. I will sing with the Spirit, and sing with the understanding" (1 Corinthians 14:15). The context is his teaching on the correct use of tongues. Therefore Jude, in order to be consistent, also implies that praying in the Spirit is also praying in tongues. As a member of the early church and a contemporary of Paul and Peter, and probably one of the group in the upper room on the day of Pentecostal, he would have prayed in tongues as well as his natural language. Paul, in Ephesians 6:18: "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 Lord's people." If Paul is going to define praying in the Spirit as praying in tongues in 1 Corinthians 14, then he would not change his definition of it in Ephesians 6.

Those who choose not to believe Paul's teaching on tongues, would make his statement of praying with the Spirit and with the understanding meaningless, because if he always used his natural language and not tongues, why should he make a distinction between praying with the Spirit and with the understanding? When Paul prays with the Spirit is he praying in the will of God, and when he prays with the understanding he is not? Anyone who believes that actually disconnects their brain when they open their Bible!

The only thing about those scriptures is none of them say anything about tongues. Tongues is something you added there. I'm not saying you are wrong about tongues, but those verses plainly don't address tongues.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I thought the bible was God's gift to the smart, to help support their theological position? No ???

The Bible is God's sole communication with mankind. It is totally sufficient for all we need to gain eternal life in Christ and live a holy life for God, and to effectively preach the gospel to the unsaved. The indwelling Holy Spirit gives us insight into what the Bible has already said about any issue or situation that we encounter. The Holy Spirit may not always directly quote Scripture, but He will not say anything to us that is not consistent to what has already been said and taught in Scripture.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

None of those scriptures say anything about tongues. That's wild, your entire position on this is about tongues which is not in the verses.


The only thing about those scriptures is none of them say anything about tongues. Tongues is something you added there. I'm not saying you are wrong about tongues, but those verses plainly don't address tongues.

Explain to me then what Paul meant in 1 Corinthians 14 when he made a distinction between praying with the Spirit and with the understanding, especially when the whole chapter is teaching about tongues.

But then, if you are prejudiced against tongues, then I understand your position on it.

 

[Carl Emerson]

The Bible is God's sole communication with mankind. It is totally sufficient for all we need to gain eternal life in Christ and live a holy life for God, and to effectively preach the gospel to the unsaved. The indwelling Holy Spirit gives us insight into what the Bible has already said about any issue or situation that we encounter. The Holy Spirit may not always directly quote Scripture, but He will not say anything to us that is not consistent to what has already been said and taught in Scripture.

Of course - I was just being facetious...

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Of course - I was just being facetious...

Okay. I just didn't see the twinkle in your eye!

 

[SkyWriting]

Jude 1:20
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit

What is the reformed position on "praying in the spirit?" What are the characteristics of praying in the spirit? Can one pray out of the spirit? Can prayers out of the spirit be heard and answered? Does it mean praying while walking in the spirit?

Please provide additional scriptures in support of your position if possible...I find it easy to pray corporately and in small prayer groups but having a difficult time with personal prayer life. Wondering if I'm doing it wrong... also link to other prayer threads be cool.

I find group prayer to be pure theatrics. My uncle was a minister and his public orations were spot on. Personally, he was a royal jerk. I don't even know if he was saved.

Want to pray in God's Spirit and finally SEE Gods Answers to Prayers?

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I find group prayer to be pure theatrics. My uncle was a minister and his public orations were spot on. Personally, he was a royal jerk. I don't even know if he was saved.

I have found many group prayer meetings as just places where each person preaches a mini-sermon in the form of a prayer. In fact, most are praying to each other instead of God.

 

[GaveMeJoy]

I have found many group prayer meetings as just places where each person preaches a mini-sermon in the form of a prayer. In fact, most are praying to each other instead of God.

I mean matt 18...


Private prayer can also be legalistic, rote and useless. There are always examples of how to do it wrong, that doesn’t establish anything

 

[Blade]

Many times I truly don't know how to pray. So I pray in the spirit.. that is in tongues. I keep praying till I know get a peace. As some will understand.. the more I pray in tongues.. lack of any better word..is wow.. awesome.. beautiful. Gonna put this out there.. its ok if you don't believe. The short is.. we prayed for along time in the spirit. Lol.. after that you just got this boldness and so much more. This preacher did say.. if you don't keep this up meaning praying you will lose it. I lol don't mean the holy Spirit. That next week with my friend. Some person hit my car with his bike and called the police. He was riding on the side walk and.. you don't do that.

Anyway this is about this boldness. As the cop was talking to me.. just had this boldness I never really had before. Just asked him about if he knew Jesus. He said "you know I've been looking for a Church to go to". My friend with me after that said.. he was so shocked I did that. One it was NEVER some I did and he said he didn't know if he could.

I am a AWFUL writer speaker. What I am getting at.. the sweet sweet Holy Spirit is REAL! When Christ told them when they take you before man. Don't think about what you will say. He said He will give you the words. This is what happens. Only the spirit knew what that Cop was looking searching for. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "you know or I really wanted" things like that. The perfect timing.

The thing is.. you have to believe. So I pray in tongues and the more I do.. wow lack of words. If some don't believe praise GOD.. Jesus is lord and we are ONE in Him thats what matters! Sorry I didn't explain this good enough. I try.. or something in me ALWAYS wants to be praying in the spirit. And I can't tell how you how many times THINGS of this world ALWAYS pop up try to rob me of that time with Him and I DONT pray