BOOK IV
THE MAKING OF PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT
ROMANS 8:26-29
Likewise the Holy Spirit also helps our infirmities:
For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
But the Holy Spirit Himself makes intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered. And God that
searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the
Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit makes intercession
for the saints according to the will of God. And we
know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to
His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
CHAPTER 10
BREATHING IN THE SPIRIT
I once heard a student home from Bible college report he
discovered nearly nine hundred books in the school library on the
subject of prayer. He planned to read each one carefully in
order to learn to pray, thus, you will find nothing new or
different in this chapter, but you will need it. It is short and
simple, plain and uncomplicated, personal and practical; worth
reading again. I personally listen and read everything on prayer
I can find and I recommend everyone do likewise, however, the
best way to learn how to pray, is to pray.
My definition of prayer was given to me by the Holy Spirit
in mid 1985. I had been praying, seeking God, studying His word,
and questioning the Lord for three years on the answers to many
questions I had concerning answered prayer. When He illuminated
my spirit, he gave me this definition: Prayer is "Breathing in
the Spirit."
We generally frustrate prayer by setting lengthy periods of
time, following certain formats and outlines, running down an
endless list of requests, or praying certain suggested prayers
given by others. We may religiously follow a certain pattern for
months; only to become discouraged and frustrated. Why? Could
it be that we have failed simply at becoming a prayer to God?
"Pray without ceasing."1 Unless (we) become a perpetual prayer
to God, we cannot obey that command.
Our physical bodies respond naturally to certain things:
Eating, drinking, hearing, blood flowing through our veins, and
the beating of our heart. All such things come naturally,
without practice, and without conscious thought. Breathing is
perhaps the most natural. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that
prayer should be, for the Christian, as natural as breathing is
to the body. We never think of breathing; unless, that is, our
breathing becomes restricted in some way or impeded. Why is
prayer thus unnatural to one who claims to have personal
relationship with God? The answer is simple: Prayer is
unnatural/ that is, prayer is of the Spirit I.E. supernatural.
As easy, as uninhibited, as common place as physical breathing;
so prayer should be. It is not, however, because our spirit is
born again - of a new nature - but our body and soul are still of
the old life. Our physical bodies will eat, drink, and pump
blood naturally but try and exercise that body and see what
happens. Rejection - resistance - defiance. Why? It is
unnatural, foreign, to the body. Does the body benefit from such
exercise? Certainly! Then why rejection? It is unnatural.
The spiritual body - the regenerated human spirit - can,
will, and does pray naturally; that is, supernaturally. It has
no trouble functioning and operating in the supernatural realm
since it, the born again spirit, is spiritual in nature. The
physical body, on the other hand, is not spiritual but fleshly.
It is because of the difference, the contrast, therefore, we find
difficulty in prayer; the soul rebells. James confirms that the
soul - the mind, will, and emotions - of our make up is saved
[delivered] only by the engrafted [planted] Word of God.2 It
is the Word, therefore, to which we must be found faithful to
receive answers to our prayers.
Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God.
I have prepared a small booklet entitled: "God's Three
Steps To Answered Prayer." It is filled with the promises of
God's Word on various topics which can be used when petitioning
God. I caution the reader not to consider these three steps as
a specific formula by which one demands of God, rather the
elements of petitionary prayer.
Before looking at these three elements, might I point out
that our prayers to God are largely petitionary in nature? We
need not always ask, of course, but because He is our Heavenly
Father, and because He is indeed the God who hears and answers
prayer, we will often make request of Him. It does not anger,
worry, bother, or otherwise frustrate Him when we do. In fact,
He is pleased. As one develops spiritual intimacy with God in
prayer, however, it will be discovered that our petitions will
take a great deal less time than ever before. Actually, we will,
as we pray in the Spirit, learn how to spend less time in prayer
with greater results.
ASKING
Some Biblical translations interpret "be careful for
nothing" as (anxiousness). Literally we are not to become unduly
distressed by circumstances but rather make request of God.
Simply stated: "Don't be careless but go to God with everything."
The first thing required in petitionary prayer is "asking."
I no it seems silly to mention this; but, frankly, few of us ever
get around to asking God for anything. Sure, we pray; "God it's
terrible," or "God, why did you allow this to happen to me?" or
"I thought you could do anything, God! So get on with it!" We
spend a great deal of time when we pray complaining, griping,
fussing, cussing, arguing, disclaiming, figuring, calculating,
suggesting, threatening, wishing, wanting, suffering, pushing,
crying, hoping, and worrying; but rarely do we get around to
simply asking God. If you disagree, just listen to yourself the
next time you pray. Prayer, in its most basic form, is simply
asking God. If we ask, we will receive; if we seek, we will
find; and if we knock, it will be opened to us.3 Are there
conditions? Certainly! All such conditions, however, are
clearly identified in Scripture; thus, know the Word if you plan
to pray. Our greatest concern should first be going to Him in
petitionary prayer and we begin doing that by simply asking. The
Greek word for "prayer" in the New Testament uses the prefix
pro.. In another words, put God "in front" of every thing
through prayer.
AGREEMENT
Supplication is sometimes a misused word. It literally
means "to beg." If misunderstood, however, one could easily get
the idea that we need to fall on our face before God and beg and
plead and beat the ground, rending our cloths, and casting dust
in the air; hoping we can change God's mind. After all, we know
God doesn't want to answer our prayers so somehow we have to
convince Him otherwise. Little wonder are prayers are left
unanswered. Supplication is nothing more than agreement with
God. The promises in His Word are numerous; God wants to answer
our prayers. If one does not believe this, receiving answers
consistently will be impossible.
Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are,
and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it
rained not on the earth by the space of three years and
six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave
rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.4
Elijah secured his request through earnest prayer. In
another words, he prayed until he got what he wanted. The key
is, however, Elijah wanted what God wanted - repentance by His
people Israel. The greatest cause for a lack of real answers to
prayer is that we do not pray "will of God" prayers - we simply
do not agree with God. How do we know if God wants what we want
when we pray? We must know the Word! Most of those who read
this book find it impossible to believe that God really does want
to answer their prayers since most have been taught differently.
The only way that fallacy can be corrected is by the engrafted
word. Plant the Word within your heart and that can be
accomplished as we pray. As you petition your Heavenly Father,
learn to pray His Word. If you have trouble believing His will
is to answer your prayers, obtain a copy of my little booklet on
"God's Three Steps To Answered Prayer," and begin planting.
APPRECIATION
The third element of petitionary prayer is the giving of
thanks. Most of us are certainly willing to thank God after the
fact but few are bold enough to praise Him in advance. To
forsake prepraise reveals faithlessness in our prayers. Some are
uncomfortable with such an attitude, confessing it just doesn't
seem right since God has not yet answered the request. "After
all," they proclaim, "what if He doesn't do it?" I wish we would
express that kind of boldness when we pray! Thanking God simply
means (the offering of grateful language). Certainly we can show
our appreciation by praising God until the answer comes but do
we? Most do not and thus receive no answer to their request.
Such thanks and praise prier to the answer is nothing more than
gratitude for the One who can and does answer prayer. It is not
thanking God for answering the request in advance, it is thanking
God, favoring God, appreciating God for being the One who can do
something about your petition. Such should be faithfully
practiced till the answer comes.
SUMMATION
"Asking" God is telling Him what you want. "Agreement" is
telling God what He wants. "Appreciation" is telling God you are
willing to trust Him. "What if I'm unsure of what I want and
what He wants? What if I have trouble trusting Him?" Learn to
pray in the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who has been given to
assist us when we pray "for we know not what we should pray for
as we ought." We, fortunately, have a prayer Partner who knows
not only how to pray, but prays perfect prayers each and every
time we join in partnership with Him. Could this perhaps be the
main reason why many, if not most, of our prayers remain
unanswered? It is time to begin to breath in the Spirit.
CONCLUSION
Praying in the Spirit offers purpose and Scriptural
compatibility in our fellowship with God. The ministry of the
Holy Spirit is one of prayer partnership in order that His, the
Holy Spirit's, power might
be manifested. Such is the plan - will of God - on earth. As
God's power is revealed in us and through us, the mystery of the
Holy Spirit in prayer will be made known. We will thus clearly
see all things working together for good to them that love God.
The image of God's Son will be clearly stamped upon our lives and
others will se Him. They will see, not a story, not a man, not a
historical figure, but they will see God in us. They will see
the firstborn among many brethren who have learned to pray in the
Spirit.
FINAL THOUGHT
My youngest son was involved with an incident with an
elderly neighbor and because of his disrespect, he was corrected.
Following his misdeed, I instructed him to return to the neighbor
and apologize for his misbehavior. I told him exactly what he
was to say and why and I sent along his older sister to insure my
instructions would be followed to the letter. Why did not I go
myself? I felt my presence would be of great embarrassment to
him and thus sent his sister to both serve as a witness and to
confirm whether or not he repeated my Words.
The following day I suddenly realized that what had happened
was a prime example of the ministry of the Holy Spirit as our
intercessor. He bears witness that the truth is honored. He is
sent to secure God's Words in order that they, God's Words, might
be spoken in the image of His Son Jesus Christ. If my son, for
example, had not gone to speak with the neighbor, his sister
could not have witnessed his "confessions." We likewise must
speak the Words of our Heavenly Father for the Holy Spirit to
bear witness of His truth at work in our lives. I instructed my
daughter to "make sure" her brother repeated word-for-word what I
had told Him to say. In another words, she was sent as an
intercessor to confirm and verify his speech/words. I trust you
can see it! Pray, and the Holy Spirit will pray, intercessory
prayers of confirmation. Learn to pray in the Spirit and you
will insure that the Words of God have been spoken.
FOOTNOTES FOR CHAPTER 10
1 I Thess. 5:17
2 Jam. 1:21
3 Matt. 7:7-8
4 Jam. 5:17-18
End Of Chapter 10
PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT
BY
PHIL SCOVELL
Copyright 1989/2004
By Phil Scovell
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