Victory Action #9 Pray in the Spirit

The Apostle Paul’s Strategy to Winning Life’s Battles

Victory Action #9 Pray in the Spirit

Ephesians 6:18a

 

Ephesians 6:18a.

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” 

 

Introduction

            Welcome back to our study called, “The Apostle Paul’s Strategy to Winning Life’s Battles.”  There are times in life when we face severe temptations and even when life’s problems seem to knock us down.  Bad things do happen to good people.  The Apostle Paul taught us that we can stand firm as the storms of life rage around us following his primary directive found in Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” 

            You can be strong in the Lord by putting on the armor of God and standing firm as we discussed in previous episodes.  Today, Paul teaches us Victory Action #9 and that is to pray in the Spirit.  When you align yourself with the Holy Spirit you are on the winning side, God’s side, and you will discover power and ultimate victory.

 

Pray

            Paul instructs us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”  The starting point is that we must pray!  When we pray, we are in relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  This means that we are in communication with God; we speak, we listen, and we obey.  As we quoted earlier, “if God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). 

            When you bring all your prayers to God then you are proclaiming your faith in Him, you are giving Him adoration and praise, you are being thankful in all circumstances, and you and praying for others which is called “intercession.”  Also, you bring your requests to the Lord: confessing your sins, crying to Him for help, and declaring your specific needs. 

            When you pray, you appeal to God as the Highest power and the Highest Authority.  When you pray you recognize that He is God and that you are not.  You reach out to Him for help, asking Him to intervene in your situation and to become involved in your life struggle.  When you pray, you will receive instruction from the Lord during your prayer time and as you read God’s Word, the Bible.  This instruction teaches you how to act, how to reaction, how to think in all situations, and how to treat others.  Listening to the Lord during your times of prayers and requests, and then being obedient to following what the Lord tells you to do, empowers you to overcome the evil one.  Prayer is a game changer.  Prayer takes your eyes off your problems and away from your focus on the evil one.  Prayer fixes your eyes on Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith.” 

 

            Consider now your life struggle.  How much time and emotional energy have you given to this life issue?  How much time and emotional energy have you spent in prayer, asking that the Lord’s will be done, that He intervenes for His glory, and that He builds in you His character during this trial?  Remember the words of Jesus when he said, “’But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.’”

 

The Holy Spirit

            Victory Action #9 instructs us to pray in the Spirit on all occasions.  The Holy Spirit is a member of the Trinity.  He is the Teacher, the Helper, the Comforter, and the Counselor.  He bears witness of Jesus Christ, teaches us the truth of Jesus Christ, reveals God’s Will to us, and brings to our remembrance all that Christ taught us.  The Holy Spirit intercedes for us, draws us to Christ, baptizes believers into the Faith, and is the guarantee of our salvation.  The Holy Spirit awakes our hearts and minds and illuminates us as we read God’s Word.

            In the book of Acts we read how believers encountered the Holy Spirit in a new manner as they were “filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:4).  This empowered believers to witness with boldness and clarity as they fulfilled the Lord’s command to be His witnesses.

            When you pray in the Spirit then you are asking God the Holy Spirit to take control of your situation.  “Pray in the Spirit” involves praying by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, by being led by the Holy Spirit, and by receiving power from the Holy Spirit.  Praying in the Spirit assumes that you encountered the Holy Spirit and that you are in relationship with Him.  He is your God but, He is also your friend.

            Here you are in what could possibly be the greatest struggle in your life and now Paul instructs you to involve God the Holy Spirit in your trial.  This is a power victory action!  You are not alone, you are not isolated, you are not defeated!  God will stand with you … if you ask … and He will give you strength in your weakness, courage in your despair, order in your chaos, and victory from the ruins of impending defeat.  “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”   Pray … pray in the Spirit … pray in the Spirit on all occasions!  Prayer opens communication with God! 

            Please allow me to insert a comment from personal experience.  God will answer your prayers at any time in your life.   But, experience has taught me that the best time to open communication with God and the best time to learn how to hear the voice of God is in times of peace; before life knocks you down.  When troubles arise, then you will be already in relationship with God and your heart and mind will be fixed on Jesus.  Learn who the Holy Spirit is.  Open your heart to Him so that you can walk with the Holy Spirit, be led by the Holy Spirit, and to be obedient to the Holy Spirit.  As you do, the character of the Holy Spirit will shape your life as you will discover love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.  The Holy Spirit will empower you with gifts to fulfill the Lord’s destiny in your life and to be a blessing to others.

            Victory Action #9 Pray in the Spirit will change your life and bring you ultimate victory!  Your enemy, the devil, knows that this is Truth.  He will do everything in his power to stop you from praying.  He does NOT want you in relationship with the Holy Spirit because he can do nothing to impede the Holy Spirit in any way.  He does not want you to pray in the Spirit on all occasions because he can gain a foothold, an open door, into your heart every time that you do not pray. 

 

Conclusion

            You may be in your worst life struggle this very moment.  The Apostle Paul’s Victory Action #9 Pray in the Spirit is your key to victory.  Invite the Holy Spirit into your life.  Obey what He tells you to do.  He will bring you ultimate victory.

 

Prayer

            Holy Spirit, I invite you into my heart and into my life struggle.  Please take control of my life now.  Teach me Truth of God in my life and situation.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

For You to Consider

 

1.  How much time and emotional energy do you give to your life struggles and how much time and emotional energy to you give in prayer? 

 

2.  Contrast the results of facing life struggles by your own strength with the benefits of praying in the Spirit during your life trial.

 

3.  Why is prayer so important as you engage your spiritual enemy?

 

4.  What can you do to build the character of the Holy Spirit in your life?

 

5.  What gifts has the Holy Spirit given you and how are you using them?