Message #9 (of 20) from the PrayerPower radio series
"Asking for the Spirit's Life"

by Kaye Johns

We should be. That should be the pattern of our prayer lives. Paul told us in Ephesians 6:18 we are to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." If we are praying "in the Spirit," would that not mean that we are praying according to God’s will? Would it not result in answers to prayers?

But what did Paul mean? How do we pray in the Spirit? In Ephesians Paul was describing what our life is meant to be as children of light, and at least 20 times he used the phrase "in Christ" to describe that life. When we live "in Christ," we can pray in His Spirit.

In the same letter Paul tells the Ephesians not to grieve the Spirit, [Eph. 4:30] and he encourages them to be filled with the Spirit. [Eph. 5:18] We can pray "in the Spirit" as we are filled with the Spirit--but we cannot be filled with His presence and life unless we live free of the unconfessed sin that grieves Him.

To pray in the Spirit, we must empty ourselves of self and live in Christ as children of light. He must have access to our hearts [Rom. 8:26-27], as we ask for Him [Luke 11:13], as we yield to Him as our Spirit of Supplication and Prayer [Zech. 12:10].

Pray with me now -- Father, help us to live in such a way that Your Spirit of Prayer has free access to our hearts and our lives. May every prayer be prayed in the Spirit rather than in the flesh. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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