Topic: Praying in the Spirit [Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 29 December 2019]
Click HERE for Previous Devotional
John 14:16-21
I am convinced that if we truly understood what takes place during prayer, we would call upon the Lord more often and with greater confidence. The believer’s prayer isn’t simply spoken into thin air; we have the Holy Spirit, who communicates for us and carries our needs to the Lord.
The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity, so He knows the mind of God intimately (1 Corinthians 2:11).
Omniscient and omnipotent like the Father, He fully grasps the circumstance we are praying over—even the parts that remain unseen or utterly confusing to us. Also, the Spirit dwells within every believer and knows each one’s mind and heart. With this full knowledge, the Holy Spirit can carry out His responsibility to make sure our petitions match God’s desires. Toward that end, He speaks in our spirit and opens our mind to Scripture.
The fact that God gives His Spirit to all believers reveals the value He places on communication between Him and His children. And so, our heavenly Father provides the best possible Helper to ensure that we can be in tune with His will—in other words, wise, patient, and fully yielded to Him. But we’ll have none of those qualities unless we are habitually talking with the Lord.
Christians don’t need to feel guilty for being uncertain about how to pray. The indwelling Holy Spirit knows our needs and desires—as well as the mind and will of the Father and the details of every situation. He speaks to God on our behalf while teaching us to pray accordingly.
Bible in One Year: Revelation 9-12