Eph. 6:18 (KJV) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Remember from the previous installment that there is no definite article with “Spirit” in the Greek text. Thus, we should understand that Paul is exhorting us to “keep on continuously praying with all manner of spiritual prayer.” We are to keep on praying with all kinds of prayer that begin in and emanate from the “spiritual sphere” (the unseen realm). As we learn to conform our prayer life to beat with the Heartbeat of God, we will pray fewer and fewer selfish prayers that are rooted merely in the lusts of our flesh and our own human agendas.

26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28  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.

Romans 8:26-28 (KJV)

When I first read many years ago that the Holy Spirit would “help” my infirmities, my first thought was, “My infirmities don’t need any help. They seem to be doing just fine on their own. I’m the one who needs the help here.” Then I discovered that the Greek text should be understood to mean, “The Spirit takes hold with me against my weakness and inability to produce results.” Have you ever faced a season in your life where you did not know what to pray for? Thank God, there is a realm in prayer where the Holy Spirit literally “takes hold” with us against that inability. When we pray “in the Spirit,” we actually enter in to a realm in God where we are praying beyond our own human limitations, our own lack of knowledge or understanding, and even beyond our own present “measure” (level) of faith!

The Greek word translated as “maketh intercession,” carries the idea of “hitting the target.” Thus, when we pray “in the Spirit,” the Holy Spirit enables us to “hit the target” regarding those areas where we did not humanly know what to pray for. And He empowers us to target the Purposes of God in prayer by empowering us to pray “according to God” (literal translation). Prayer that is birthed in communion with God and with His written Word, and prayed out “according to God,” by the unction of the Holy Spirit, will never fail to produce a manifestation of the Purpose of God.

How then do we “train our tongue” to “hook up” with the unseen God-realm rather than simply spouting off intellectually based prayers rooted merely in human logic and reasoning? Jacob (James), the half-brother of Jesus, tells us that no human being can “tame” the tongue simply through fleshly effort (Jas. 3:8). The implication is that what man cannot do in his own ability, God can enable him to do through Divine empowerment.

The primary way we “train our tongues” to “hook up” with the spiritual realm of God is by praying “in other tongues.” When we pray “in tongues,” we are praying in a supernatural language furnished by the Holy Spirit, Who indwells every true believer in Jesus Christ.

14  For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

15  What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

I Corinthians 14:14-15

Here, Paul equates “praying with the spirit” (our born-again human spirit which is indwelt by the Holy Spirit) with “praying in a tongue” (the word “unknown” was added by the English translators to indicate that the language spoken is “unknown” by natural means to the one speaking it). He contrasts this type of spiritual prayer with praying “with the understanding,” and then boldly declares, “I will do BOTH!” Praying in other tongues is an act of my will, just as it is an act of my will to pray “with the understanding.” It is always the will of the Holy Spirit to equip and enable us to pray. Thus, any believer in Jesus Christ can pray in a God-given Heavenly language that he or she does not naturally understand (thus bypassing the limitations of our human intellect) at any time that believer reaches out in faith to begin doing so. Just ask the Lord in faith to fill you with His Holy Spirit, believe that you receive, and then lift your voice in faith and begin to speak those unusual syllables that “bubble up” out of your inner heart.

Understand that there are types of “spiritual prayer” in addition to praying “in other tongues.” However, if we do not pray much in other tongues, developing our spiritual sensitivity and training our tongue to “hook up” with the Holy Spirit, chances are that we will not move very frequently or very effectively in those additional realms of spiritual prayer. Be Blessed!