Pray According to the Will of God
By Jerelyn Pearson
One morning recently I was sitting on the back patio reading my Bible and praying both with my understanding and in tongues. Three scriptures came to mind: the verse about the Spirit making "intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered"; the verse about Christ at the right hand of God making intercession for us, and the verse about "rivers of living water."
Romans 8:26-27:
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.
Romans 8:34:
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Before the indwelling Holy Ghost was given, Jesus said:
John 7:37-39:
37
Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
I got the feeling that while praying with my understanding and especially while praying in tongues I was joining in this flow of intercessory prayer with the Holy Spirit and with Jesus Christ according to the will God!
How can we pray according to the will of God? Paul mentions two avenues.
1 Corinthians 14:15:
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.
So let's look at those two avenues of prayer.
Pray With the Spirit (Speaking or Praying in Tongues)
1. Holy Spirit dwells within.
Ephesians 1:12-13:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
2. Holy Spirit intercedes according to the will of God.
Romans 8:26-27:
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.
3. Jesus intercedes according to the will of God
In addition to Romans 8:34, which was already mentioned, we find in Hebrews 7:24-25 that Jesus, our high priest, intercedes for us.
Hebrews 7:24-25:
24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
4. It is the Holy Spirit that gives utterance
Acts 2:4:
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
6. We join in prayer according to the will of God.
When praying in tongues with utterance given by the Holy Spirit, we can't not pray according to the will of God.
1 Corinthians 12:3:
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
The following is quoted from The Weapons of Our Warfare by Rev. Timothy E. Sullivan:
By the gift of tongues, we make perfect intercessory prayer for the saints.
Ephesians 6:18:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
1 Timothy 2:1:
1
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
At this point I'd like to share some benefits of the gift of speaking in tongues. The following excerpts are also from The Weapons of Our Warfare, Lesson Nine "He That Speaketh in an Unknown Tongue Edifieth Himself":
- Without the gift of tongues, we could not speak mysteries unto God.
- Via the gift of tongues we have a private audience with the Most High God. No one else knows of what we speak.
- There is no spiritual gift except the gift of tongues that builds up the inner man... In order to encourage others, you must be encouraged yourself. It is the gift of tongues that fortifies you, building you up in the inner man, strengthening you with might in the inner man.
- There are times when human words simply cannot express the depths of thankfulness you have for your God. By the gift of tongues, we can express the inexpressible... By the gift of tongues we not only give thanks, we give thanks well.
- By the gift of tongues, we make perfect intercessory prayer for the saints.
PrayWith the Understanding Also
Praying in the Spirit is praying by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Speaking or praying in tongues is not the only way to pray in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit also inspires us to pray with our understanding.
The Bible gives many examples of prayer with understanding according to the will of God. Some of the most obvious are the prayers of Paul for the saints in his Epistles.
Ephesians 1:15-19:
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Philippians 1:2-6:
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 1:9-11:
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
These are wonderful examples worthy to be included in our personal prayers for ourselves and for others.
We need to be cautious,though, when praying with our understanding, because we can pray incorrectly.
Jesus instructs us how to pray and how not to pray.
Matthew 6:5-8:
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
James adds a cautionary note as well using strong language.
James 4:2-7:
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
We may not readily identify with the audience which James addresses, but we all run the risk of being a "friend of the world" when we seek worldly wisdom over Godly wisdom.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
What should we pray according to the will of God?
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.
1 Timothy 2:1-4
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Conclusion
The Lord desires for us to pray! He watches over us and hears our prayers.
1 Peter 3:12:
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
One of the most important things that praying in tongues does for us as believers is to edify or build us up in faith! Jude warns us of those who would mock and deter from our faith.
Jude 1:17-21:
17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Revelation gives an example of the offering of the "prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne."
Revelation 8:3-4:
3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
As we pray in tongues and with our understanding also,
it is such a blessing
to visualize ourselves
joining in a flow of intercessory prayer
with the Holy Spirit and with Jesus Christ
according to the will God,
and to visualize
the smoke of the incense,
which camewith the prayers of the saints,
ascending up before God
out of the angel's hand.
© Workers Together With Him, Inc.