In Romans 8:26-27 Paul speaks about the role of the Holy Spirit in prayer. Let’s put this together with some other teaching from the New Testament on prayer and gain some clear direction. In summary, we are to pray to our Father in heaven, in Jesus’ name, by the Holy Spirit. Let’s break this down. Why did Jesus teach us to pray, “Our Father in heaven” rather than, “Our Father who is in our hearts”? I think it because God wants to establish the kingdom of heaven upon the earth through our prayer (see Matthew 6:9-10). Heaven is where the will of God is perfectly realised. The purpose of our prayers is to ‘draw this down’ to earth as it were. We pray in ‘Jesus’ name’ because it is only through him that we have the favour of God. It is only because we are “in Christ” that we have access to the favour of God. Finally, we pray ‘in the Spirit’ (Ephesians 6:18) in the sense that we ought to pray out of the passions and desires that the Spirit brings into our hearts. When you become a Christian, God puts his Spirit in your heart and, with God’s Spirit comes a new set of desires, his desires. We must let our prayers flow with these new desires. As we pray in accordance with God’s desires we will also begin to live in accord with God’s desires. So, when you pray, pray to your Father in heaven, in Jesus’ name (confident that in Christ you have God’s full favour), by the Holy Spirit (in accordance with the desires of God’s Spirit within you).
Spend some time praying for the situation that you feel God is most wanting you to affect.
Read Romans 8:26-27 and John 14
