Sept.08.04: Light for the Day - "Pray in the Holy Spirit"

-- Jude 1:20 
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith 
and pray in the Holy Spirit.

-- Romans 8:26 
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. 
We do not know what we ought to pray for, 
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

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The early church was without doubt a praying church, and what tremendous things they accomplished through prayer alone: prison doors were opened, fanatical opponents were struck down and converted to Christ, signs and wonders were done. But the open secret was that the early church knew the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, not theoretically but experientially. Those first believers were mighty in prayers because they were mighty in the Spirit.

-- Arthur Wallis

Most Christians are pretty knowledgeable about God the Father and Jesus Christ. But the Holy Spirit? Most believers actually know less about the Third Person of the Trinity. And yet it is the Holy Spirit who holds the key to prayer. It's through Him that we pray, that we groan before God. He's the One who knows how to pray the will of God through us. He convicts us of sin, He comforts us, and He teaches us all things.

Today, do not pray to the Holy Spirit, but pray with the aid of the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to use you as a vessel to accomplish the will of God.

-- N.H.

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-- John 14:26 
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

-- Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. 
The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

-- Ephesians 6:18 
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

-- Acts 4:31 
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

-- Acts 8:15-17
15 When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

-- Acts 9:31 
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

-- 1 Corinthians 14:12-19 - "Pray in a tongue"
12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
13 For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?
17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

-- 1 John 4:1-3 - "Test the spirits"
1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

-- 2 Corinthians 13:14 
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, 
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.