Praying in the Spirit - with Thanksgiving
1. Suppose you knew that all your prayers would be answered? Every single one of them? How thankful would you be? You would be deliriously happy, laughing and rolling on the floor, crying and thanking God for such wonderful love. Well then, consider this next verse and let it become the rejoicing of your heart - your comfort and rest.
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us, And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we asked of Him. I John 5:14-15
2. But wait! There's a catch! We have to pray according to the will of God before we can have such confidence!
3. But wait! That's not a catch! God has given us His Holy Spirit who knows how to pray for us according to the will of God.
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27
4. God has taken care of everything. What a wise and kind and loving God! When we pray in the Spirit things happen. So many times I have heard someone say, "I don't know what to pray for." or "I don't know how to pray." Romans 8:26-27 takes care of both of those difficulties. Just ask the Holy Spirit to take over and He will. Just trust Him and start praying. That's how you pray for the sick, the lost, the broken hearted, etc. Jesus came to heal, and bind up the wounds. The Holy Spirit knows what Jesus wants. And He knows how to accomplish it.
5. But wait! "Is it really true?" you ask. "Does God really answer prayer like that? Really, really?" YES! He does!
I remember that when I was a child, I was praying for Communist Russia. I prayed that the iron curtain would come down, and the people would be able to hear the gospel. That iron curtain finally came down in the 1990s. And it wasn't just Russia! First Poland, then the Baltic states, Check Slovakia, Hungary, the Ukraine, Armenia, and so on. The world watched, stunned, as the Berlin wall came down, and East Germany became free. All of this - and not a shot was fired! Tens of thousands of people are now coming to Christ in those countries every day.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen Ephesians 3:20-21
6. Jesus taught us to pray, "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." And that is indeed a powerful prayer! Think of it! What is God's will? God's will is that His kingdom comes. Praying according to the will of God is always a good thing. There are some things that we know are always His will - because the Bible says so. Salvation is one of those things. You can pray people into the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. I Timothy 2:1-4
note: I remember when I was praying for my daughter. I thought she would never receive Christ. I didn't see how it could happen. I couldn't even talk with her. Then one day, I got so angry at God, I started yelling, "How come you can't even change the heart of a little teenage girl?" Then the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, and said, "I will save your daughter. This is for the spread of the gospel around the world." I was silenced. A few weeks later my daughter got saved, and the difference was like night and day. She cooked a nice meal for me, and started talking about Jesus, and about prayer, and about helping the homeless etc... You could have knocked me down with a feather. God answers our prayers for our families.
7. Living like Jesus did is also the will of God for you - and for me. We can always pray for that, and expect results.
Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for this is the will of God, your sanctification: I Thessalonians 4:1-3a
And so you can pray for the sanctification of your family - or anyone else that you love. It's the will of God!
8. Remember to pray with thanksgiving. If you are praying in the Spirit, you know that God is going to answer those prayers. So thank Him. The Holy Spirit always prays for us according to the good and perfect will of God, and God answers those prayers.
This true story is told. There was a woman who had no food at all in her house. But she set the table anyway, gathered the children around and began to pray as the Spirit led. As she prayed, she thanked God for the fine feast they were about to have. The kids were incredulous! But imagine their surprise when there came a knock on the door. Someone had cooked a turkey dinner, but had forgotten to invite the guests! Could they take the turkey and the pie? A few minutes later there came another knock on the door. Someone gave them a loaf of bread. And then another knock. This time it was a gallon of milk! And so the family feasted.
Has not God said it in His Word? "I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread." Psalm 37:25 God keeps His word.
9. Here's what God said...
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard (garrison) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7