Jude 20-21.
Yesterday, I shared a word regarding how we are to build ourselves up on our most holy faith. After finishing, I still felt there was more the Lord wished to say, but felt the unction may come forth clearer through the written word than the spoken word.
The emphasis on the audio message is on how important it is that we focus on building ourselves up in a most HOLY faith, rather than a self-satisfying or carnal faith, or a faith that is always considering those things that pertain to this earthly realm and our present needs. A HOLY faith will focus on the things of the kingdom of God, and our eternal rewards. A HOLY faith will lay up treasures in heaven where neither moth or rust corrupt, and where thieves cannot break through and steal. (See Matthew 6:19,20)
The next part of the verse is, "praying in the Holy Ghost". What does it mean to pray in the Holy Ghost? It means that we seek the Lord to get the mind of the Spirit of God, and then we pray accordingly. This will certainly help us to build ourselves up in the most holy faith because the Holy Spirit always puts the will and mind of God before our own desires. Sadly, we can want our own way enough that we actually close our spirits to what the Lord would say, and what the Lord would pray and we pray our own heart's desires. And sometimes we do get exactly what we pray for!
Why is this? Because the kingdom of God works on principles, and the principles will often still work despite the context in which we apply them. That is why some very worldly people who do not care a thing about God, Jesus, the Holy Ghost or His ways, or His Cross get exactly what they yearn for in this life. They, either consciously, or maybe sub-consciously understand the power of the spoken word, declarations, and envisioning what they wish to embrace in their atmosphere. All these principles truly DO WORK, but the Lord never intended that they be in place for us to "consume upon our lusts". He enacted these principles that we might see His kingdom carried out in this earth as it is in heaven.
As I am building myself up in the most holy faith, I have a new found desire to always envision how His work is carried out in heaven. Praying in the Holy Ghost will cause us to advance and model the atmosphere of heaven rather than the culture of earth. It's very easy to discern who is "praying in the Holy Ghost". If all they are doing "in the name of the Lord" resembles far more the sensual, carnal and "gimmicky" ways of the world, chances are they are getting inspiration from their own soulish desires more so than from the Spirit of God.
Simple rule: If I cannot see it happening on the golden streets of glory, I have a question mark regarding its source.
As I build myself up on the "most holy faith", I want to be true to the scripture,
And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall
also bear the image of the heavenly. 1 Corinthians 15:49
I believe these "heavenly verses" are not just for the after-life. I believe they are kingdom words to be pulled into the realm of time. After all, we are NEW CREATURES in Christ Jesus!
PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST will cause me to bear the image of the heavenly!
Why, because when one is truly "praying in the Holy Ghost" that is...praying for the mind and will of God, the Spirit of the Lord draws close. The dew of heaven distills upon our souls. In that place, deep consecration is made. Some times it all comes very easily. Sometimes there are gut wrenching decisions that take every bit of spiritual fortitude we possess to say NO to our own desires, and YES to God's holy way.
Now, let's look to the Word to shore up our understanding of what it means to "pray in the Holy Ghost". We've established the truth that praying in the Holy Ghost means we are submitting to the mind and will of God in our prayer life.
But, how can we be sure we are not mistaking our own religious inclinations for the Spirit of God? Sometimes we settle for a GOOD way when God has a BETTER way, yes...even a BEST way in prayer!
Let's look at Romans 8. It's that chapter that encourages us to walk in the Spirit. In Romans 7, we were struggling with our flesh, with our weaknesses that keep tripping us up, making us feel worthless and hopeless. But, in Romans 8, thank God, we find there is HOPE. We just need to learn to walk in the Spirit, and even LIVE in the Spirit. Then we will be overcomers. One thing that really will help us to "walk and live in the Spirit" which is crucial to our "building ourselves up in the most holy faith" is that we also PRAY IN THE SPIRIT, or PRAY IN THE HOLY GHOST. There are two ways in which I see this accomplished in the Word of God.
1. We accomplish this by praying in tongues.
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 1 Corinthians 14:2
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. 1 Corinthians 14:14,15.
As we read the above scriptures in context, we see that Paul is giving instruction for the operation of the gifts of the Spirit, and especially prophecy and tongues within the setting of the local church. But, he does not completely ignore the value of one's personal prayer life. When you pray in tongues, you are praying in the Spirit.
Apart from the Holy Spirit, you cannot know the mind of the Lord. Just as no one knows a person's thoughts except for the person himself or herself, so NO ONE can discern the mind of God apart from the Holy Ghost. That is one of the reasons why the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues is so important to the life of the believer.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:11.
Now...are we to just pray in tongues and dismiss our minds all together? For starters, it's good not to allow ourselves to go down a road of mindstrivings, so best to focus on the Lord rather than our own thoughts. But in the process, we find the Lord bringing understanding to us of what we are praying. Both 1 Corinthians 2, and 1 Corinthians 14 very clearly encourages us to believe God for a REVELATION of how the Spirit is praying! It takes some spiritual discipline, and time in prayer and waiting on the Lord, but you can know the mind of the Spirit of God as you faithfully PRAY IN THE HOLY GHOST! See 1 Corinthians 2:9. 10 and 2 Corinthians 14: 13,14.
NOTE: THE HOLY SPIRIT NEVER DISAGREES WITH GOD'S WORD. FILL YOURSELF UP WITH GOD'S WORD!!
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12.
2. We accomplish "praying in the Spirit" by yielding to the Holy Spirit, and allowing Him to pray within our beings. We allow Him to make "intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered."
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.
This is not referring to praying in tongues because in this case the Holy Spirit is praying with "groanings that cannot be uttered." As we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, we learn that within our innermost beings we come to experience the awareness that He truly works and moves within our vessels.
It's not easy to put into words, to capture the reality of spiritual things, but that one yielded to the Lord with a true "God-focus" will at times sense a brooding Inner Presence, at times, even a Troubling Presence, a sense of something occurring in the realm of the Spirit, and this is the Holy Ghost praying with groanings that cannot be uttered. This "Troubling Presence" is never to rob of us our peace, but to alert us we should pay attention and PRAY!
This may not be true of everyone who has experienced this type of intercessory prayer, but I have found that when the Lord prays through me in this way, it's usually after the fact that I come to knowledge of exactly what the Holy Spirit was praying about. It often has to do with very serious events, even calamities, and I have learned to be sensitive when I know the Spirit is praying within my spirit...to come aside, and give myself wholly to waiting on the Lord, and going with the flow of His Spirit.
Beloved friend, I truly believe that by PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST, we not only build ourselves up in the MOST HOLY FAITH, but I also believe we can shake up the kingdoms of darkness, and bring to the fore God's glorious kingdom of light! But...that's another article.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come to You, in the Name of Jesus, asking You to cause us to know a life of sensitivity to Your Holy Spirit. Help us to pray in the Holy Ghost, that we might build ourselves up in the Most Holy Faith.
In Jesus Holy Name,
Amen and amen.
Always in the Love of Jesus
CJ DiPilato