Praying in the Spirit

We are able to do this by putting on the full armor of God.

God gives us the formula... or the guidelines.

We must pray always... do not worry about anything but bring everything to God in prayer -- And the peace of God which is beyond our utmost understanding will keep guard over your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-72. Does this mean that every word out of our mouth or thoughts must be a prayer? No... I don't think so, for how could we ask for a Coke and a burger at the drive-thru? How could we carry on our day to day conversations with our neighbors and our brothers? No, I believe this means just what Paul states... carry all things to God in prayer and never worry for that is a sin. Make it a conscious, deliberate process.

Confess our sins: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Confess your trespasses [5:16 NU-Text reads [Therefore confess your sins.] ] to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:163.

Repent. Acts 3:19 "Therefore [Acts 2:38; 26:20] repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that [2 Thess 1:7; Heb 4:1ff] times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

So what does that mean exactly?? If we confess our sin... If we turn from that sin... If we do not practice habitual sin... If we come to that emphatic decision that we will not do that sin again then bring it all to the Lord expecting Him to take care of it and provide that escape hatch when we are faced with that temptation again... Then and only then are we refreshed with the Lord's presence.

Does this mean that we'll eventually be perfect and free from sin? I doubt it. Because of our flesh nature, we'll always be faced with temptation of one form or another. Because we live in a world of sin that is in the process of passing away, it will be impossible for us to be completely sinless until we are transformed into our glorified bodies.

The true point is the heart intent with God because He always searches our hearts. 1 Chron 28:9; Rom 8:27; Rev 2:23.4.

What is the purpose of it? Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. [He is] always striving for you earnestly in his prayers, [pleading] that you may [as persons of ripe character and clear conviction] stand firm and mature [in spiritual growth], convinced and fully assured in everything willed by God.

And how do we "stand firm and mature in spiritual growth fully assured in everything willed by God? Start with Pray without ceasing bringing everything to the Lord in prayer Phil 4:6-7 and finish with prayer every day. This is how we continuously pray in the Spirit: Continual Spiritual growth and being "prayed up, confessed up and making that firm, conscious decision to bring it all to God. It is not rocket science and it basically depends upon our heart attitude. It also means that we should all recognize sin as sin. (This includes those "acceptable sins" like worry.)

Ecstatic language has it's place in worship and praise...but it is not the sole avenue for praying in the Spirit.

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