Praying in the Spirit

“Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18).

Pentecostals misunderstand this phrase, pray in the spirit. They think it is referring to speaking in tongues. It is not.

Pray in Union with the Spirit

To pray in the Spirit is to pray in union with the Spirit. That is, to pray according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides the prayer through an inward urging.

And yes, this does include speaking in tongues. But it just not exclusive to that. As it is clear in the context of the passage. It includes every prayer and supplication.

Practical Guidance

And praying in the Spirit does not mean that the words are necessarily given to you. Sometimes it’s more like a prayer list. Somebody will come to mind, or some situation, and that is what the Spirit wants you to pray about.

So next time someone pops into your mind, maybe you should try praying for that person. Or if a situation comes into your mind, pray for that situation. In both cases, this is praying in the Spirit.

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Jay N. Forrest

Dr. Jay N Forrest is a Spiritual Teacher of the Anglican Middle Way, writing on Prayer, Meditation, and Mysticism. Jay became a Christian in 1983, attended Bible school, and eventually earned his Doctorate in Ministry. Jay served as a Protestant minister for 27 years, took catechism classes with the Orthodox Church of America, and spent about a decade practicing Buddhism. In 2005, Jay was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic Church, but has since joined the Episcopal Church.

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