The Spirit Helps Us Pray: A Biblical Theology of Prayer
This study seeks to explore, mainly from a biblical perspective, the entire scope of prayer. The goal is not merely to provide academic understanding, but the higher purpose of developing a corps of people who pray and who therefore make a difference for God in the world. As they are burdened and inspired to pursue diligently an active prayer ministry, they will enrich their own lives, impact their ministry to Christ and His Church, and consequently generate waves of spiritual influence to the ends of the earth.
We want also to encourage a distinctive Pentecostal perspective, having a twofold emphasis: (1) that all Spirit-filled believers take advantage of their access into the very throne room of God through our Savior and Mediator Jesus Christ and (2) that prayer become a power of supernatural dimensions through the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit. In this way prayer moves out of ritual and into reality. “Praying in the Spirit” becomes more than a biblical phrase: It becomes a conduit of divine intervention.
Communication with God is among the earliest recorded practices of humankind. It seems to have been as natural to Adam as nursing to a newborn. God’s evident intent was to be in constant and vital communion with those He created in His own image. He did not intend for people to have to make it on their own. Communion with Him was to be the umbilical cord through which His offspring would be sustained and joined to Deity.
But this communion became an early prey of evil. Though Adam and Eve began their earthly sojourn in holy and harmonious fellowship with their Creator, they do not appear to have lived long before they were endeavoring to hide from God rather than wanting to walk with Him “in the cool of the day” (Gen. 3:8). Such has become the pattern throughout the passing millennia of history. Because of neglect or the pernicious influence of evil, people have failed to avail themselves of the divine provision. Consequently, prayer has been commanded, as well as offered as a privilege.
Why are people still so reticent to experience the potential, the adventure, the almost unparalleled challenge, of prayer? Do they not comprehend the divine purpose of prayer? Are they strangely blinded to its value and benefit? Or do they simply not perceive the magnificent potential of prayer, both for the present and the future?
Whatever the case, we will probe deeply the many aspects of prayer in order to uncover a theology of prayer, applying it to the spiritual warfare that all believers are engaged in.
As you begin this book, seek not only to be informed, but also to be motivated. You need not wait until you finish reading the entire text before you put the principles into practice. Day by day submit to the Holy Spirit and depend upon Him. Let the Spirit speak to you along the way about when and how you should pray. Stop at the slightest prompting and pray for whatever the Spirit drops into your mind—in the way that the Spirit prompts. Set before you is a most exciting, intriguing, and challenging adventure. Pursue it prayerfully and with an open heart.
In line with the usage of both the KJV and the NIV, “LORD” is used in capitals and small capitals where the Hebrew of the Old Testament has the personal, divine name of God, Yahweh (which was probably pronounced ’ya-wā).1
In quoted Scripture, words the authors wish to emphasize are highlighted with italics.
For easier reading, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words are all transliterated with English letters.
A few abbreviations have been used:
BAGD: Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, Danker (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Literature)
Gk.: Greek
Heb.: Hebrew
ISBE: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
KJV: King James Version
LB: The Living Bible
NASB: New American Standard Bible
NIV: New International Version
NKJV: New King James Version
Phillips: The New Testament in Modern English, translated by J. B. Phillips
RSV: Revised Standard Version
Special thanks to Glen Ellard and his editing staff at Gospel Publishing House and to all who assisted in preparing this book.