#1504. Pray In The Spirit (28/4/26)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted, at present, every weekday) as we continue our Ephesians series: Ephesians - To the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God.

I wonder what comes to mind when you hear the phrase, 'pray in the Spirit.'

Today, let’s reflect on this often misunderstood or overlooked truth.

To pray in the Spirit means praying in the Spirit’s presence, under the Spirit’s influence, and with His help.

To watch this devotional, please select the link below:

Having put on the full armour of God - a subject we’ve explored in previous devotionals - we are now called to ‘pray in the Spirit.’

This means at least three things:To pray in the Spirit means at least three things:

i. Pray in the presence of God

To pray in the Spirit means that we embrace a New Covenant understanding of prayer and worship. Too often, we think of prayer as going to a sacred place in order to meet with God. However, the New Testament shows us that, through Christ, we can meet with God anywhere.

When Jesus died, the curtain of the temple was torn in two—signifying new and direct access to God through the Spirit. This is why we read:

If we have received Jesus as Lord and Saviour, we now have access to God as our Father by the Spirit. We can pray and worship anywhere, and at any time.

ii. Pray as inspired by the Spirit

To pray in the Spirit also means allowing Him to shape and guide our prayers.

We pray in line with His will, using His Word and promises as fuel. For example, praying the Psalms can be a powerful way to pray in the Spirit.

It also means being sensitive to His prompting - especially when praying with others. He may stir our compassion, awaken our conscience, or ignite zeal so that we pray for what is on God’s heart

iii. Pray for the Spirit’s help

This section begin with:

These phrases - ‘be strong in the Lord’ and ‘pray in the Spirit’ - act like bookends to this passage. To be strong in the Lord, we must not only put on the armour but also depend on the Spirit through prayer.

We are to pray for ourselves and for ‘all the Lord’s people’ (v.18), asking that we be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. Paul models this when he writes:

Response

To pray in the Spirit is to pray in His presence, under His influence, and with His help.

When we pray - personally or together as a church - are we aware that we are truly meeting with God? He is present. How might our devotion and expectation change if we genuinely believed this?

Do you feel weak or spiritually dry? Do you believe in the resurrection power that the Holy Spirit gives? Are you praying - for yourself and for others - to be freshly strengthened by Him?

Community Group Study

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 

2. Icebreaker

Something that builds relationships and confidence to share; it’s good to regularly use this moment to ask the group: How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.

On Sunday, we continued our new series entitled: Ephesians: to the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God. 

Our message was on the theme of, Pray In The Spirit. 

Please read Ephesians 6:18-20 and discuss:

• Personal Reflection – From Sunday’s message and this passage, what stood out to you? Was there anything the Spirit particularly impressed on your heart?

• The armour of God - What link is there between putting on the armour of God and prayer?

•  Pray in the Spirit - What are the various things that are meant by ‘Pray in the Spirit’?

• All kinds of prayer - What are the various kinds of prayer that the Spirit leads us into?

• Response - How do you think you’d like to grow in ‘praying in the Spirit’? 

SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

• Prayer leads to power -  From our text, what do we learn about the need for prayer in mission? 

• Sharing Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing stories of how we’ve seen God at work through simple faithfulness.

• Practical Next Steps – Who might God be placing on your heart at this time? Are there any “people of peace” (see note) in your life—those who seem open, welcoming, or receptive to spiritual conversation?

Let’s Pray Together

Let’s pray for one another in light of what we’ve studied and bring any other needs before God.

• Pray for courage, wisdom, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in our Serve, Invest, and Invite opportunities.

• Pray specifically for the ‘people of peace’ in our lives - that God would open hearts and deepen relationships.

• General prayer: From our study, or from personal needs, how do people want prayer?