Today’s Reading | Jude
Praying in the Spirit
What does it mean to pray in the Spirit? How does one do that? There is often confusion about what Jude is asking us to do in this passage, but the answer is really quite simple. To pray in the Spirit means to be guided and led by Him. It means that we are not led by our own selfishness when we pray. That would not be praying in the Spirit but praying in the flesh. We also pray in the flesh when we pray using our own intellect. We request what seems to make sense to us and do not pray according to God’s wisdom. Praying in the flesh also includes asking God to energize what we want instead of seeking His will. Praying in the Spirit is not some mystical thing that only very spiritual people can do. It is something we all can and should do. How do we accomplish this? By letting God control our wants and seeking His will rather than our fleshly desires. Examine your prayer life. Are you praying in the flesh or in the Spirit? Is it God’s will you are seeking or your own? Are you selfishly asking God to conform to you or asking Him to conform you to what He desires? What needs to change in order for you to pray in the Spirit?
Today’s Questions
Say What?
How can you determine if you pray in the flesh?
So What?
In what ways can you determine that you are praying in the Spirit?
Now What?
What can you do to begin to eliminate your flesh from dominating your prayer life?
Then What?
In light of this passage, what personal commitment can you make?