The Connection Between the Holy Spirit and Prayer

The following is an excerpt from my book Abiding in the Vine that teaches on the connection between the Holy Spirit and prayer.

There is a connection in the Bible between the Holy Spirit and prayer. Many believers find prayer to be a difficult and laborious task, but this does not have to be the case. Prayer can be a joy and a delight when we realize that we are communing with God Himself and when we are empowered by the Holy Spirit in our prayers.

Let us look at some ways that the Holy Spirit is connected to prayer.

The Holy Spirit is attracted to prayer.

There are several times in the Bible where the Holy Spirit moves and comes upon people in the context of prayer. When the early church was waiting for the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Scripture says that they “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14). They were not just waiting passively; they were praying passionately. And then they were filled with the Spirit (see Acts 2:1-4).

Look also at Acts 4:31 (emphasis added): “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” The context of this passage is that the church was beginning to experience threats and persecution. Notice their first response; they gathered together to pray. As a result, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and had a fresh boldness to declare God’s Word.

Even in the case of Jesus being anointed with the Spirit for His ministry, there is a connection to prayer. In Luke’s version it says: “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him” (Luke 3:21-22, emphasis added). We can easily overlook the fact that Jesus was praying when the Holy Spirit came upon Him.

We can see from the above examples that prayer attracts the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit. To be a Spirit-filled believer you must be a praying believer. To be a Spirit-filled church you must be a praying church.

The Holy Spirit empowers us to pray.

Not only is the Holy Spirit attracted to prayer, He also empowers us to pray. Look at Romans 8:26-27: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

We do not always know what to pray for, but the Holy Spirit will lead us and empower us to pray according to God’s will. This includes (but is not limited to) praying in tongues by the Spirit’s power. Speaking in tongues can be a powerful weapon of prayer, and the Lord can use it to empower us to pray in accordance with His will, even if we do not know what we are saying.

Another key to Spirit-empowered prayer is learning to wait on the Lord so that He can lead us and direct us in what to pray. Too often we come to Him and merely go through our “laundry list” of requests. While there is nothing wrong with bringing our requests to God or having prayer lists, we must also allow the Spirit to guide us in prayer. I have personally found this to be one of the most difficult aspects of prayer, just waiting on the Lord in silence. But I have also found this to be the most rewarding part of prayer, as this is when God tends to manifest His presence to me the most.

Let us become people of prayer who seek the face of God and call upon His name. Let us pray until the Holy Spirit comes and fills us in a fresh way, and then let Him lead us and empower us to pray according to God’s will. As it says in Jude 1:20, let us build ourselves up in the faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

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Abiding in the Vine is a collection of 40 devotional writings that are meant to feed your spirit and draw you closer to God. Rich with the Word of God and insights into the Spirit-filled life, each reflection will bring understanding and encouragement, as well as challenge you to go deeper in your walk with Christ.