But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Jude 1:20

Mark the grand characteristic of true prayer—“In the Holy Ghost.” The seed of acceptable devotion must come from heaven’s storehouse. Only the prayer which comes from God can go to God. We must shoot the Lord’s arrows back to Him. That desire which He writes upon our heart will move His heart and bring down a blessing, but the desires of the flesh have no power with Him.

Praying in the Holy Ghost is praying in fervency. Cold prayers ask the Lord not to hear them. Those who do not plead with fervency, plead not at all. As well speak of lukewarm fire as of lukewarm prayer—it is essential that it be red hot.

It is praying perseveringly. The true suppliant gathers force as he proceeds, and grows more fervent when God delays to answer. The longer the gate is closed, the more vehemently does he use the knocker, and the longer the angel lingers the more resolved is he that he will never let Him go without the blessing. Beautiful in God’s sight is tearful, agonizing, unconquerable importunity.

It means praying humbly, for the Holy Spirit never puffs us up with pride. It is His office to convince of sin, and so to bow us down in contrition and brokenness of spirit. We shall never sing Gloria in excelsis except we pray to God De profundis: out of the depths must we cry, or we shall never behold glory in the highest.

It is loving prayer. Prayer should be perfumed with love, saturated with love—love to our fellow saints, and love to Christ.

Moreover, it must be a prayer full of faith. A man prevails only as he believes. The Holy Spirit is the author of faith, and strengthens it, so that we pray believing God’s promise. O that this blessed combination of excellent graces, priceless and sweet as the spices of the merchant, might be fragrant within us because the Holy Ghost is in our hearts! 

Most blessed Comforter, exert Thy mighty power within us, helping our infirmities in prayer.—Spurgeon

- Spurgeon lists what it means to pray in the Holy Spirit. Discuss each one with application.

- How can we cultivate praying in the Holy Spirit? 

Beloved, as we pray for ourselves, our families, and our friends we need to cultivate how to pray more fervently and consistently for the church. For one, we just need to start doing it—and encouraging others to do so. Here are some guidelines to help us pray for the church. Perhaps you could pray two or three of the points below per day for the next week—maybe in your quiet time, maybe at the family dinner table or family prayer time. 

Pray— 

1. That we would be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace— to have unity amid our diversity, loving one another as Christ loved us. 

2. That a mindset of discipling would form in which making disciples is viewed as an ordinary part of the Christian life. 

3. That the elders would shepherd the flock of God faithfully, using Scripture to train members to do the work of ministry, to the praise of His glory. 

4. That the deacons would be marked by joyful, sacrificial love that points others to the greatness of our God, giving Him all the glory for what He has done and is continuing to do.

5. That a hunger for studying the gospel would form among members so that they can guide and guard one another in it. 

6. That transparent, meaningful relationships would become common where the one-anothers of the NT are lived out. 

7. That God’s Word is faithfully preached—that it would be rightly divided and Spirit permeated. 

8. That God’s people would walk worthy of their calling, kept from temptation, complacency, idols, and worldliness. 

9. That the church’s songs would teach members to biblically give thanks, confess, lament, and praise. 

10. That the church’s prayers would be infused with biblical motivations, honesty, and humility. 

11. That the Sunday School, Nursery, Youth & Young Adults teachers grow in dedication to God’s Word. 

12. That the church would grow in being distinct from the world in love and holiness, even as it engages those outside. 

13. That believers would share the gospel as God gives opportunity—and see more conversions to the glory of God. 

14. That hopes for political, social change would be outpaced by the hope of heaven. 

15. That giving would be faithful, as well as joyful, consistent, and sacrificial.