481 - Learning How to Pray to the Holy Spirit

Can I Really Pray to the Holy Spirit?

If you ask most Christians, they will tell you their prayer life is usually directed to the “Father” or “God” or “Lord” and in the “name of Jesus”. Yes, there are some who actually pray to Jesus but seldom, if ever, do you hear of someone praying to the Holy Spirit. And why is that? Often it is because we have been taught by well-meaning Sunday School teachers that “We are never to pray to the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit always gives glory to the Father and the Son, and never to Himself.” Which is basically true but misses the point altogether. So the question remains, is praying to the Holy Spirit wrong?

In order to understand this key question, we have to look once again at the definition of the trinity. These are the facts from Scripture, even though they are difficult to understand.

One, God eternally exists as three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Two, each of them is fully God.

Three, there is one God.

This means Jesus and the Father are the same, yet separate. Therefore, if you have seen Jesus, then you have seen the Father (John 14:9). In fact, Jesus said “the Father who (what) dwells in Me (ménō – to remain, abide, live, to be united with someone in heart, mind, and will) does the work (referring to the works that Jesus does that He offers as proof that He and His Father are one and that He exists “in” His Father and His Father exists “in” Him.)

But what does that say about the Holy Spirit?

And Will the Holy Spirit Answer My Prayer?

As you will discover in this message, the relationship Jesus has with His Father is the same relationship the Holy Spirit has with us. Let that sink in. Jesus is “in” His Father and His Father is “in” Jesus (John 14:10). And we will find that the Holy Spirit resides “in” us as we are “in Christ.” The implications are staggering.

Consider the following few truths:

“And I will pray (ask, request) the Father, and He will give you another (állos – another of the same kind, not another as in different) Helper (paraklētos – just like Jesus), that He may abide (menō) with you (how long) forever— (described as) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot (no, not, never, under any circumstance) receive, (why) because it (the world) neither sees Him (John 3:8) nor knows (ginōskō) Him; but you know (ginōskō) Him, (how) for He (what) dwells (menō) with you and will be (what) in you” – John 14:16-17.

Therefore, since Jesus was soon to be crucified, resurrected, and ascended into heaven, He was able to encourage His disciples by saying:

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you (in the Person of the Holy Spirit)” – John 14:18.

And it gets even better.

But what does this have to do with our praying to the Holy Spirit and not just to God the Father or Jesus His Son? Ah, much. To discover more, keep listening.

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE