DEEPER LEVELS OF PRAYER
by Robert Fitts
While in a group prayer meeting recently, the Lord revealed an exciting truth to me. It was a simple word that started me to thinking. He said, "You are always receiving more in the Spirit when you pray than you can experience or express." As I thought upon this word, I was encouraged, for who cannot testify that he has often felt very dry in his times of prayer? I certainly have, even in group prayer! I should say, especially in group prayer!
My first teachers in the life of faith leaned heavily on logic, intellect and reason. They taught me, not in so many words, but strongly implied, that in order for anything to have any spiritual value it had to pass the test of reason, knowledge and understanding. As if anything outside the realm of our understanding could possibly have any value. This is a defective teaching in the light of the fact that there are so many mysteries in God that go beyond the reach of our intellect and our understanding.
How can Jesus actually come into our spirit and make His home there?
How can the fullness of God in the person of Jesus Christ make my spirit His dwelling place?
How does He change me into His image and likeness from one degree of glory to another?
How can He communicate to me in the spirit without the use of words or consecutive thoughts?
How can I commune with Him in the spirit without speaking words to Him?
All of these questions, and many more, make it clear to me that if we wait upon our understanding to catch up with reality, we will not experience very much growth in the things of the spirit. Spiritual growth does not depend entirely upon grasping truth with our minds. The deeper mysteries of God are perceived in the spirit and embraced by faith. Paul speaks of just such an experience when he says, "When I pray with my spirit, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful . . . He that speaks in tongues, speaks not to men but to God for no man understands him, howbeit in the spirit he is speaking mysteries . . . He that speaks in tongues edifies (builds up) himself.”
Those who have experienced speaking in tongues will agree that this is a form of communion with God and a release in the spirit into a new dimension of prayer that was not open to them in their own language. There is an opening up into a new realm of spiritual reality as we enter into this form of prayer.
There is another level of prayer that also enters into the realm of the mystical and supernatural and which also goes beyond the reach of the intellect. This is a very simple form of prayer. Some may question as to whether it is actually prayer at all. It is mentioned in Romans 8:26, "The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that we cannot express . . . he intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." This is prayer that supersedes our intellect and reason, for words are incapable of expressing this kind of prayer. But we know, according to what Paul says here, that it is prayer to God and that it is intercession for us and for the saints that is always in accord with God's perfect will. It is perfect prayer birthed in our spirit by the Holy Spirit.
Charles Spurgeon said of this kind of prayer, “There are some prayers that break the backs of words.”
In Romans 8:15: "You have received the spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry 'Abba', Father." The Spirit we have received is a praying Spirit. He came into us "crying” which means “crying out to the Father.” The Spirit of Jesus within us is a crying (praying) Spirit. And He is continually praying, non-stop, if He is not grieved, resisted, or quenched. This is unceasing prayer.
In Galatians 4:6 Paul says, "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'" In Romans 8:15 it is 'we' who are crying "Abba, Father" by means of the Spirit of His Son, but in the Galatians passage it is the Spirit of His Son in us who is crying, “Abba, Father.” This is a form of silent prayer. Even when we are not crying, or groaning, or speaking in tongues, or in our own language, there is a silent prayer ascending from our spirit to God by means of the Spirit of Jesus within us. Some have called this, "The prayer of silence".
There is a prayer of silence that we can enter into by a total surrender to the indwelling Christ. He prays for us, interceding for the saints, crying out to our Abba, Father, for us and through us in a prayer of silence. (the English equivalent of “Abba” would be “Daddy.“)
The interaction between my spirit and the Spirit of God is not limited within the boundaries of my intelligence, knowledge, or understanding. There are levels of prayer that extend beyond into the mysteries of God that go beyond felt experience, or expression in human terms. There are times when we can only exclaim with Paul: "By faith we understand." (Hebrews 11:3)
Robert & Joni Fitts
76-6309 Haku Pl.
Kona, HI 96740
