Praying in a Heavenly Language

There tends to be an amazing diversity to the Biblical call to pray always "in the Spirit".   In the first century this would be interpreted by some Jews as praying in Hebrew.  Along the same vein my Dad thought the language of heaven was Gaelic, but I doubt if he thought that Gaelic was praying in the Spirit.  Some would teach that when our spirit mingles with the Holy Spirit, one of the outcomes is spiritual prayer.   Dr. Sam Storms makes this really practical suggesting that among many things Paul means that we should pray:

"(a) as the Spirit prompts us,
(b) in the strength and power the Spirit supplies,
(c) always asking the Spirit to bring to mind the truths of God's Word that are relevant to the person or subject of our intercession, and
(d) always and ever dependent on the Spirit to cleanse our minds of sin and guard us against distraction and frustration." [1]

Does this dismiss "tongues"?  No.  The same Greek phrase ( ἐν πνεύματι ) is used in 1 Corinthians 14:13-19 so Paul probably has tongues in mind if one has such a spiritual gift (not all do (1 Corinthians 12:30)).  To pray "in the Spirit" as the eminent theologian Charles Hodge points out means to essentially pray  "under the influence of the Spirit, and with his assistance, whose gracious office it is to teach us how to pray, and to make intercessions for us with groanings that cannot be uttered; Romans 8:26."[2]

As noted by R. Kent Hughes, "Apart from the Spirit's assistance, our prayers are limited by our own reason and intuition. But with the Holy Spirit's help they become informed by Heaven."  Is that not what we want?  And would it not be the most logical that in Paul's flow of thought whereby he writes: "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,"[3] that he primarily means for us to use the Spirit-inspired Scriptures to determine the clear will of God and pray by the Spirit for God's will to be done?   Thus whenever we are praying for the will of God, we are indeed praying in the Spirit.

"“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:9-10, NASB95) 


The language of Heaven is that characteristic style of communication that earnestly desires the will of God, above all things.  Let us pray this way!

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1. http://www.enjoyinggodministries.com/article/in-the-spirit-18/
2. Charles Hodge, Commentary on Ephesians, electronic ed. (Simpsonville SC: Christian Classics Foundation, 1996). 391.
3. New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. Ephesians 6:17-18