PRAYING WITH YOUR THOUGHTS 2
(week 21/11)
Olubi Johnson
In our article last week, we saw that we are to maintain constant communion with God by praying without ceasing with our thoughts.
Furthermore, we saw that our prayers with our thoughts are effective only if they are backed and mixed with prayers with our natural words (praying with the understanding), and with tongues and travail.
1Corinthians 14:14-15 KJV: For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. (15) What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
This week, we will see how to mix praying with our thoughts with praying with our natural words
A useful illustration that will help us understand (Rom. 1:20) the link between praying in the Spirit, praying in the understanding and praying with your thoughts is to liken praying with travail to flying with a jet engine at constant altitude; praying with tongues flying to take off or to land; praying with the understanding to moving with a car and praying with your thoughts to walking with your legs.
So, if you were to want to walk into a house in London from a house in Ibadan Nigeria (this would be equivalent to wanting to use your thoughts to pray about something that required a great measure of spiritual power just like the distance between Ibadan and London is a great distance) the you could not just walk there directly with your legs; you would have to:
1. Walk out of the house in Ibadan…i.e. pray with your thoughts
2. Travel in a car to the airport…i.e. pray with your understanding
3. Use your legs to enter a plane…i.e. pray with your thoughts
4. The plane would first move on the ground very fast before taking off…i.e. pray with your understanding.
5. The plane would then take off to gain the necessary altitude…i.e. pray with tongues and travail.
6. The plane will then fly at that altitude for long while…i.e. praying with travail
7. The plane will then descend and land as it gets to the airport in the London…i.e. praying with tongues and travail.
8. You would then get out of the plane by walking…i.e. praying with your thoughts.
9. Go to the house you want to get to by a car…i.e. praying with your natural words.
10. Enter the house in London by walking…i.e. praying with your thoughts.
So, we see that for praying with our thoughts to be effective, we have to release a sufficient measure of the power of God by praying with the understanding, tongues and travail: mixing these other kinds of prayers with praying with our thoughts.
This was the thought behind Paul’s instruction in
Philippians 4:6-8 MKJV: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (7) And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (8) Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things.
In everything we are to pray with our thoughts asking for mercy (supplication is a plea for mercy) in all situations with thanksgiving. Then in addition to this, we are to pray concerning the same issues at other times: daily or weekly or monthly or at other times as prompted by the Spirit with all kinds of prayer in the Spirit and with the understanding. By doing this, we are constantly asking God for mercy: with our thoughts, with the understanding and with tongues and travail; the mercy of God so received will release the life of God into our souls: will, mind and emotions constantly causing our hearts to be kept in constant peace.
Ephesians 6:18 MKJV: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
Jude 1:20-21 KJV: But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, (21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Romans 8:6 NKJV: For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Praying without ceasing in this manner: mixing praying with our thoughts, with praying with the understanding and praying with tongues and travail will constantly ensure we are free from worry and anxiety by God’s peace keeping our wills, mind and emotions in all situations at all times.
