“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.”—Philippians 4:6-

“Pray without ceasing.”—I Thessalonians 5:17- For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)—II Corinthians 10:4-

 

There are two participants involved with prayer in the Spirit-The Holy Spirit and us. Our part is to pray “always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” and “to be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” This doesn’t mean that we have to be on our knees all day and night with eyes closed in prayer. Praying in the Spirit is an inner activity of the mind and spirit where we maintain a type of open dialogue with God though the Holy Spirit. Outward actions such as bowing the head and closing the eyes may help us focus better on God, but it’s the inner communication with God that matters most.
 When we pray, we need to be in control of our thoughts. If our thoughts are stuck on sinful fantasies, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to pray. This is one of the reasons why we are to use the spiritual weapons, that God gives us to cast down imaginations and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
     Sometimes our prayers are our way of simply  telling God what to do. We often pray our will instead of His will be done (Matthew 6:10). In situations where God’s will is unclear, we should take care not to presume His Will. Praying in the Spirit doesn't require that we speak intelligible words but simply that we lift up the situation to God, and trust the Holy Spirit will intercede perfectly for us.
     Speaking in tongues is often used in praying in the Spirit. Tongues is a vehicle by which our spirit prays, while our mind may not understand what we are praying. Paul described this in (1 Corinthians 14:14-5):”For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.”
     Some people refer to tongues as a special “prayer language.”  Paul    mentioned  that he frequently spoke in
tongues and wished that other believers would do the same (1 Corinthians 14:5,18). There are some important things that happen when we pray in the Spirit.

 

Specifically, praying in the Spirit:

1.  Perfects our prayer (Romans 8:26).
2. Takes our case directly before God (Romans 8:27)
3. Increases effectiveness of prayer for others     
    (intercessory prayer) (Romans 8:27).
4. Aligns our prayer with God’s will (Romans 8:26-27).


  To put on the “full armor” and enjoy a daily and eternal love-relationship with Jesus Christ, you need to thank Him for what He has shown you in His Word. Know the scriptures behind your prayer so that your words and faith are grounded in the authority of the Bible. Pray through using each piece of the armor.

 

You can use the following prayer as an outline:

THE BELT of TRUTH: Thank You, God for showing me the truth about Yourself. Thank You for reminding me that You are the God, the Creator of Heaven and earth, the King of the universe, my Father who loves me and my Shepherd who leads me. You are my wisdom, my counselor, my hope and my strength. You are everything I need each day.

THE BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS:
Thank You for showing me the truth about myself-that on my own I could never be good enough to live in Your presence. Thank You for Jesus who took my sins to the cross and offered me His righteous life. God show me any sin that I need to confess right now, so that nothing will hinder me from being filled with Your overflowing Spirit. Thank You for forgiving me and for filling me with Your righteous life.

THE SANDALS of PEACE: Thank You for the  peace You give me when I trust and follow You. Show me how to help others find that peace.

THE SHIELD of FAITH: Thank You for helping me have faith in You. I choose to count on everything You have shown me about Yourself-and everything You have promised me in Your Word.

THE HELMET of SALVATION: Thank you for promising me salvation both for today’s battles and for all eternity.

THE SWORD of the SPIRIT-the WORD of GOD: Thank You for the scriptures You have given to me to memorize. Please show me which one, that I will benefit from today, so that I might have victory.