The Power of Praying in the Holy Spirit

Devotional

Day 1: When the Unlearned Prayer Becomes Your Power

A teenage boy’s mumbled words erupted into hours of Spirit-filled prayer, defying his religious upbringing. Tongues of fire still fall on those who ask—not as a performance, but as a divine ignition system. This unlearned language bypasses human limitations, connecting believers directly to heaven’s throne room. Like electricity through a wire, it carries resurrection power into dead places. The disciples’ upper room experience wasn’t a one-time event but a prototype for every hungry heart. What begins as awkward syllables becomes a lifeline when life storms hit. [09:33]

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: When has your “mumbled prayer” season unexpectedly become a conduit for God’s power? How might surrendering your need for eloquence unlock new spiritual vitality?

Day 2: Misunderstood Fire: When Others Question Your Encounter

The old mentor’s accusation—“You got filled with the devil!”—still stings decades later. Spiritual breakthroughs often face religious resistance, just as Jerusalem’s crowd mocked Pentecost as drunkenness. Yet the same fire that frightened critics ignited global revival. Authentic encounters with the Spirit transcend human approval ratings. Like David dancing before the ark, obedience matters more than observers’ opinions. Every revivalist from Smith Wigglesworth to the African village girl faced scrutiny. [10:54]

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues. (Mark 16:17, ESV)

Reflection: What God-moment in your life have others dismissed? How does Jesus’ promise in Mark 16 strengthen you when facing spiritual skepticism?

Day 3: Building Your Spiritual House Brick by Brick

Smith Wigglesworth’s secret wasn’t mystical rituals but daily construction work—praying in the Spirit like laying bricks. Each glossolalia prayer session fortifies believers against life’s hurricanes. This isn’t about emotional highs but structural integrity. Just as muscles grow through repetition, spiritual resilience comes through consistent heavenly dialogue. The disciples’ ten-day prayer marathon preceded their three-year ministry explosion. Your current “construction zone” is preparation for future miracles. [23:18]

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love. (Jude 1:20, ESV)

Reflection: Which area of your life feels structurally unsound? How could daily Spirit-led prayer reinforce your foundations?

Day 4: Groans Too Deep for Words: God’s Backup Prayer System

The exhausted missionary’s hotel room prayer marathon triggered village-wide healings he never consciously requested. When crisis outpaces vocabulary, the Spirit’s groan-language takes over. This divine backup system intercedes precisely where human words fail. Romans 8 isn’t abstract theology—it’s the mechanics of how a tired preacher’s prayer language realigns broken bones and broken lives. Your weakest moments become God’s greatest openings when surrendered to His intercessor. [34:14]

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Romans 8:26, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you felt “prayer bankrupt”? How might trusting the Spirit’s groan-language transform your approach to impossible situations?

Day 5: When Your Hotel Room Prayers Heal a Village

Crunching bones mending during an irritable altar call prove prayer’s power isn’t about mood or merit. The missionary’s reluctant obedience released a healing tsunami because the Spirit had already prayed it through. Tongues aren’t a party trick but a precision tool—like a surgeon’s scalpel guided by heaven’s hand. Your private prayers have public repercussions. That rushed morning devotion? It’s arming missionaries, softening hearts, and preparing miracles you’ll only discover in eternity. [49:01]

Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. (1 Corinthians 14:4, ESV)

Reflection: What forgotten prayer session might God be using right now to orchestrate someone’s breakthrough? How does this change your view of “small” spiritual habits?

Sermon Summary

Pentecost sets the tone: Acts 2 shows the Spirit filling all, not a select few, and giving a sign that immediately moves mission forward. The text gathers the church “all together in one place,” then God sends wind, fire, and speech, and the crowd hears the mighty works of God. That first overflow becomes the runway for everything else Jesus promised. The Spirit does not just visit. The Spirit empowers.

Mark 16 then pushes the implications further. The promise says real believers will drive out demons and speak with new tongues. That promise does not expire with the apostles. Peter names the scope as “your children” and “all who are far off,” and the story of the church confirms it across generations and nations.

The gift of tongues carries a concrete purpose. First Corinthians 14 says the one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself. The word there pictures a house builder. The Spirit builds the interior life with boldness and stamina when ordinary strength runs out. That is why Jude 20 commands the saints to build themselves up in the most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8 explains the mechanics. The Spirit helps human weakness, and the Spirit himself intercedes with groanings too deep for words. That intercession runs exactly on the will of God, and that is why God causes all things to work together for good for those caught up into that praying. Normal prayer is good, but when the mind runs out of words and the need is deeper than clarity, the Spirit takes the lead and prays the future into place.

The gift also refuses to stay small. Tongues belongs with the “tongues of men and of angels,” sometimes landing as a language unknown to the speaker yet perfectly known by the hearer. The Spirit turns a prayer line into a healing line, a closed heart into a bridal yes, a crushed bone into a crunch and a dance. The point is not technique. The point is surrender. Pentecost gives a first gift that launches the rest. Tongues becomes a steering wheel that pulls a believer into prophecy, healing, discernment, courage, and witness everywhere. The Spirit makes the weak strong, the tired useful, and the willing dangerously available. Click, it is on.

Key Takeaways

1. Pentecost empowers ordinary believers today The Acts 2 pattern shows God filling all who wait on him, not just leaders or experts. That filling is audible, visible, and practical, leading straight into witness and mission. The sign is not a novelty but a tool. The Spirit still does this wherever people gather hungry for Jesus’ promise. [02:45]
2. Tongues builds the inner house Paul names tongues as edification, a house builder that strengthens the inner life when resolve is thin. This is not hype but quiet construction, empowering boldness when discouragement hovers. Jude 20 treats it as a normal discipline for durable faith. Regular use forges resilience that shows up when it counts. [18:51]
3. The Spirit himself prays God’s will Romans 8 insists that prayer in the Spirit is God praying through his people with precision. That is why outcomes align for good, not by luck but by alignment with the will of God. When knowledge runs out, surrender opens a better vocabulary. The Spirit does the heavy lifting while the believer yields. [23:45]
4. Tongues launches believers into other gifts The first gift in the upper room becomes the runway into prophecy, healing, deliverance, and courage. Prayer in the Spirit tunes a life to God’s assignments in real time. As availability grows, the gifts follow, not as trophies but as tools for love. The Spirit makes ministry bigger than a person’s mood or energy. [50:44]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:53] - What Pentecost really means
[01:37] - Happy clappies vs chosen frozen
[02:09] - Acts 2 read and received
[03:14] - Gifts of the Spirit named
[04:09] - Saved in a good church, no Spirit
[06:48] - Jam session, Foursquare invite
[08:25] - Bible school and asking to receive
[09:33] - Kaboom: first prayer language
[10:54] - Accused of the devil, confusion
[11:55] - Mark 16 signs for believers
[13:32] - Global growth of Pentecost
[14:08] - Glosse, for every generation
[15:41] - Tongues of men and angels
[16:19] - Africa girl praises in English
[17:46] - Japanese village language moment
[18:16] - Why tongues: edifies, house builder
[20:06] - Smith Wigglesworth and Jude 20
[23:45] - Romans 8: the Spirit himself intercedes
[27:00] - Broken engagement and Spirit’s timing
[29:58] - Learning not to trust mere formulas
[31:07] - The 6AM prayer experiment
[35:37] - Overseas trip and deep fatigue
[37:37] - Two hours praying in the Spirit
[41:46] - No touch, everyone falls, even nuns
[45:34] - Crushed leg healed, crunch and joy
[48:21] - You did pray: God’s reminder
[50:44] - Tongues as the launchpad for gifts
[53:07] - Call to return and to receive
[54:59] - Simple prayer to be filled
[56:22] - You have received, now flow

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 2:1-4 (ESV)
"When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."

Observation Questions

What three supernatural signs accompanied the Holy Spirit’s arrival at Pentecost (wind, fire, speech), and why might these symbols matter for believers today?
According to 1 Corinthians 14:4, what does speaking in tongues accomplish for the individual? How does the sermon describe this as "building the inner house"? [18:51]
In Romans 8:26-27, how does the Holy Spirit assist believers in prayer when they feel weak or uncertain?
What example from the sermon illustrates how praying in the Spirit led to unexpected healing and alignment with God’s will? [48:43]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the Holy Spirit chose wind, fire, and speech as visible signs at Pentecost? How might these elements symbolize His work in believers’ lives today?
The sermon emphasizes that tongues are a “launchpad” for other spiritual gifts like prophecy and healing. Why might this gift be foundational for broader ministry? [50:44]
Romans 8:26-28 links the Spirit’s intercession with God causing “all things to work together for good.” How does surrendering control in prayer deepen trust in God’s plan, even in suffering?
The story of the broken engagement and restored relationship ([27:00]) shows the Spirit’s timing. Why is it hard to believe God’s “good” when circumstances seem dire?

Application Questions

When have you felt spiritually “weak” or unsure how to pray? What practical step could you take this week to lean into the Holy Spirit’s intercession (e.g., setting aside time to pray in tongues, journaling, or worship)?
The sermon describes tongues as a tool for “edification” during discouragement. How might you intentionally use this gift (or other spiritual disciplines) to strengthen your faith when facing challenges? [19:22]
Reflect on a time when God’s plan seemed unclear or delayed. How can Romans 8:26-28 reshape your perspective on waiting and surrendering to His will?
The story of the healed boy ([45:34]) highlights God’s power beyond human effort. Where are you tempted to rely on your own strength instead of the Spirit’s intervention?
If you’ve never prayed in tongues, what hesitations or questions do you have? If you have, how could you grow in consistency or expectancy for how God might use this gift?
The sermon warns against reducing spiritual gifts to “technique” and emphasizes surrender. What area of your life (ministry, relationships, work) needs less control and more Holy Spirit-led obedience?

Sermon Clips

47s

#SpiritPrayerRestores

“And he said, I started praying in the spirit. And he says, so while I'm praying in the spirit, I just started praying in the spirit for her. All of a sudden, my phone rang. He said, guess who it was? He said, it was her. I hadn't spoken to her since the breakup. And it was her on the phone. And she said, I don't know what happened, but the Lord just spoke to me and told me I've been wrong in all this, and yet I really am supposed to marry you. And they did indeed get married and have children and da da da da da. So quite the journey though. But God causes all things to work for good for those whom the spirit is praying through.”

42s

#HolySpiritEncounter

“Then how come I've never heard about the holy spirit in church? Not one sermon did I ever hear about the holy spirit. So I I went to one of my bible school teachers and one of the pastors. And I said, can you can you pray for me that I can receive this thing called the Holy Spirit? And he prayed and something happened. Nothing weird happened. I didn't feel anything. I actually I mumbled a couple words. That was it. But then when I went home, got on my knees at my bedside and prayed, kaboom. It just burst. And I just something came out of my mouth and I began to pray in the holy spirit and speak in the in the holy spirit for hours.”

46s

#PrayingHisWillWorks

“And the Lord said, you did pray. I said, when did I pray? And he said, when you prayed in the spirit in your hotel room, which I did do, I prayed in the spirit in my hotel room again for two hours. And what happened? God caused all things to work together for good because yes. Because he prayed his will and his will was that those people would be touched. Those people would be healed. Those people would be set free.”

32s

#SpiritLaunchesGifts

“Because I believe that was the first step and that gift launches you into all the other gifts. You pray in the spirit because it's according to the will of God. The will of God is that you would prophesy. It is the will of God that you would lay hands on the sick and they recover. That's bible. It is the will of God that you would be used by him. The holy spirit prays you into that. And so I just encourage people, you need to be praying in the spirit as much as you can. And again, he took the work out of it, so it's not really hard.”

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The Power of Praying in the Holy Spirit | Jerry Stott