But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 20-21)

Edification And Prayer

God has granted to His children the blessing of coming before Him and seeking blessings and petitions according to all He has promised. It is a most incredible offering of a loving Father to allow sinful creatures to stand in His presence, seeking forgiveness, mercy, and love. Prayer is the avenue of grace where the Creator invites His creation to talk with Him and commune with Him. Prayer is one of the highest blessings a child of God has with the Father. It is exclusive. All men can seek God but not all men can receive the blessings of God through prayer. Praying in the Holy Spirit is reserved for those who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit in baptism. Only children of God can ask for the blessings of the Father. The love of God is the blessing of sins washed away and a covenant established between men and God.

Faith comes from hearing the word of God. Prayer is an expression of that faith. The power of prayer is the edification it brings to the spirit when brethren pray for one another and with one another. Prayer is where the Holy Spirit strengthens the soul. Faith without prayer is a dead faith. Prayer without faith is a lost cause. Building one another up in the faith is where prayer connects the spirits to one another and to the Father. In the struggles of life, edification and prayer partner to strengthen one another in the bond of peace. Growth comes from the desire of the saints to help each other grow in Christ, praying together to share the challenges of life, and remaining steadfast in the love of Christ. Prayer is a natural part of war and going to war against the wiles of the devil requires much prayer and edification.

Praying in the Holy Spirit is not a miraculous manifestation. Every Christian received the gift of the Holy Spirit when they were baptized into Christ for the remission of their sins. The Holy Spirit bears witness the individual is a child of God. Prayer is the expression of faith found in the love of God granted by the mercy of Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Renewing the spirit of a devoted prayer life changes the up-look and the outlook of the child of God. Building oneself up in faith begins with prayer, talking to the Father, sharing with the Son, and filling oneself with the Holy Spirit. The natural response is to share this joy with others, leading to the building up of the church, who also learn the power of edification and prayer. Saints united in prayer is a force Satan cannot defeat. Every time a knee is brought down in prayer, the citadels of Satan fall.

The world can be dark and frightening, with many things to bring fear and consternation. Satan continually seeks to infuse his spirit of apathy, despair and distrust into the heart of God’s children. Fighting back against the wiles of the devil comes from the edification of united hearts in prayer who have renewed their spirits in the Holy Spirit. Standing against Satan with the Holy Spirit, the Father, and the Son will always end in glorious victory. A holy faith begins with prayer. The love of God exalts in prayer. Looking for the mercy of Jesus Christ is found in prayer. Eternal life? Answered in prayer. Renew a desire for prayer. Pray without ceasing.