Lesson 4. “Effective Prayer” School. Author Mary Alice Isleyb recommends praying with understanding.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians:
Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and be watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Eph. 6:18
We know that Paul taught the Ephesians to develop the ability and desire to pray always and with every kind of prayer in their Christian lives.
Continuing our discussion of fervent, effective prayer, in this chapter we will discuss how we should pray and what every kind of prayer should include. This is Prayer with Understanding.
In the Bible, we often see men and women devoting themselves to prayer as they seek the face of the Lord. They pray based on their understanding, in accordance with the character and Word of God—and they achieve amazing results!
It is very important that we pray with understanding. Spirit-filled believers who use their personal prayer language may think that this is not so important, but it is a powerful tool the Lord has given us to make His will attainable on earth today.
Let us look at 1 Corinthians 14:14–15:
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What shall I do, then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
In verse 14, Paul explains: “When I pray in the spirit, my spirit prays, but my mind remains unfruitful. My mind is inactive. When I pray in tongues, my spirit prays. Now I must concentrate on what I am doing, since my mind remains uninvolved.” Paul describes how spiritual things work and how a believer filled with the Spirit should act.
Use Your Mind
Your mind plays an important role in your prayer life! In verse 15, Paul says that he will pray both with his spirit and with his mind. Paul was very strong in praying in tongues, yet he emphasizes: “I will also pray with my mind.”
Notice that Paul had two well-developed aspects of his prayer life. He prayed well in tongues: “...I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Cor. 14:18). Perhaps even as he traveled from city to city, he prayed in tongues constantly. But on the other hand, he also prayed with his mind.
As you read Paul’s letters to the churches, you will find that the Holy Spirit inspired him to pray in tongues, but not without understanding. The Holy Spirit brings our inner person to life, and in the same way He brings our minds to life for prayer. Many charismatics love praying in tongues, and rightly so, since the New Testament emphasizes it. But if you look at believers’ prayer lives, you will find that prayer with understanding is poorly developed among them.
Praying in tongues is easy: your spirit prays, and you only need to open your mouth. You do not think while doing it, and sometimes that is good, because thinking is all we have done throughout our lives.
Thank God that we can pray without involving our minds, but this must not be an excuse for not praying with our minds.
The Choice Is Yours
Notice what else Paul writes in this verse: “I speak in tongues.” He did not wait for the Holy Spirit to tap him on the head before he began praying in tongues. No, he declares: “I speak in tongues.” You can do the same.
Paul also said: “I will pray with my mind. I choose to pray with my mind.” Again, he does not wait for a prompting from the Holy Bible or say, “I am waiting for holy words.” The Author of the Holy Book—the Holy Spirit—is in you, and when you decide to pray with your mind, He will simply bring you to life, help you, lead you, and shape your words. He gives you a choice in prayer.
Because praying in tongues is easy, we often fail to develop prayer with understanding. We simply lack practice. When we begin a prayer life, it is like exercising muscles we have not worked out in a long time; at first, it can be painful.
That is exactly how many people feel when they pray. It becomes “painful,” and after five minutes of exercise, they are ready to give up.
This is not because they do not know how to pray or do not want to. That cannot be, because every believer’s heart has a desire to pray. Jesus is a warrior of prayer; He lives in you! And it cannot be that you do not love to pray; you adore praying!
You simply were not taught, or you do not practice—that is all. The problem is that you have not developed the necessary “muscles.” But now the time has come when you pray in tongues for hours. And suddenly someone says, “Let’s pray with understanding.”
“Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus. Hallelujah. Oh, how painful and uncomfortable this is.” The good thing is that the more you practice spiritually, the more you grow spiritually. The more you pray with understanding, the better you become at it.
One simple thing to understand is that praying with understanding requires you to think about what you are praying for. And that is harder than praying in tongues.
God gave us a mind so that we would use it. Although many people think the mind is their greatest enemy. But the Lord wants us to renew our minds and then use them.
The Bible says much about the mind. God wants to turn it from your enemy into your greatest blessing. Moreover, you need it in order to enter into life. When it is renewed, it begins to think correctly, in agreement with the Bible, and this helps you live in victory. In fact, this is the key to such a life, because when you think correctly, you believe correctly.
The reason for people’s low level of faith is that they think incorrectly about the Bible and spiritual things.
Your mind is important as a warrior of prayer, which is why you need to use it when you pray.
One translation of 1 Corinthians 14:14 reads: “I pray with my understanding.” Your mind was created to help you pray. So, when we speak of praying with understanding, we mean the mind in action—whether your intellectual ability or capacity to think, or the use of a language you know. God wants you to be strong and developed in this area of prayer.
Pray with the Word
One of the keys to praying with understanding is praying the Word of God. We could even say that praying with the mind means praying the Word. It is very interesting to pray Bible verses and make an effort to do this regularly.
Why do we pray the Word? Because the Lord always honors His Word, not merely human ideas and thoughts. 1 John 5:14–15 says:
And this is the confidence that we have in Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us;
And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we receive what we have asked of Him.
Our confidence in prayer is based on asking in agreement with the will of God. Of course, we know that Jesus is the will of God in action; Jesus is the Word, so we can say that the Word is the will of God. When we pray the Word, we pray in agreement with His will. Therefore, we pray not about the problem but about the solution, because Bible verses and biblical principles are the answer to problems. Our confidence lies in the Word of God!
God asks, “Do you want Me to hear you?” Of course we do—how can we pray to a God who does not hear us? The Bible says that we know God hears us. Why? Because we pray in agreement with His Word and His will. The Lord wants us to grow in this and become stronger in praying the Word.
So, we are ready and eager. But how do we begin? Let me say right away: it will not happen immediately. You need to practice and use the Bible when you pray.
God does not look at how skilled you are at this kind of prayer. He looks at your heart and the words you speak. He does not look at what helps you in prayer. Unite your faith with the verses of the Bible. Take it, open it, and choose the passages you need for prayer.
And it is not at all necessary to close your eyes. Yes, sometimes we do, but it is not a rule. Pray using verses from the Bible; let them become familiar to you.
Pray from your heart
If you are going to pray about fear, make a list of Bible verses about fear. Pray from your heart, engage your mind, and speak the verses—but not like a robot simply rattling off memorized passages from the Bible, hoping they will work. No, you must put your heart into it. Act as though you are speaking with God, because that is exactly what you are doing.
Here is an example of such a prayer: “Our Father, Lord, Your Word says that You have not given me a spirit of fear, but have given me a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind; I thank You. This is Your will for me. I receive all of this and declare that, yes, I have been given a spirit of love and wisdom that speaks to me. I praise You for this, Father. And I completely renounce and cast out the spirit of fear. According to this verse, fear does not belong to me! Fear, leave my life in the name of Jesus!”
The Lord honors His Word in your life and in the situations you pray about. Our Lord keeps the covenant-sealed promise He has given to His children.
The more of the Word of God you speak, the more familiar you become with it in your mind, and the easier it will be for you to pray the Word without reading directly from the Bible.
Simply allow the Word of God to flow from your inner person, through your mind, into the situation you are currently facing. You have to start sometime, so do not be afraid or ashamed.
This is exactly how I learned to pray in English. I would walk around and pray the Word of God over myself, my family, and my circumstances for about an hour a day. At first, I saw no changes, but after some time I saw the Word of God begin to work through my prayers, because I repeated them regularly and believed them.
After some more time, the verses from the Word were already deeply rooted in me, and I learned to speak with the Lord according to His Word.
Pray Paul's Prayers
The second way to begin praying with understanding is to pray Paul's prayers. Pray them continually for yourself, your family, and your friends.
Make them personal by inserting your own name or the name of the person you are praying for.
You will find prayers you can use in Philippians 1:9–11, Colossians 1:9–12, and Ephesians 3:14–21. If you begin praying these verses, you will become increasingly able to pray with understanding.
Another way to practice is to find a verse that applies to your situation and pray it word by word, phrase by phrase. For example, we prayed for a meeting in the Soviet Union, for a strong anointing, and for those who would preach. We turned to 1 Corinthians 2:4 and prayed: “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” (Pour your whole heart into these lines. Realize that through them you are speaking with God. Pray these words again and again.)
Then pray in tongues if you wish. Return to this again and again. Read and speak the Word of God. Pray with your mind. Pray in tongues. Pour out your prayers. Such prayer is powerful in your life.
God has a verse for every situation in life. It may be difficult to find the right verse, but once you do, pray it, hold on to it in faith, and watch for God's answers to your prayer through that verse. Use the Bible as your guide, your prayer primer!
The Fruits of Praying with the Mind
Praying with understanding accomplishes many wonderful things in our lives. First and foremost, it shapes the course of our thoughts. If praying in tongues builds up our inner person, then prayer with the Word—praying with understanding—builds up our mind.
Of course, you know that our minds need to be built up. The mind is a bridge between the spiritual person and the natural world. What comes from your heart and spirit must pass through your mind, and this productively builds you up. When you pray the Word of God, it instructs your mind.
I often turn to prayer when I feel tired, my thoughts are far away, and I cannot concentrate at all. As soon as I begin quoting the Word, everything immediately changes.
My mind awakens when I speak the Word of God. And I do it with all my heart, out of love for God, not because religion compels me.
Regular prayer and declaration of the Word help people have sound, healthy, strong thoughts. The Word of God directly affects a person's brain activity. Why? Because you have a natural ability to perceive what you say and do. In this way, it is much easier to unite your mind with the life of the inner person and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
I do not understand other tongues with my mind, but my spirit understands, and when I pray in tongues, my spirit is built up. My mind understands this kind of prayer: “Father, I thank You that I am a new creation in Jesus Christ. I thank You, Father, that everything old has gone from my life, and my life has become different. Father, I praise You because the Holy Spirit lives in me. He is my Helper; He is my Strength.” Your mind understands what you want to express through this prayer, and this gives it strength and instruction.
God wants your spirit and mind to be built in such a way that they can work together. When your mind is built up, strengthened, and enlightened by the truth of the Word of God, your mind and spirit then move in the same direction, and you can see powerful results in your life.
How to Preserve This Revelation
The second fruit of prayer with understanding is that your mind opens to receive what God is saying to you and about you. The Bible says, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint…” (Proverbs 29:18). When you pray the Word of God, it always reminds you what you have, who you are, and what the Bible says about God and His ways in your life. You will be able to receive fresh and clear revelations.
Prayer with the Word of God reminds you what God says about the life of a Christian and His promises. Thus, His will is always before your eyes. Indeed, He often repeated in the Old Testament: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth” (Joshua 1:8).
“Pay attention to my words, and incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart” (Proverbs 4:20–21). One way is to preserve the revelation, see it, pray it, and speak about it.
The third benefit of Prayer with Understanding is the release of faith. Do you know why? When you pray in a familiar language according to the Word of God, you perceive His will with your mind.
You can also release (feel and demonstrate) your faith by praying in tongues and believing that it truly works. But when you pray the Word, it is directed to your mind; it is clear and precise, you understand it, and as a result, faith rises—and this will certainly produce results.
Another fruit—and it is truly remarkable—is that prayer with understanding requires you to give part of yourself, part of your soul, to God. This happens because you must think about what you are doing. When you meditate on the Word, read it, and declare it, you give part of yourself! Of course, the same thing happens when you pray in tongues, but that is a different way; it does not require the same mental preparation. You offer a sacrifice, using your mind to gather verses and facts and present them to the Lord when you pray.
Prayer with understanding is hard work, but once you learn it, you will make your life richer and stronger. God loves it when people remember Him. His Word says so (Isa. 43:26). He respects and honors His Word in your life when you address it to Him with understanding.
Old Testament Prayer
Have you noticed that in the Old Testament, God’s people did not have the ability to pray in tongues? They simply could not, because they had not been baptized in the Holy Spirit. They prayed only with their minds and saw powerful results. They knew how to cooperate with God. They prayed and spoke with Him as required by His Word and His character. God honored their prayers, and they saw answers to them.
The Bible gives many examples of Old Testament prayers. The Old Testament was written as instruction for us, and today, even though the New Testament dominates our lives, we can also apply the principles of the Old Testament. We are under a different and better covenant, with better promises and the Holy Spirit; but we can look back at the Old Testament and see God’s character in its purest form. And He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
Talking with God Face to Face
When Scripture tells how people prayed in Old Testament times, it reveals that Moses spoke with the Lord face to face, as a person speaks with his best friend (Exod. 33:11). Moses had not even been born again as we understand it today, yet he had fellowship with God. He persistently approached the Lord’s throne, spoke with Him, and prayed to Him—the God of heaven and earth. And God answered him and cooperated with him just as you would with your friend.
Men and women under the Old Testament prayed out of respect for the Lord, and also because they had a friendship with Him. God saw their friendly attitude toward Him, and they sensed God’s friendliness toward them. God also respected His people because they kept their promises and made vows before Him. He sought people whose hearts were open to Him and considered this a manifestation of faith on earth!
Genesis 18 tells of Abraham’s friendship with God. God wanted to share what was in His heart with Abraham because He knew Abraham’s character; He knew that Abraham would be able to lead his household in the way of the Lord (Gen. 18:19). Abraham’s life was connected with the Lord. God visited him and spoke with him as one person speaks with a friend. God shared His secrets with Abraham!
How do you usually communicate with your closest friend? You share something personal and important to you with a friend you trust. Such a relationship existed between God and people in Old Testament times. Abraham was a man to whom God entrusted His thoughts.
In Genesis 18:17 we read: “And the Lord said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?’” God did not intend to hide His plans from him. He wanted to reveal them to someone and knew that if He spoke with Abraham, Abraham would respond positively to His will. Today, God wants to have such relationships with people on earth as well. Yes, many have had their relationship with God restored through the New Testament, but God is seeking exactly the kind of relationship He had with Abraham. I want God to relate to me in the same way, and you should want this too!
Since God knows that we are entrusted with His plans for the earth, I want His response to be: “She knows the situation, so she will talk with Me about it. She will work with Me to fulfill My plans and ideas. She knows Me, and I have watched over her; I know her. In her, I see a friend.”
And now let us look at how Abraham spoke with God: “And the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham still stood before the Lord” (Gen. 18:22). Abraham stayed behind to talk with God.
And Abraham drew near and said, “Will You indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Gen. 18:23–24
Abraham spoke with God based on his understanding of a type of prayer called intercession: prayer for someone or something, for the fulfillment of the Lord’s plans on earth. He prayed for the people of the city of Sodom. Intercessory prayer will be discussed in the next chapter; for now, it is important to note that he prayed for those people according to his understanding.
Continuing to pray, he uttered a remarkable phrase: “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes, have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord” (verse 27). Abraham took responsibility for speaking with God about this serious matter. Prayer was part of his lifestyle. And I decided for myself that I would be like Abraham: I would take responsibility for speaking with the Lord about His will and plans on earth.
The story goes on to tell how Abraham pleaded with God to spare the city of Sodom and not destroy it for the sake of the righteous. God answered Abraham’s prayer. The city did not deserve to be spared from God’s righteous judgment, but God said He would grant Abraham’s request. God wanted to destroy the city, but Abraham’s faith, expressed through persistent prayer, saved his relatives from destruction!
God, Our Friend in Prayer
If this was possible in the Old Testament, then it is possible for us as well. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). You and I can become close friends with God. In the New Testament, we are His children, but we can develop deep personal relationships with Him and enjoy the fact that He is not only our Father, Master, and Lord, but also our friend.
You can talk with Him, and He will open His heart to you, while you open yours to Him. There will be respect and mutual understanding between you, and He will give you wonderful answers to prayer because you have developed this kind of relationship with Him.
The Bible gives many examples from the Old Testament of men and women who were devoted to God and deeply convinced. They gave their lives, time, interests, and inner world to God. They sought God with all their hearts and wanted to know what God felt and what He thought.
They knew how to cooperate with God. They not only loved Him devotedly but also honored Him. This was not merely friendship. It was the level at which they honored Him and lived for Him. God valued this and responded to them in kind.
Today we have the Blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and every believer can live in the spiritual realm together with Him. Today we can walk before God as people did in the Old Testament. But who will dare to do this? Who today can stand before the righteous and holy God and pray with boldness? Who today will dare to enter into intimate relationship with Him? The one whose hands and heart are clean (Isa. 24:4). The one who dares to be honest and pure before Him! The one who dares to live and die for Him! Men and women who have filled their entire hearts with Him! They will be the ones who speak with God as with a true friend!
What did God say about someone like David? “He is a man who understands My heart.” When you find such a person, you share with them what is on your heart, and they share with you.
Many people in the Old Testament were like this. They were willing to sacrifice themselves. They knew God. They knew the presence of God.
Let us remember Joshua. One of the few, he entered the tabernacle with Moses. He knew what the presence of God was like. He knew God, His holiness, and His fire! You cannot fail to know God if you spend time in His presence, because He comes to everyone who seeks Him. Joshua had experienced the glory of the Lord. And it changed him.
Now let us look at what happened to Joshua (chapter 10). We see him in a difficult situation when he needed to pray. He asked God for a miracle, using the only prayer available to him—prayer based on understanding. In verses 12 and 13, we read that he began to speak with God. It is so simple! But that is precisely what prayer is—speaking directly, face to face, heart to heart, with the living God. And the result was a miracle.
Joshua called out to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered the Amorites into the hands of Israel, when He defeated them at Gibeon, and they were defeated before the Israelites; and he said before the Israelites: “Stand still, sun, over Gibeon, and moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!”
And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped… Joshua 10:12–13
Notice that Joshua addressed God before all the children of Israel. Everyone heard him speak with God. Do not be afraid to address Him before people. Do not be afraid to address Him in the presence of your husband, wife, or children. There is a time when no one should be present as you address the Lord, but here Joshua resolutely stood before everyone.
It takes faith and humility to stand before God like Joshua and pray for the sun to “stand still and the moon to stop”! Can you imagine it? But God heard Joshua. God knew this man's voice and heart. God was Joshua's friend; He trusted and respected him.
Joshua addressed the Lord, and look at what is written: “And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, when the Lord listened in such a way to the voice of a man…” (verse 14).
We must speak with God from a pure, open heart that knows Him and desires to do whatever pleases Him. Joshua's prayer was powerful, and the Lord greatly valued it. And although he spoke in simple words based only on Joshua's understanding, they brought about a miracle, blessing the entire nation!
Begin praying with your own understanding, and also pray the Word as never before!
End of lesson.
