By Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel 

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”.

In the prior post, we reviewed three types of prayer. These prayers revealed in the Scriptures, represent a distinct category of prayers, some of which were never uttered in the Old Testament. So far, we have explored three types: Prayer of faith or petition, prayer of agreement, and united or congregational prayers. In this post, we will review the remaining types of prayers.

Prayer of Praise: The Prayer of Praise reminds us that every believer, not just the choir, has a priestly ministry to offer praise and worship to the Lord. 1 Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

One of the  spiritual sacrifice is praise, which we offer both when gathered together and in our individual prayers. This type of prayer is not intended to petition God for change or to obtain anything; rather, its sole purpose is to praise Him. An example of ministering to the Lord through praise is found in Acts 13, where certain prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, including Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, were engaged in praise and fasting. Their focus was solely on praising the Lord, and it was during this time of worship that the Holy Spirit spoke and directed them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for a specific work.

Prayer of Intercession: This prayer involves standing in the gap on behalf of another individual. Intercession essentially means to act as a mediator between two parties to reconcile them. Intercession is only necessary when there is a need for reconciliation. Therefore, we cannot intercede for a believer who already has peace with God through our Lord Jesus, as they have already been reconciled with God. Rom 5: 1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”.

In the Old Testament, (Genesis 18: 23-33) Abraham interceded for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, pleading for God’s mercy if righteous individuals are found. Similarly, in the New Testament, Paul prays for the salvation of Israel, expressing his heartfelt desire for their spiritual well-being. These prayers illustrate the act of intercession, where individuals appeal to God on behalf of others, seeking mercy and reconciliation. God is seeking individuals who will intercede in prayer for the salvation of others, rather than their destruction. His desire is for all people to be saved, prompting believers to engage in intercessory prayer to ensure the salvation of all.

Ezek 22:30 “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”

Prayer of Supplication: The Prayer of Supplication differs from the Prayer of Intercession. While the King James Version, and perhaps a few others, accurately translates and conveys the meaning in Paul’s letter to Timothy, many newer translations have mistakenly mixed them up, treating supplication and intercession as interchangeable. However, a careful examination of their dictionary definitions reveals that the two words are distinct and not synonymous.

1 Tim 2: 1-3 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.KJV

In the above Bible verses, Paul distinguished between the Prayer of Supplication and Intercession. Supplication involves earnest or humble pleading. Paul instructs believers to offer supplication for fellow believers, known as saints, because they do not require intercession since they already have peace with God. In Ephesians 6:18, Paul urges believers to pray continually with all types of prayer, including supplication, for all saints. Thus, intercession is directed towards non-Christians who lack peace with God, while supplication prayers are intended for believers who already possess peace with God.

Prayer of Commitment: 1 Peter 5:7 “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”  We are instructed to relinquish all our concerns to the Lord entirely. This type of prayer involves casting all our worries and cares upon the Lord, akin to Hannah’s example where she ceased worrying and being anxious. When we find ourselves at the end of our abilities, this form of prayer is highly recommended. By simply telling the Lord that we cast all our issues upon Him, as stated in 1 Peter 5:7, we can trust Him to handle them while we rest.

Matthew 11:28-30 further emphasizes this principle, inviting those who are burdened to come to Jesus for rest. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. The key to this type of prayer is to stop being anxious and worried. If we still carry those burdens, then we have not truly cast them upon Him. When we do, we will feel the weight lifted from us, enabling us to find peace and rest.

Praying in Togues: 1 Cor 14:14-15  “For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays, but my mind is unproductive [it bears no fruit and helps nobody]. Then what am I to do? I will pray with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will also pray [intelligently] with my mind and understanding; I will sing with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will sing [intelligently] with my mind and understanding also.”

This type of prayer is exclusive to those who are baptized by the Holy Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues serves various purposes:

• • Giving a message in church, requiring interpretation by someone gifted with the Holy Spirit’s gift of interpreting tongues.
  • Private use of tongues in prayer, commonly referred to as praying in the spirit.

The Scripture reveals that when we pray in the spirit, it is our born-again spirit praying under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in an unintelligible language. This type of prayer bypasses human limitations and enters the realm of the supernatural, as it is inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is the most effective form of prayer, as it aligns perfectly with God’s will, surpassing human understanding and intellect. The Holy Spirit knows God’s perfect will on any matter and prays it directly through our spirit, rendering our understanding irrelevant.

As Paul wrote all believers must pray all manner of prayers as the occasion demands and as inspired by the Holy Spirit. Knowing these types of prayers helps us yield to the Holy Spirit as He inspires any of them and makes us have confidence that they are the right prayer at the right time too.

Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel is the Senior Pastor of Fountain Of The Living Word Church, New Jersey.