The doctrine of the Trinity is arguably the most complicated teaching of Christianity. It is therefore unsurprising that a slew of related questions stem from the fact that God is one God while being comprised of three divine Persons. One such question is to whom should we pray? Given that the Holy Spirit is often neglected in worship and the life of the church it would not be presumptuous to say that the concept of praying to the Holy Spirit is a foreign concept to many Christians. Either the idea has never occurred to believers, or they have taken the position that it is not permissible to pray to anyone other than God the Father. Though as this article will demonstrate, it is not only permissible to pray to the Holy Spirit but sometimes it is necessary.

WHAT IS PRAYER?

It seems pertinent to remind ourselves what prayer is in the first place. Sometimes believers misunderstand the purpose of prayer. They believe that it is strictly a formal practice to bend the ear of the Lord for some need. While that is certainly an aspect of prayer, it is not its fundamental purpose. At its core the purpose of prayer is to commune and fellowship with God. The only reason that we can make supplications to God, or feel compelled to give thanks to God, is because Jesus has ensured that we have a relationship with the triune God. That relationship is sustained and deepened by intentional conversations and fellowship with God in the same way relationships thrive with other people.

The reason this is important to our question is because if we understand prayer in terms of bonding and fellowship it becomes clear that praying to the Holy Spirit is permissible. Let us remember that the Holy Spirit is not an “it” but a divine Person of the Godhead who is equal to the Father and the Son in every respect. So, since the Spirit is a Person with a will and feelings it only makes sense to pray to the Holy Spirit about certain things when we feel compelled to do so. Prayer is not a magical incantation to get the attention of God, but a means of sharing life with the one we love the most, which should most certainly include God the Spirit.

THE TYPICAL PATTERN OF PRAYER

While it is certainly permissible and at times appropriate to pray to the Holy Spirit, it should be said that there is a typical pattern of prayer in Scripture. First let me explain it in brief and then in detail. Prayer in Scripture is Trinitarian, which is to say that prayer is directed to the Father, in the name of the Son, in the Spirit.

To the Father

When Jesus was asked to teach the disciples how to pray, they were taught to begin their prayers by saying, “Our Father who is in Heaven” (Mt. 6:9). He also indicates that praying to the Father is the norm during His discourse with the disciples at the last supper (Jn. 16:23). Moreover, we see this pattern modeled by Jesus. When He prays in Scripture it is always to the Father (Mt. 11: 25-26, 26:42; Lk. 23:34; Jn. 17:1-16).

In the Name of the Son

On numerous occasions Jesus taught the disciples that He would do whatever they asked for in His name so that the Father will be glorified in the Son (Jn. 14:13-14, 15:16, 16:23-24). Jesus is our High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses and gives us the confidence to draw near the throne of grace (Heb. 4:14-16). Why? Because we do not come before the Father in our own name which is synonymous with our faults, failures, and fallibility. Instead, we come in the name of Jesus Christ and all His perfections who graciously intercedes for us. Thus, our prayers are heard because they are in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God who vouches for us.

In the Spirit

Paul teaches us in Ephesians 6:18 to pray “at all times in the Spirit.” This is echoed by Jude who wrote, “But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” (1:20). What does it mean to pray in the Spirit? Simply that it is the Holy Spirit who compels and empowers believers to pray in the first place! In fact, when we do not know what to pray for, it is the Holy Spirit who prays on our behalf! (Rom. 8:26). Finally, in reference to Jude 1:20 it seems clear that the Holy Spirit not only encourages and empowers us to pray but ensures that our prayers are worthy of God and in alignment with His sovereign will. 

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF PRAYING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Bible does not command us to pray to either Jesus or the Holy Spirit but there are passages of Scripture that make certain inferences to support such prayers. While examples of praying to the Holy Spirit are few and far in between there are a couple that we can consider as evidence.

Ezekiel 37:9-10

“He said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live!’ So I prophesied as He commanded me; the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.”

In this passage of Scripture the word “Breath” is personified because Ezekiel is praying directly to the Holy Spirit. What is interesting is that the same Hebrew word ruach is used for both “breath” and “Spirit/spirit” which are needed for life. The former is needed for physical life, and the latter is needed for spiritual life. This becomes more obvious later in the passage because God tells the prophet, “I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live” (v. 14).

Revelation 1:4-5

“John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.”

What is important to notice from the very beginning is that this is a prayer to invoke the grace and peace of God upon the seven churches in Asia. Further, this prayer is Trinitarian and includes the Father “who is, who was, and who is to come,” then the Holy Spirit who is “the seven spirits before His throne,” and finally from Jesus Christ, “the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” Thus, here in the New Testament we see a prayer directed to the Holy Spirit once again.

WHEN SHOULD WE PRAY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Now that we have established that is perfectly permissible to pray to the Holy Spirit, the question arises when should we pray to Him? Put another way, what occasions or circumstances should compel us to pray to the Holy Spirit as opposed to the Father or the Son?

Generally speaking, it is most appropriate to pray to the Holy Spirit when you long to have a deeper connection with Him in your life. There is nothing wrong with praying to the Holy Spirit because you simply want a more robust and meaningful relationship with Him. Keep in mind that we do not want to fall into the heresy of tritheism which suggests that the Father, Son, and Spirit are three separate and independent gods. However, when approaching the Holy Spirit as one divine Person of the Godhead there is absolutely nothing wrong with spending time in heartfelt prayer in the Spirit, with the Spirit, and to the Spirit, who like the Father and the Son is the one true God.

Specifically speaking, it is necessary to pray to the Holy Spirit when seeking His help. He is the Helper after all, and there will be times when you must appeal to the Spirit for the kind of help that only He can provide. Consider the following reasons why you might pray to the Holy Spirit:

• To help you mature in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23)
• To give you gifts and help you hone those gifts (1 Cor. 12:8-10
• To counsel and comfort you in your time of need (Jn. 14:26)
• To guide you into all truth (Jn. 16:13)
• To help you understand the things of God (1 Cor. 2:10-13)
• To appeal to the Spirit to convict someone of sin who is living unrighteously so that they will repent and receive forgiveness (Jn. 16:8)
• To help you testify about Jesus (Jn. 15:26)
• To strengthen you (Eph. 3:16)
• To help you overcome temptation and live righteously (Gal. 5:16-18)
• To pray on your behalf when you do not know how or what to pray for (Rom. 8:26)

These are just some of the reasons that you might feel compelled and be justified in praying to the Holy Spirit. Also, in the same way that you might personally thank Jesus for His atoning sacrifice and friendship, you might thank the Holy Spirit for His active role in your life. When you upset the Lord, it is natural to seek forgiveness. Similarly, when you grieve the Holy Spirit, it is likewise natural to not only seek forgiveness from the Spirit, but to give Him thanks for bringing those sins to your attention so that you can repent and receive forgiveness.

CONCLUSION

In the final analysis we should typically address our prayers to the Father in the name of the Son in the Spirit. Though there are times and circumstances that not only allow but necessitate that we pray to the Holy Spirit. Namely, when the nature of our prayers pertain to His offices or graces. When our worship is Trinitarian, and our prayers include the comprehensive fullness of God, we will behold a great transformation in our spiritual lives, and a significant increase in the fruit of our labor. According to the will of the Father, the glory of the Son, and in the power of the Spirit, may it be so.

Amen.