This brief answer will have to be just a teaser for now. I have some things I need to take care of right now. But I'll try to write back sometime this morning.
I’m still busy, but I wanted to get back briefly. Be sure to read the work of John Bunyan. He said it a lot better than I could anyway.
See the attached PDF of Bunyan.
I WILL PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO
OR
A DISCOURSE TOUCHING PRAYER
WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY DISCOVERED
1. WHAT PRAYER IS. 2. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT.
3. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO
Bunyan, J. (2006). A Discourse Touching Prayer (Vol. 1, p. 621). Logos Bible Software.
The main thing I learned is that God isn’t particularly interested in your ideas of what, who, and how to pray. True prayer requires the help of the Holy Spirit. And I don’t mean the general day in and day out indwelling Spirit. I am talking about the felt presence of the Spirit aiding you in all aspects of your prayer.
The very best thing you have going for you is your dissatisfaction with what you are doing now. The Pharisees loved to pray long flowery prayers to get a reward from other people.
The first step is to know deeply that we, unaided by the Spirit, are all but useless in prayer. That’s why you are you are dissatisfied with both the content and duration of your prayer times. I am sure you know the verse below from Romans 8, but you must come to know it deep in your heart by faith (and yes, personal failure). The unaided Christian can’t please the Lord, except for the prayers for His help. I don’t mean this absolutely. I guess I often pray through the day with a please here and a thank you there, which is acceptable to God. But when you get down to the serious duty of prayer, you should feel that you are in way over your head--because you are. It is not only the Gentiles who think they will be heard for their much speaking (Matthew 6:7), but it can be true of us also. Otherwise, Jesus would not need to give the warning.
Romans 8:26-27
Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Some consider Romans 8:26 as if it taught, We know how to pray up to a point, but we need the Spirit to fill in the blanks.
Consider and meditate on the following statements by Jesus.
John 15:5 (KJV)
I am the vine; ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me, ye can do nothing.
Lest you think I am exaggerating, even the Lord Jesus confessed His utter dependence on God for everything He said and did in the time of His humility.
John 5:30 (KJV)
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Is praying in the Spirit easy? Far from it. He can lead you to the heights of joy unspeakable, as well as a dark horror at your own heart or the desperate need of the Church. I sometimes get so lost in prayer and praise that I almost forget where I am. And I always forget much of the detail of my prayer. The very best part for me is the life and vigor the Spirit gives you to praise God and long for His glory in a way that is far beyond anything you can do on your own. You will sometimes end your prayer time in both exhilaration and physical exhaustion. Yes, praying is hard work, but it is the closest you can get to the heavenly realm.
Nehemiah 9:5 (KJV)
Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said,
“Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting.
Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
Now, I will leave you to Bunyan.
Ed
[pardon any typos-I was in a rush]