Embracing the Holy Spirit’s Names for Deeper Connection

Posted on Apr 16, 2024 Topic : Inspirational/Devotional, Men's Christian Living, Women's Christian Living
Posted by : Tony Evans

The power of the Holy Spirit is available to each of us, and yet He’s often the most overlooked and underutilized Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit was sent to minister to us, convict us, teach us, give us insight into God’s depth, enable us to live a life of love and joy, and much more. We can come to know all the ways He’s available to us as we pray to God concerning the various roles He intends for the Holy Spirit to manifest in us and through us.

To get to know His names more deeply is to better understand how the Holy Spirit has been sent to work in your life. Praying through the different names of the Holy Spirit introduces you to aspects of the His role and allows you to gain greater wisdom into His attributes and purposes. He works within believers’ lives in a number of unique ways, but sometimes we forget them.Praying through His names reminds you to call on the Holy Spirit and look to Him to help you in times of need. When you draw closer to the Holy Spirit, you come to know Him in a broader way.

Each name or attribute sheds light on who the Holy Spirit is, how He can relate to you, and how He can bless you. As you pray prayers that reflect these qualities of the Holy Spirit, you become more familiar with how He can bring you peace, hope, restraint, and so many of the Christian kingdom virtues.

To help you know how to pray along the lines of the Holy Spirit’s many names and roles, you’ll find four prayers—of Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication—related to each name or role included in Praying Through the Names of the Holy Spirit (see example prayer below). This prayer acronym (ACTS) isn’t a magic formula. Rather, it’s a structure wherein our prayers can cover four important aspects of communication with the Lord.

Prayer is heavenly permission for earthly interference. Prayer is communication with God. God longs to be involved with you on a very personal level, and prayer opens the door for this to happen. And I encourage you to pray these prayers so you can come to know the Holy Spirit in a fresh and engaging way.

The Holy Spirit is a gift from God sent to enable you to live out the kingdom life. In Him, you can find comfort, help, wisdom, contentment, insight, and so much more. Knowing and praying through the Holy Spirit’s names may also bring stability in many areas of your life, including emotional health, spiritual maturity, kingdom virtues, and personal strength.

May the Lord use these prayers to draw you closer to Him so that you come to know Him as your Abba—your Father—through the abiding work and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Excerpt from Praying Through the Names of the Holy Spirit

The Helper

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.

—JOHN 14:16

ADORATION

Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. I adore You, and I honor Your name as I seek Your will in my life. I ask that You show me how to pray through the names of the Holy Spirit in a way that brings You honor and glory.

Throughout my days, remind me to lean on the Holy Spirit. Remind me of the greatness of Your love in providing a Helper to come along- side me when I need Him the most. Help me always remember to put You first in all things as a reflection of my heart’s adoration of You. I marvel at how You’ve made plans from the beginning. I marvel at how You’ve provided for each of us in our own unique ways. I’m not a random being to You—You know my name and what I need even before I ask You for it.

CONFESSION

God, I confess that far too often I try to solve my problems on my own. Perhaps I forget the Holy Spirit is there because I don’t see Him in tangible form. Or I want to rely on myself so I can feel self-sufficient. There are many reasons why I might rely on myself rather than on You.

Help me understand those reasons so I can address them. I confess that I don’t look to You for help as much as I can or should through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, so I ask that You have mercy on me. Gently nudge me in the right direction for Your glory and the advancement of Your kingdom on this earth.

THANKSGIVING

Thank You, Father, for the help You give me through the presence and gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank You that I don’t need to face the trials of life alone. When I’m afraid, I can look to You to guide and direct me. Your guidance comes through the Holy Spirit, who is my Helper.

I give You thanks from all of my heart, knowing how awful it would be to go through life on my own. I need Your Spirit’s help in so many ways. Just knowing that You’ve offered Him to me as my Helper fills my soul with gratitude and thanksgiving.

SUPPLICATION

Lord God, I need Your help. But more than that, I need to know how to best access Your help through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Please teach me how to look to the Spirit on a more regular and natural basis. Show me what it means to rely on the Spirit’s help and be refreshed and renewed by it. Give me spiritual insight into the working of the Spirit in my soul so that I won’t go through life ignoring or underutilizing the Spirit’s strength and help, especially when I need it most. Help me understand why You’ve given me the Spirit in the first place and how I can benefit from His presence in me.