Editors note: the guest article appearing here does not necessarily reflect the views of Bible Rebel editors or other guest authors and contributors. Bible Rebel seeks to present a wide range of ideas and viewpoints in order to fulfill our mission to provide resources for “Curious Fearless Faith”. This is the first part in a new series on prayer called ‘Supplication In The Spirit’ by Steve Sann.

Praying for the Specifics

While working at home late one evening, in my early ministry years, I picked up the phone to be startled by the panicked voice of one of our youth leaders. In the background were the uncontrollable screams of his wife. Whatever launched her into hysterics, it was clear she was beyond reasoning, incommunicative.

Staggered and dazed, I didn’t know what to do. The man was pleading with me to take charge, “cast out the spirits or whatever,” and then thrust the phone to his wife. On the other end was the voice of a young woman in unreserved confusion. Trying to calm the situation was futile, as she would have none of that! Yet, through the melee that followed, a half-hour later, we were able to finally disconnect in some semblance of peace. I fell back into my office, shaken and perplexed.

Not long afterward, my wife appeared at the door, returning home from an event across state. Foregoing the usual courtesies, studying my face, she quizzed me: “Is there something strange going on here?” She explained: “While on the highway home, a picture of our house flashed into my mind. Suddenly I saw up on the side of the house the reflection of flashing red emergency lights! I began praying in the spirit like ‘a house-a-fire’ for whatever the situation was here at home!” She sighed, “I didn’t stop until a half-hour later when I sensed the emergency had passed.”

“Supplication” is exactly that: coming before God with a specific list of needs for ourselves and others. It may be that God gives you the specifics, expecting you to pray for another. Or, you may be listing to God for the needs of which you are already aware. Either way, when we bring specific needs before God in tongues, we are fulfilling, by definition, “supplication in the spirit.”

In today’s prayer publications, seldom a word is mentioned regarding supplication in tongues. Yet, as you may recall, in Ephesians 6, it was reinforced to make unfailing supplication in the spirit: 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. Twice in this one verse are we told to supplicate, always and with all perseverance, for all the saints. If supplication is this important, God confirming it with repeated absolutes, we can be confident we know what and how to carry it out effectively.