The spirit gives the redeemed access to God and helps them to know God as their Father, affording intimate access to the Throne Room of Grace and testifying of their adoption as sons of the Most High. The Spirit helps the saints to pray with active engagement teaching them what to pray for and overcoming their weaknesses. This teaching by the Holy Spirit is not charismatic, but rather the Spirit teaches through the Word to know the will of God and the right principles of prayer. The Larger Catechism teaches that the Spirit works in the hearts of men by making alive the things needed for prayer.
According to Q182 of the Larger Catechism the things needed for right spiritual prayer are apprehensions, affections, and graces. Apprehensions are those things in our mind which are to be continuously fed by the Holy Scriptures through the influence of the Spirit. Affections refer to the loving tenderness toward one another and our affection toward the Lord. By graces the catechism means spiritual qualifications such as humility, self-denial, faith in God's promises, and persistence in prayer. All of these graces in themselves are works of the Holy Spirit.
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Nathan Eshelman holds a Master of Divinity degree from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI, as well as a Doctor of Ministry degree from Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA. He serves as clerk of the Pacific Coast Presbytery (RPCNA),...
