INTRODUCTION
Every Christian needs to assume responsibility for their own spiritual growth. Every Christian needs a daily plan for personal growth and development. We need to follow Jude's advice and "build ourselves up in the most holy faith" (Jude 1:20-21).
Jude who wrote this epistle identifies himself in the epistle as "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James". Traditionally believes to be half-brother of Jesus. Jude is same with Judas or Judah, a nickname like Sam for Samuel.
Apostle Jude encouraged believers to continually grow and strengthen their faith through fervent and persevering prayer guided by the Holy Spirit. This practice helps a believer connect with God, gain spiritual clarity, and find boldness to overcome life's challenges.
YOUR MOST HOLY FAITH
When the word of God says 'building yourself up "in" your most holy faith. This is different from 'building yourself up "with" your most holy faith'. The most holy faith is the bedrock of our spiritual life, the belief in the saving work of Jesus Christ accomplished through His death and resurrection. Jude calls it the "most holy" faith because it is singularly set apart from all the rest (Ephesians 4:4-6). The body of doctrine we hold, the faith we cling to must remain pure and uncorrupted by false teaching and flashy new doctrinal additives (Galatians 1:6-9).
When this faith comes into us, it comes with God, with all that God is, with all that God has passed through, with all that God has accomplished in Christ and through the Spirit, and with all that God has obtained and attained. If we have this faith, we have the processed God, redemption, regeneration, the divine life, and all things related to life and godliness. We are also positioned and privileged to partake of the divine nature and enjoy it. Therefore, once we have this faith, we have everything. Now we need to build ourselves up in it.
HOW TO BUILD YOUR FAITH
1. Word of God
Building ourselves up in the most holy faith involves a daily determination to learn as much as we can about the untainted truth of God's word and then obey it and live by it (James 1:22-25; Acts 20:32; Hebrews 5:12; Titus 1:9). God gives us His Word to teach, correct, prepare, and equip us for "every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The earliest believers strengthened themselves in the most holy faith when they "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). Jude discloses the key to building ourselves up in the most holy faith, and that is "praying in the Holy Spirit" (Jude 1:20). God's Word and prayer is the dynamic duo of spiritual growth (see Acts 6:4).
2. Devotion
The earliest believers strengthened themselves in the most holy faith when they "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). Actively study the Bible to build your life upon the foundation of faith, which helps shift focus from problems to God's promises.
Also, you must place yourself under the authority of a father. Modernity has tended to repudiate the father. With so many broken, absent, abusive, or neglectful fathers, it can be tempting to think that it's better to have no father at all, and go "directly to God." While this sounds like a good idea on the surface, what it turns out to be in the real world is that you make yourself your own authority and use God as a justification for your decisions. This is not God's plan. He has given us earthly fathers in the flesh, whose flesh we took when we came into being, and commanded that we honor them. He also ordains that we subject ourselves to spiritual fathers, the successors of the Apostles and their ordained ministers and associates. Without being accountable to a father, we quickly go astray with our own delusions about what is right.
3. Praying in the Holy Spirit
Praying in the Holy Spirit means allowing the Spirit to guide, empower, and shape your prayers, moving beyond mere human effort or intellect to align with God's will, often involving deep intercession, worship, and spiritual edification, sometimes expressed through tongues but fundamentally about a Spirit-led communion with God.
Praying in the Spirit is mentioned three times in Scripture. First Corinthians 14:15 says, "So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind." Ephesians 6:18 says, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Jude 20 says, "But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit." So, what exactly does it mean to pray in the Spirit?
The Greek word translated "pray in" can have several different meanings. It can mean "by means of," "with the help of," "in the sphere of," and "in connection to." Praying in the Spirit does not refer to the words we are saying. Rather, it refers to how we are praying. Praying in the Spirit is praying according to the Spirit's leading. It is praying for things the Spirit leads us to pray for.
4. Prayer builds spirituality
Just as an athlete trains their muscles, prayer exercises your spirit, leading to spiritual growth and alertness. Key ways prayer builds spirituality:
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Deeply relationship with God: It's a direct conversation, building intimacy, trust, and understanding with the divine.
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Develops inner strength and stamina: Consistent prayer builds spiritual power, resilience, and the ability to withstand adversity and temptation.
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Aligns will and heart: It helps individuals align their desires and actions with God's will, fostering Christlikeness and personal transformation.
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Cultivates spiritual virtues: Prayers for grace, knowledge, steadfastness, and love help believers grow in character and effectiveness.
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Creates spiritual atmosphere: It generates an atmosphere of faith, allowing believers to be less influenced by negativity and more connected to divine power.
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Provides guidance and wisdom: Through prayer, individuals seek and receive wisdom, direction, and clarity for their lives.
"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost."
— Jude 1:20
5. Through Praying in the Holy Spirit, we gain clarity and purpose
Praying in the Spirit can help you see God's direction more clearly, bring purposes to birth, and break strongholds. Holy Spirit brings understanding to God's Word, clearing confusion, muddled thoughts (John 16:13). He speaks through a gentle conviction, peace, or "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:11-12).
Jesus said that the Spirit would "teach you all things and remind you of everything" (John 14:26). The holy spirit provides strength and comfort when you feel weak or tempted to give up and gives a deep sense of peace or conviction about decisions, guiding your actions. We must spend time in quiet reflection to hear His voice above life's noise.
6. Find boldness and overcome fear
Prayer is a channel for spiritual strength. A consistent prayer life builds boldness and gives you the ability to face challenges without being easily shaken. The Spirit equips you with divine power to be courageous and powerful, transforming you into a conqueror, not a victim of circumstances. God's love, expressed through the Spirit, casts out fear, allowing for deeper, fearless connections with others and God. The Spirit grants clarity, wisdom, and self-control (a sound mind) to reframe fearful thoughts, trust God's plan, and act rationally, even in uncertainty. Like Peter and John in Acts, believers filled with the Spirit can speak God's truth clearly and confidently, overcoming fear of rejection or unpreparedness. The Spirit teaches what to say and do, guiding you through difficult situations and helping you rely on God rather than human strength.
7. Seek guidance and empowerment
Praying in the Holy Spirit is a way to seek God's guidance and power in your life. John 14:26 says the Holy Spirit will teach believers all things and remind them of Jesus' words, clarifying understanding and revealing God's will.
When you pray in the spirit, it helps discern spiritual opposition and understand God's Word, enabling wise choices. It strengthens the "inner man" (Ephesians 3:16), giving power for daily Christian living, growth, and overcoming personal failings and equips believers with supernatural abilities (like wisdom, healing, prophecy) to serve the church and spread the Gospel.
8. Persevere in prayer
This type of prayer is often fervent and persevering, meaning you continue to pray with increasing fervor even if answers are delayed. How does the Holy Spirit helps us to persevere in prayer?
He provides the divine power (Acts 1:8) to keep praying when we feel weak or discouraged, giving hope and endurance. He Knows God's will and intercedes for us when we don't know how to pray, transforming our requests to align with God's perfect plan (Romans 8:26-27). He also gives us the ability to pray in our own language or in tongues, which prays God's perfect will and "charges our spiritual battery".
GROANING IN THE SPIRIT
"Groaning in the Spirit" refers to a deep, Spirit-led prayer where the Holy Spirit intercedes for a believer with wordless, powerful cries, especially when they don't know how to pray, expressing intense yearning, sorrow, or spiritual battle beyond human words, leading to breakthroughs and deeper intimacy with God. It's a profound biblical experience (Romans 8:26) of yielding to God's will and allowing Him to pray His perfect desires through you, resulting in transformation and spiritual victory. Romans 8:22-23; Romans 8:26.
Key aspects of groaning in the spirit include the following:
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The Holy Spirit takes over, praying God's perfect will when human words fail.
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These are deep, wordless cries, distinct from speaking in tongues, expressing the heart's intense longing or anguish.
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It's a cry of desperation, spiritual warfare, and yearning for God's glory, breaking through earthly limitations.
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It is rooted in Romans 8:26, where Spirit helps our weaknesses by interceding for us with groanings that cannot be uttered.
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It can involve audible sounds, intense emotions, or deep inner turmoil, leading to healing, comfort, and liberty.
How does groaning in the Spirit happen?
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When a believer surrenders their own understanding and limitations to the Holy Spirit's guidance.
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Weakness and Need: It often arises from recognizing personal weakness or facing overwhelming situations where human prayer falls short.
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Deep yearning: An intense desire for God's will, presence, and heavenly things, not just earthly fixes, drives the groan.
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Spiritual battle: The Spirit might groan in resistance to enemy forces, battling for God's purpose.
In essence, it's allowing God's Spirit to express your deepest spiritual needs and prayers to the Father, bringing divine power and purpose into your life and circumstances. But this is not superficial. You don't start prayer from groaning. It's a process that leads us there.
CONCLUSION
Building yourself up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost" is a biblical instruction for us today than ever.
