# Pray TO the Holy Spirit?



## Tirian (Jul 14, 2014)

May we pray to the Holy Spirit? eg. "Dear Holy Spirit, help me in my distress". Comments on why, or why not most welcome.


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## Jake (Jul 14, 2014)

I think the catechism summarizes it best: "Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, in the name of Christ, by the help of his Spirit." Seeing as all but one prayer I can find in Scripture are offered to the Father (and the one exception is not a command or pattern commended to the church, although I don't know that Stephen was in the wrong), I pray also in this manner.

The role of the Holy Spirit in prayer is to help us. The catechism explains this well:

Question 182: How does the Spirit help us to pray?

Answer: We not knowing: What to pray for as we ought, the Spirit helps our infirmities, by enabling us to understand both for whom, and: What, and: How prayer is to be made; and by working and quickening in our hearts (although not in all persons, nor at all times, in the same measure) those apprehensions, affections, and graces which are requisite for the right performance of that duty.


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## Cymro (Jul 14, 2014)

In effect Matt, you are asking as the disciples of old "teach us how to pray."
To which our Lord replied, "After this manner pray ye, Our Father." I think that
this is the pattern for our prayer life. Coming to the Father on the grounds and 
in the authority of Christ's atoning and finished work, and knowing the Spirit's
aid and help in our infirmities. The master taught on another occasion that we must
ask the Father for the Holy Spirit, which to me rules out asking the Spirit, for the Spirit.
It is significant that from the end of Math5 into Ch6, it is the Father has the preeminence 
and is mentioned 12 times respecting prayer and alms and fasting.


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