In the gospel of John, Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the Helper whom He would send to enable and instruct believers. One of the Holy Spirit’s responsibilities is to help us in prayer. He knows about temptations or experiences ahead, so He prompts us to talk to our Father.

It’s important, then, to pay attention anytime you sense a need to pray. In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, we are told not to “quench the Spirit,” as ignoring that divine prodding can lead down paths God never intended for us.

The Holy Spirit sometimes burdens us specifically to pray for someone else. In this way, He offers Christians the opportunity to participate in God’s work. On many occasions, I’ve received calls asking if I was going through a tough time, and invariably, my caller had been praying for me. 

This burdening of our heart to pray for ourselves or for others is a special demonstration of God’s love. By calling us to prayer, He can make us sensitive to our surrounding circumstances or prepare us for a trial He knows is coming. Listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and allowing ourselves to be prepared is how we, in turn, display our love for God.