Seven Parts of Salvation and Praying in the Spirit

Seven Parts of Salvation & Praying in the Spirit

16 Oct at 6:29 pm

The Greek word for saved is Sozo1 or Soteria.2 Most people are taught that they are simply saved from sin. However, salvation is far more encompassing than that. When we receive salvation, we become saved in spirit, soul, and body. Not only do we receive salvation, but we also receive protection, preservation, to do well (increase), deliverance, healing, and wholeness.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”

—Psalm 91:1-2

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

—1 Thessalonians 5:23

This preservation extends specifically to the physical body, maintaining the believer until the day they meet the Lord in the air. At that glorious moment, I believe our physical forms will undergo a total transformation, for Scripture declares that when we see Him as He is, we shall be made like Him (see 1 John 3:2). You are preserved for that specific day of revelation, moving beyond a spirit-only salvation to a wholeness that includes the soul and physical body.

Beyond being saved, protected, and preserved, there is a fundamental calling for the believer to prosper. While some circles treat the word prosper as if it were a curse, the Greek linguistic root actually translates to doing well or increasing. The Lord’s heart is for you to experience a fullness that includes healing and wholeness.

Wholeness means ending in a condition that is better than the one you started with. There are roughly seven distinct parts to this complete picture of salvation, but the vital element that brings juice or life to these theological points is the person and power of the Holy Spirit. When you receive salvation, you should also be baptized in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

Many people get bent out of shape regarding this gift, often claiming it was limited to original languages, but that is not entirely true. In Acts 2, the believers spoke in tongues, and everyone heard them in their own language. It was a supernatural utterance that struck their spirit, soul, and inner man, allowing each listener to supernaturally hear the words of God in their own dialect from the same utterance. God loves using the foolish things to shame the wise; some people are simply “too smart” for Jesus, but the truth is so straightforward that you would have to work hard to misunderstand it.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

—Acts 1:8

Jesus provides a foundational promise regarding the empowerment of the believer. We receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. It is essential to distinguish this from the initial reception of the Spirit for salvation; this is a subsequent empowerment for service and witnessing.

When the verse mentions you shall receive power, it uses the Greek word dunamis.3 While many contemporary teachers compare this to dynamite, the deeper linguistic meaning is far more expansive. According to the scholarship of teachers like Rick Renner, whom I trust for technical breakdowns, dunamis generally denoted the inherent strength and capability of an entire army.

When you declare the gospel and mix your faith with it, you are releasing a divine power equivalent to the fighting force of a whole military division. This raw spiritual horsepower is available to the believers to be witnesses in every corner of the earth, from their local community to the ends of the world.

The term witness itself comes from the Greek word martus,4 which is where we derive martyr, signifying a level of commitment where one does not love their own life even unto death. This power is accessed and stirred through a consistent prayer life, specifically through the gift of speaking in tongues.

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?” Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”

13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

—Acts 2:1-13

The narrative of the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 offers critical insight into how the Holy Spirit interacts with humanity. When the day had fully come, the believers were in one accord and in one place, demonstrating the power of unity. Suddenly, a sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind filled the entire house, and divided tongues of fire sat upon each of them.

As they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. A common point of confusion is the nature of these tongues. While the Bible states that devout men from every nation heard the believers speaking in their own native languages, we must consider the mechanics of this miracle.

It is possible that the utterance was a single supernatural transmission from the Spirit that struck the inner man of each listener, allowing them to hear the wonderful works of God in their own dialect simultaneously. This suggests that the Holy Spirit bypasses the intellect to communicate directly with the spirit and soul. While some onlookers were amazed, others mocked the scene, attributing the behavior to intoxication. Those who are not in tune with the Spirit will often interpret a powerful move of God through a carnal or intellectual lens, often finding it offensive or foolish.

Interpreting the Holy Spirit

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” 30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.”

—John 12:27-30

This is another profound example of the Spirit’s communication. Jesus, speaking of His impending hour, asks the Father to glorify His name. In response, a voice came from heaven, but the people standing by had vastly different interpretations of what they heard. Some believed it thundered, while others thought an angel had spoken.

Jesus clarified that the voice came for the sake of the people, yet many lacked the spiritual sensitivity to understand the message. We see that when God speaks, the clarity of the reception depends on the spiritual state of the hearer. We see this again with Paul on the road to Damascus.

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.

—Acts 9:3-7

Paul had a direct, articulate encounter with Jesus, but the men journeying with him stood speechless, hearing a sound but seeing no one and failing to receive the full message. Often, when the Holy Spirit moves powerfully, there is a radiant spin-off that everyone can sense, but only those in tune with the Spirit can interpret the actual message. To tighten up this spiritual sensitivity and home in on God’s Voice, the believer must prioritize praying in the Spirit and reading their Bible.

The Power of Praying in Tongues

To understand the power of praying in tongues, one must distinguish between the spirit and the soul. While your spirit man is made perfect at the moment of salvation, your soul—which comprises your mind, will, and emotions—is often in a state of disorder. Healing, increase, and the other parts of salvation are already present in your spirit, but you may not experience them because you lack revelation. Revelation is revealed knowledge that travels from your spirit into your soul and your five senses.

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

—Hebrews 5:14

While salvation is the cry to the world to repent, the cry to the Church is to renew the mind (see Romans 12:2). You can achieve this by reading the Word, but praying in tongues acts like hot sauce on that process, accelerating the transformation. When you pray in the Spirit, you are not governed by feelings. You are engaging a spiritual gift that empowers every other gift God has placed within you. It is an add-on to salvation that brings the anointing into manifestation, allowing you to walk in the leadings of the Spirit.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

—Romans 8:14

Scripture identifies several distinct ways that the gift of tongues operates. The first is the public prophetic tongue used in a congregational setting, which must be followed by an interpretation so the body can be edified (see 1 Corinthians 14). However, this is not the only function.

I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.

—1 Corinthians 14:18

Paul is indicating a private, devotional use of the gift that likely occurred during his travels and daily life. Throughout the Book of Acts, we see numerous instances of being filled with the Spirit leading to this supernatural utterance: the 120 at Pentecost (see Acts 2:1-4), the household of Cornelius (see Acts 10), the disciples in Ephesus (see Acts 19:1-6), the conversion of Saul (see Acts 9:17-18), and the Samaritans (see Acts 8:14-17).

While it is not a requirement for salvation, it is a powerful gift that flows through the believer’s unique personality and grid-work. The Holy Spirit does not take over your body like a seizure; He works through your soul to release the utterance. When you pray in the Spirit, you are allowing the Spirit of God to minister through your own vocal cords, using the specific makeup of who you are to communicate divine mysteries.

Build Yourself Up

But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

—Jude 1:17-20

Jude provides a strategy for responding to the controversies and sensual persons of the world who lack the Spirit and cause divisions. Build yourself up in your most holy faith. The Amplified Version describes this as rising like an edifice, higher and higher. In the original Greek, the word for building up carries the imagery of a house being constructed.

When you pray in the Spirit, you are not just making noise; you are expanding your foundation and building the walls of a spiritual superstructure. Why do we build a house larger? To increase its capacity to hold more in the future. Praying in tongues is an investment in your future capacity. You are sowing spiritual seeds into next week, next month, and next year.

Even when you do not feel anything or are physically tired, focused prayer in the Spirit leans into your future, opening up divine favor and revelation for the seasons ahead. It allows you to edify and encourage yourself from within, which is vital when external encouragement is unavailable.

The Holy Spirit’s Intercession

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

—Romans 8:26-27

Romans 8:26-27 acknowledges a common human limitation: We do not know what we should pray for as we ought. Often, our natural understanding is too limited to address the complexities of our lives or the depths of our needs. However, we see that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings. These groanings are a manifestation of the Holy Spirit moving through the believer to bypass human vocabulary and address the exact will of God.

This is the Holy Ghost horsepower mentioned earlier—it is a spiritual labor that births new things in your life. When you do not know the answer to a problem or how to navigate an impossible situation, the Spirit takes hold with you, interceding with a perfect knowledge of the Father’s heart. This synergy between the Spirit and the believer ensures that prayer is directed accurately, breaking through impossible yokes and setting free enigmas that the natural mind cannot solve.

For Jesus,

Joseph Z