Can I ask the Holy Spirit to enter someone else's heart?

[PRmerger]

One of my favorite prayers is attributed to Mother Theresa.

“Come Holy Spirit, into my heart. Pray with me, pray in me, so that through you I may learn to pray.”

My question: can I pray this for others? That is, if I know someone is in a difficult situation, can I ask the Holy Spirit to enter this person’s heart? (Come Holy Spirit, into *her *heart. Pray with her, pray in her, so that through you *she *may learn to pray)

One one hand, I think, “Of course I can! It’s a prayer of petition.”

On the other hand, don’t we have to invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts ourselves? Can the Holy Spirit enter a hardened heart or a heart that’s not open?

 

[InLight247]

Why not?

 

[forgiveall]

Yes that is so beautiful to ask the Holy Spirit to help others and to enter their heart.

Please pray it

God bless all you do in Jesus Name

 

[Holly3278]

I see nothing wrong with asking the Holy Spirit to enter somebody else’s heart.

 

[SD_Catholic]

One of my favorite prayers is attributed to Mother Theresa.

“Come Holy Spirit, into my heart. Pray with me, pray in me, so that through you I may learn to pray.”

My question: can I pray this for others? That is, if I know someone is in a difficult situation, can I ask the Holy Spirit to enter this person’s heart? (Come Holy Spirit, into *her *heart. Pray with her, pray in her, so that through you *she *may learn to pray)

One one hand, I think, “Of course I can! It’s a prayer of petition.”

On the other hand, don’t we have to invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts ourselves? Can the Holy Spirit enter a hardened heart or a heart that’s not open?

I sure hope so… I know God is already at their door but perhaps we can get him to kick it in if we beg

SD

 

[NotWorthy]

Isn’t this what brought about St. Augustine’s conversion? I hope I’m getting this write, but St. Margaret, his mother, prayed for his conversion for years upon years.

 

[fewnotmany]

My question: … can I ask the Holy Spirit to enter this person’s heart?

Ask is a conditional word. Only when asking for something by the authority of God (My name), will you receive it.

John 14:13 -
"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Having said that, there is no Biblical account of where anyone can ask the Holy Spirit to come into another’s life. Everyone is accountable for their own sin. No one can mediate for them.

1Ti 2:5 -
For there is one God, {and} one mediator also between God and men, {the} man Christ Jesus,

On the other hand, don’t we have to invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts ourselves?

The Holy Spirit is not moved by an
invitation hymn . . .
Ac 5:32 -
“And we are witnesses of these things; and {so is} the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

God gives the HS to those that obey the Word.

Can the Holy Spirit enter a hardened heart or a heart that’s not open?

Yes, but if they are part of God’s Family, God will reveal Himself to them, through the HS, when He is ready.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Having said that, there is no Biblical account of where anyone can ask the Holy Spirit to come into another’s life.

**Not even in Acts 8:17 when the Holy Spirit was given to people PRECISELY at the intercesssion of the Apostles who laid their hands on them?

Would you like to try again?**

 

[NotWorthy]

Ask is a conditional word. Only when asking for something by the authority of God (My name), will you receive it.

John 14:13 -
"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

But it does not say, “Only in His Name”. Where does the conditional “only” fit into this proof-text.

Having said that, there is no Biblical account of where anyone can ask the Holy Spirit to come into another’s life. Everyone is accountable for their own sin. No one can mediate for them.

1Ti 2:5 -
For there is one God, {and} one mediator also between God and men, {the} man Christ Jesus,

The previous poster answered this quite well, but what about the paralytic in the synoptic Gospels who is lowered down to Jesus.

Jesus is moved to heal and forgive them man after seeing their faith (“their” meaning those that lowered Jesus).

What you teach here immediately calls into question the Tradition of Infant Baptism.

The Holy Spirit is not moved by an
invitation hymn . . .
Ac 5:32 -
“And we are witnesses of these things; and {so is} the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

How does this quote prove your point? I’m stumped in putting this as a proof-text

God gives the HS to those that obey the Word.
Yes, but if they are part of God’s Family, God will reveal Himself to them, through the HS, when He is ready.

Amen!

BTW, welcome to the Forums, brother! (or sister!)

 

[DebChris]

God will not go against a person’s will.
However, there are other prayers that work.
Since Faith is a gift, we can ask God to give the person the gift of Faith. He/she still needs to respond in faith.
We can ask God to soften a sinner’s heart, including our own and ask for a spirit of repentence.
We can ask God for the word we need to speak or for God to bring a person into his/her life with the words he/she needs to hear.
I hope this helps.

 

[fewnotmany]

Having said that, there is no Biblical account of where anyone can ask the Holy Spirit to come into another’s life.

**Not even in Acts 8:17 when the Holy Spirit was given to people PRECISELY at the intercesssion of the Apostles who laid their hands on them?

Would you like to try again?**

Thank you for challenging my statement. Peter and John (Acts 8:14) did intercede for others.

What I should have said was, 'after the miracles of the apostles ceased (1 Cor 13:8-13), there is no Biblical account were someone can ask the Holy Spirit to come into another’s life’

In otherwords, what was possible for Peter, John, Paul, and the other apostles, is not possible for us.

 

[PRmerger]

What I should have said was, 'after the miracles of the apostles ceased (1 Cor 13:8-13), there is no Biblical account were someone can ask the Holy Spirit to come into another’s life’

I am not a biblical scholar, but, how could there be a biblical account of anything after the apostles died? Didn’t the New Testament end with the deaths of the apostles?

 

[fewnotmany]

But it does not say, “Only in His Name”. Where does the conditional “only” fit into this proof-text.

What I stated wasn’t very clear. Sorry, I’m trying to get my forum ‘speak’ engine jump started. I suppose I was free associating with the word ‘ask’ from the OP. What I’m trying to convey is the idea that statements like ‘can I ask the Holy Spirit to (do anything)?’ generally are request for things that God doesn’t want us to have. God provides our needs.

Mt 6:8 - "So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

Like children, we are prone to ‘ask’ for that which we want.

Returning to John 14:13 -
"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If what I ask for is not glorifying God, then it is not of the Holy Spirit.

 

[fewnotmany]

I am not a biblical scholar, but, how could there be a biblical account of anything after the apostles died? Didn’t the New Testament end with the deaths of the apostles?

OK . . . I’ll get it right the third time . . ‘What I should have said was, ‘after the miracles of the apostles ceased (1 Cor 13:8-13), no one can ask the Holy Spirit to come into another’s life’’

1Ti 2:5 -
For there is one God, {and} one mediator also between God and men, {the} man Christ Jesus

 

[PRmerger]

OK . . . I’ll get it right the third time . . 'What I should have said was, ‘after the miracles of the apostles ceased (1 Cor 13:8-13), no one can ask the Holy Spirit to come into another’s life’
1Ti 2:5 -
For there is one God, {and} one mediator also between God and men, {the} man Christ Jesus

Do you not pray for any of your brethren? If someone asks you to pray that their surgery turns out well, do you tell them, “I cannot ask God to do something for you. Just ask Jesus, because he’s the one mediator?”

 

[SawGodThere]

If you pray for the Holy Spirit to enter another’s heart, you are praying for them to have the strength to ask for it themselves. Only that person can accept the Holy Spirit in their heart, but you are asking for them to have the strength to ask for and accept the Holy Spirit in their lives.

 

[NotWorthy]

What I stated wasn’t very clear. Sorry, I’m trying to get my forum ‘speak’ engine jump started. I suppose I was free associating with the word ‘ask’ from the OP. What I’m trying to convey is the idea that statements like ‘can I ask the Holy Spirit to (do anything)?’ generally are request for things that God doesn’t want us to have. God provides our needs.

This is simply not true. You are inserting your own parameters onto the OP’s question…

A) God wishes all of us to be saved.
B) Someone wishes to pray for the Holy Spirit to enter into another’s life.

Where is there something here that God doesn’t want us to have?

 

[fewnotmany]

If someone asks you to pray that their surgery turns out well, do you tell them, “I cannot ask God to do something for you. Just ask Jesus, because he’s the one mediator?”

Prayer means to bow to the will of God (Matthew 6:10).

9 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

In addition, I give thanks for the good and the bad that God has brought into my life.

1Th 5:18 -
in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I just don’t believe that well wishing prayers for a successful surgery is what Scripture teaches about prayer.

 

[fewnotmany]

A) God wishes all of us to be saved.

By ‘all of us’ do you mean everyone that ever lived?

B) Someone wishes to pray for the Holy Spirit to enter into another’s life.

I’ve stated my disagreement with this statement.

Where is there something here that God doesn’t want us to have?

With respect to the OP question, the details of the prayer request wasn’t disclosed. I was attempting to put up a cautionary yellow flag to warn against praying (wishing) for things that is not the will of God.

 

[fewnotmany]

If you pray for the Holy Spirit to enter another’s heart, you are praying for them to have the strength to ask for it themselves.

This statement is difficult for me to understand. As I stated earlier, the miracles of praying for the HS to enter another has ceased with the apostles. To my way of trying to understand your statement, the HS is like the wind and we can build windmills and channel the HS into power.

Only that person can accept the Holy Spirit in their heart, but you are asking for them to have the strength to ask for and accept the Holy Spirit in their lives.

If I understand your statement correctly, in other words, the Holy Spirit is incapable to conquer the freewill of a person that resist it? However, when my freewill, through prayer, is teamed up with the Holy Spirit, then the the HS has the strength to conquer the harden heart.