--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We know not the matter of the things for…" description: "\"We know not the matter of the things for which we should pray, neither the object to whom we pray, nor the medium by or through whom we pray; none of t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/john-bunyan-1055_assistance_we-know-not-the-matter-of-the-things-for_1370523.jpg" --- # We know not the matter of the things for which we should… ![“We know not the matter of the things for which we should pray, neither the object to whom we pray, nor the medium by or through whom we pray; none of these things know we, but by the help and assistance of the Spirit.” quote by John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/john-bunyan-1055_assistance_we-know-not-the-matter-of-the-things-for_1370523.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/john-bunyan-1055_assistance_we-know-not-the-matter-of-the-things-for_1370523.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/john-bunyan-1055_assistance_we-know-not-the-matter-of-the-things-for_1370523.jpg) > “We know not the matter of the things for which we should pray, neither the object to whom we pray, nor the medium by or through whom we pray; none of these things know we, but by the help and assistance of the Spirit.” [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer is mysterious; we lack knowledge of its purpose, target, and method, yet the Spirit guides us. **In simple terms:** We don’t know why or how we pray, but the Spirit helps. Key Takeaway Trust the Spirit’s guidance in prayer. Themes faith spirituality humility Mood reflective faithful Type spiritual theological When to use this quote - personal prayer - church services - spiritual counseling Key Concepts theology mysticism Questions to Reflect On - What does trusting the Spirit mean to you? - How can you pray without full knowledge? A Different Perspective Limited understanding may cause doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assistance/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Holy spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-spirit/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Medium Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medium-pray-4717812/) [Mediums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediums/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [Pray Medium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray-medium-4717813/) [Pray Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray-things-619349/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Things Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-pray-974281/) ## Related quotes > [“We worry about many things. And pray about few things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-worry-about-many-things-and-pray-about-few-things/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Plus, I like to pray for things that seem possible. There are so many things that I pray for that seem almost too big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/plus-i-like-to-pray-for-things-that-seem-possible-there-are-so-many/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Day by day, dear Lord, Of Thee three things I pray. To see Thee more clearly, Love Thee more dearly, Follow Thee more nearly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/day-by-day-dear-lord-of-thee-three-things-i-pray-to-see-thee-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The things we pray for, good Lord, give us grace to labor for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-more/the-things-we-pray-for-good-lord-give-us-grace-to-labor-for/) [Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-more/) > [What are the things we should pray for? First, our personal troubles...The greatest trouble we can ever know is thinking that we have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/what-are-the-things-we-should-pray-for-first-our-personal-troubles/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [All earth-born hopes with time must pass away; prayer grasps eternal things; pray, always pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-simpson/all-earth-born-hopes-with-time-must-pass-away-prayer-grasps-eternal/) [A. B. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-simpson/) > [We little know the things for which we pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/we-little-know-the-things-for-which-we-pray/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [So many things to pray for tonight...Hard to mention them all but thankfully God knows them already, before I even hit my knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-many-things-to-pray-for-tonight-hard-to-mention-them-all-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We must not be contented however with praying, without exerting ourselves in the use of means for the obtaining of those things we pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carey/we-must-not-be-contented-however-with-praying-without-exerting/) [William Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carey/) > [“tell you, all the things you pray and ask for—believe that you have received them, and you will have them. Mark 11:24”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/tell-you-all-the-things-you-pray-and-ask-for-believe-that-you-have/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [We know little of the things for which we pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/we-know-little-of-the-things-for-which-we-pray/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [There are certain things we must not pray about - moods, for instance. Moods never go by praying, moods go by kicking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/there-are-certain-things-we-must-not-pray-about-moods-for-instance/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Dear Lord, for these things I pray: To know Thee more clearly. To love Thee more dearly. To follow Thee more nearly. Everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-lord-for-these-things-i-pray-to-know-thee-more-clearly-to-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pray for great things, expect great things, work for great things, but above all pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-torrey/pray-for-great-things-expect-great-things-work-for-great-things-but/) [R. A. Torrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-torrey/) > [Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/prayer-is-a-sincere-sensible-affectionate-pouring-out-of-the-soul-to/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) ## More by John Bunyan > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [To seek yourself in this world is to be lost; and to be humble is to be exalted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/to-seek-yourself-in-this-world-is-to-be-lost-and-to-be-humble-is-to/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“it is common for those that have called themselves His servants, after awhile to give Him the slip, and return again to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/it-is-common-for-those-that-have-called-themselves-his-servants-after/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [A comely sight indeed it is to see, a world of blossoms on an apple tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/a-comely-sight-indeed-it-is-to-see-a-world-of-blossoms-on-an-apple/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“The preeminent job of the church is to equip Christian for life's challenges. This requires the emphasis on being fitted with tested armor. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-preeminent-job-of-the-church-is-to-equip-christian-for-life-s/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“So he had them into the slaughter house, where was a butcher killing a sheep. 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Great knowledge is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/it-is-possible-to-learn-all-about-the-mysteries-of-the-bible-and/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“This hill, though high, I covet to ascend; The difficulty will not me offend. For I perceive the way to life lies here. Come,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/this-hill-though-high-i-covet-to-ascend-the-difficulty-will-not-me/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) [Explore all 299 John Bunyan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) ## More Assistance quotes > [Even during my youth, I can recall very few black people living on any kind of public assistance. People were working, doing some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-smith/even-during-my-youth-i-can-recall-very-few-black-people-living-on-any/) [Ed Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-smith/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [Student loans have been helpful to many. But they offer neither incentive nor assistance to those students who, by reason of family or other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/student-loans-have-been-helpful-to-many-but-they-offer-neither/) [John F. 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They don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/in-terms-of-the-unemployed-of-which-we-have-over-a-million-and-a-half/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [Nearly all the Gauls are of a lofty stature, white, and of ruddy complexion; terrible from the sternness of their eyes, very quarrelsome, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammianus-marcellinus/nearly-all-the-gauls-are-of-a-lofty-stature-white-and-of-ruddy/) [Ammianus Marcellinus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammianus-marcellinus/) > [The longer people receive economic assistance, the worse their social condition and behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-longer-people-receive-economic-assistance-the-worse-their-social/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [We hope that more assistance will be available to the nations of the region, to include Egypt, on the three pillars that I discussed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-hope-that-more-assistance-will-be-available-to-the-nations-of-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [... happily the Government of the United States... gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/happily-the-government-of-the-united-states-gives-to-bigotry-no/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Now one of the most essential branches of English liberty, is the freedom of one's house. 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