THE HOLY SPIRIT, OUR INTERCESSOR (PART 2).
TEXT:
"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Romans 8 verse 26, King James Version).
It's obviously beyond human ability to be able to know what we should pray for as we ought. The reason for this is that with our finite minds, there are many things we do not know, and until they are revealed to us, they are only known to God. Thus, in this regard, the Bible says that we do not know what we should pray for as we ought "but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Notice that the Bible does not say that we do not know how to pray, but that we do not know what to pray as we ought. In the Christian faith, it's settled that we know how to pray! We pray to the Father in the name of Jesus, His Son (see John 16 verses 23-24).
In part 1 of this series, I spoke about "infirmities" regarding which the Spirit helps us in prayer. But today, let's consider what it means when the Bible says the Spirit "helpeth" our infirmities.
First, we must understand that the Holy Spirit is our Helper, amongst other things (see John 14 verse 16, the Amplified Version). The word "helpeth" in the phrase "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities" comes from three different Greek root words. The first root word means to "take hold together"; the second means "with"; and the third means "against". So this phrase could otherwise literally read: "likewise the Spirit also taketh hold together with us against". In other words, the Holy Spirit takes hold together with us in prayer against the devil and his schemes against us in life; which schemes manifest by way of obstacles and hindrances. They include our infirmities or imperfections with regards to prayer.
This is awesome, to say the least! To have the Holy Spirit come to our help in prayer translates to having God Himself pray through us for us! The Holy Spirit taking hold together with us in prayer against our problems, obstacles and imperfections is literally equal to having an indisputable assurance of answers to our prayers. This is wonderful!
To repeat what I said in part 1 of this series, in order to have this privilege, you must be filled with God's Spirit in the first place. Second, if you don't pray, if you don't take hold first by praying, the Holy Spirit doesn't have anything to "take hold together with us against", because His role is to help us take out the things that stand against us in life as God's children! Next time you have a challenge to pray about and you don't know what to pray for as you ought, call on the Holy Spirit to “take hold together with you against the challenge and He'll gladly do it for you with outstanding results. This is how He “helpeth” our infirmities.
Take advantage of the Spirit's intercessory ministry today by inviting Him to intercede for you as you pray in other tongues; and you'll be grateful to God for the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church.
PRAYER:
Father, thank You for the gift of Your Spirit. I covet His intercessory ministry in my prayer life, in Jesus name.