The Spirit Helps Us In Our Weakness
Romans 8:26 Lexham English Bible
26 And likewise also, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as one ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unexpressed groanings.
The word Spirit here is the Greek word pneuma and it means spirit, breath, wind. Usually refers to the Holy Spirit, the spirits of humans, or immaterial beings; occasionally refers to breath or wind. Paul here is writing about the work of the Holy Spirit in the place of prayer. As Paul writes the book of Romans, when he gets to chapter eight it is focused on living and walking in The Spirit.
The Christian journey is impossible to accomplish on our own. Daily we are confronted with trials, temptations, and challenges. We have an invisible enemy who desires to kill, steal, and destroy. Jesus has taught us the importance of prayer and abiding in Him. But one of the things you come to understand as you begin to seek God and grow in the place of prayer is that our human understanding is limited.
We can look at situations on the surface and begin to pray and desire that God’s will be done. But it is The Holy Spirit who knows the perfect will of God because He is God. It is The Holy Spirit who helps us in our weakness. The word weakness here in the Greek is astheneia and it means sickness, weakness. Refers to a weakness or disability, often due to natural limitations or illness. As human beings we are weak, and we are limited. Because of sin, our minds and physical bodies have limitations. Some day in God’s kingdom we will have resurrected bodies with resurrected minds. But while we are on this earth we are limited. Because of this The Holy Spirit is our paraclete. He is the one who comes alongside us and lives within us. Paul tells us that we are temples of The Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). Since Holy Spirit lives within us, He is here to help and assist us in all things when it comes to the plans and purposes God has for us.
Because of our human limitations when it comes to understanding, we don’t know fully how we should pray. God is all knowing. When a person prays in their understanding, they pray according to their human mind, in the language they speak every day, and ultimately according to their limited understanding. But when we pray in the Spirit or pray in tongues, it is Holy Spirit who gives us utterance. When we pray in The Spirit, it edifies us, which means it strengthens us. But not only strengthens us spiritually it creates deeper intimacy with Holy Spirit and takes our prayer life to a much deeper place.
Holy Spirit intercedes for us. He literally prays for us. God knows our limitations. God knows everything we face from the enemy. We are engaged daily in a spiritual war in which we face and invisible enemy who wants to kill, steal, and destroy. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal or physical, but they are spiritual. We must fight and win the spiritual war before us, using the spiritual weapons God has given us.
One of the greatest resources God has given us is prayer. I encourage you to incorporate praying in The Spirit and praying in your understanding into your daily prayer life. If you have never prayed in tongues, I would begin to seek Holy Spirit and ask Him to fill you and baptize you in His power and His fullness. At salvation we all receive the work and person of Holy Spirit in our lives. But I truly believe there is a greater work of Holy Spirit known as the baptism of The Holy Spirit. I believe it is available for all who follow Jesus and its main purpose is to empower us to be witnesses on this earth for God and His kingdom. What greater way to empower us than for Holy Spirit to pray through us to see the purposes and plans of God accomplished in the earth.
Prayer
Father thank you for sending Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit thank you for living inside us, for guiding us, for helping us in the place of prayer. Help me in my weakness. Help me in my limitation. Lead me to pray your perfect will in every situation. Father may every desire be surrendered to your will. May your will be done in all things. May your righteousness and justice prevail. May my life be a house of prayer through which you can accomplish your purpose. Jesus thank you for dying and rising again. Thank you for your shed blood. Thank you that you have made all this possible. In the name of Jesus, Amen!
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