Interceding with the Help of the Holy Spirit
God Has Given Us a Method by Which Our Spirit Can Speak Beyond the
Romans 8:26-27 – “…but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered” (v.26).
The Holy Spirit will help us pray the perfect will of God.
Greek text: “groaning which cannot be uttered in articulate speech.”
God has given us a way to do this: Limits of Our Mind
1 Corinthians 14:14-15 – “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful” (v.14).
Another translation reads, “My spirit by the Holy Spirit prayeth.”
When Paul speaks about our understanding, he is referring to our mind.
Two Kinds of Praying
Mental praying: Praying with your understanding
Spiritual Praying: Praying in tongues
When you pray in tongues, it is the Holy Spirit giving you utterance, but it is your spirit doing the praying.
Mental praying is limited to your knowledge. You don’t always know how to pray as you ought.
When you pray in the Spirit, you pray according to the will of God.
Romans 8:27 – “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
1 John 5:14-15 – “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (v.14).
Groaning in the Spirit
While in prayer, groanings will well up inside you which cannot be put into ordinary speech. It bypasses the mind and comes from the spirit.
The Holy Spirit does not do this apart from you. It is something He helps you to do.
Groanings in prayer and speaking in tongues are the Holy Spirit helping us to pray in spiritual intercession.
Praying in Tongues Is a Spiritual Weapon
Our weapons are not carnal.
Corinthians 10:4-5 – “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (v.4).
Travailing in the Spirit
Galatians 4:19 – “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”
Paul had already travailed in birth for them, but now he is continuing to intercede for their spiritual growth.
Paul at one time travailed for them to be born again; now he is praying that Christ may be formed in them.
Intercessory prayer is compared to a woman giving birth to a child.
The groaning in labor during childbirth is the same action involved in groaning in the Spirit.
The groaning comes from the Spirit. Spiritual force flows out of the center of the heart of man.
John 7:38 – “…out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
Example of Jesus Groaning in the Spirit
John 11:1-45 – “he groaned in the spirit and was troubled” (v.33). “Jesus wept” (v.35).
Jesus did not pray in tongues. However, He did groan as a result of His intercession.
He stirred Himself in the Spirit and troubled Himself (v.33).
He wept – the result of the spirit of intercession (v.35).
Jesus knew that God had heard Him because of His groaning (vv.41-42).
“Helpeth” Our Infirmities
Romans 8:26 – “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities…”
There are actually three Greek words involved in the English word that is translated “helpeth”: To take hold together With Against
The three together mean: “to take hold together with against.”
Therefore, the Scripture means: The Holy Spirit takes hold together with us against our infirmities.
Smith Wigglesworth said, “I always start out in the flesh and wind up in the Spirit.”
Don’t wait for some special feeling; just realize that the Helper is there, and He is eager to help you become victorious over the problem.
