“Likewise, the Spirit also helps our infirmity; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). What on earth is Paul talking about here?

Paul had just said in vv.20-25 that the world in which we live was made subject to vanity (hopelessness) and bondage of corruption, that the whole creation groans and travails until now. Even we believers groan within ourselves, waiting for the delivery, which we continue to hope for. The “Likewise” connects verse 26 to the previous paragraph.

The great benefit we believers have over the hopeless world creation, is that we have a Helper, the Spirit of God, who “helps our infirmity” (weakness). When we’re caught in the hopelessness and unfairness of this lost world, “the Spirit Himself makes intercession (prays) for us“. And what kind of prayer? “With groanings which cannot be uttered“. No one can define that kind of prayer, though many have tried. Its not supposed to be understood by us.

The point is that God’s Spirit, being God in nature, communicates in a way our finite minds cannot grasp. But groanings always refers to agony. God’s Spirit grieves for our pain and injustice; and does something about it. I can expect results because the Spirit of the Living God intercedes for me. My faith doesn’t intercede, God’s Spirit does. My faith learns to rest in the Spirit’s prayer and workings. My faith reaches out in desperation to connect with the God who hides.

Draw close to the Lord today, unload your injustice and pain to Him, and watch what He does in your life.

Tags: Holy Spirit, prayer

Paul had just stated in Romans 8:3 that the law was weak due to our flesh, and could not modify our hearts. But when Jesus died in the flesh He provided the power to change our hearts. He continues: “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:4).

Paul is not talking about our salvation here. That is already accomplished “in us” (believers) when we come to Christ. He is here talking about the righteousness God intended for us when He gave the law through the Prophets way back then. The Mosaic Law described the measure of self-discipline God demands of His people. But, remember, the Law had no real power over our lives…we are helpless in these weak flesh bodies with their constant earthly appetites. These laws could not make us more like God.

That phrase that probably did not belong at the end of verse 1 where Paul was speaking of salvation, does belong here: “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit“. The topic has changed from salvation to living out the righteous desires of God for us. The Law had no power, but the inner presence of the Holy Spirit does.

And we all have a choice of walking after the flesh and its desires, or walking after the Spirit of God and His desires. And the results of the choice you make will affect your future. I once was walking after the flesh and it brought about painful results. But now that I seek to walk after His Spirit, He guides my steps and calms my fears. What is your choice?

Tags: choices, flesh, Holy Spirit

The language of the Spirit is coincidence. That’s two incidents cooperating together to come up with an amazing end. You can always know God’s Spirit is involved when you see these events working together.

For example, we don’t often see a lot of funerals, just one here and there. However, by next weekend I will have officiated at six funerals or celebration of life services in one month. If there is a message in this large number of deaths all bundled together, it might be that we all must be ready to go. We never know the day nor the hour, but we can be sure of the event. Perhaps the home-going of a loved is the wake up call we might need.

Watch for the tell-tale sign of the Spirit’s working: Coincidence. There is an all-knowing Hand behind these various parts working together.

Tags: coincidence, Holy Spirit

Because of the experience I had had with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, I had a thirst for God like never before. The Holy Spirit inspires such thirst. I expected God to reveal things to me from the Bible every time I read it. It was difficult to understand the King James Version, but that was the only reliable version to me back then.

I met with Steve Houser and Pastor Dennis Kutzner for prayer after work (I worked second shift then) every night. We received many words from God as we prayed into the wee hours. Finally, after waiting and praying for 2-3 weeks, I stopped trying to speak in tongues and just rested in Him. Then it happened, without trying, my prayer language came.

That experience proved to me that I was not making this language up in my head. When I tried, I couldn’t; when I stopped trying, I did. God is always one step ahead of us.

Today I use that prayer language routinely when I want to communicate with God but don’t know how to pray. My prayer then by-passes my intellect as my human spirit is inspired by the Holy Spirit within me. If you have received your prayer language, God expects you to use it. If you have not received a language, God expects you to seek Him until you receive it.

Tags: Holy Spirit

When I was attending a church as a child, the Holy Spirit was not mentioned. We were taught that when a person is baptized into the church, the Holy Spirit indwelt you at that time. So, when I was baptized in water at age 12, I thought that’s all there was to Christianity. I tried to behave like a Christian, but quickly became disillusioned because I had no power in my life.

In 1971 I had an encounter that educated me very quickly. Several other men gathered around me and laid hands on me and began praying in their prayer language. I was not expecting anything to happen to me, but it did. I became very emotional (not normal for me) and began to cry like a baby as the Lord touched my life. I remember trembling and feeling an overwhelming love from God. Today I know this was all a cleansing of my soul from all the sin in my life.

They all had a prayer language, but I did not. Having been emotionally touched by the Lord, I now wanted all He had for me, but did not receive that language, no matter how much I tried.

I felt God was withholding something from me, and I wanted it. Have you ever felt like God was withholding something from you? Tell us about it.

Tags: Holy Spirit

I took a couple of days off from this blog to get caught up on some other things. Now back to the work at hand.

The Holy Spirit is the forgotten (or ignored) part of the Trinity. God is a three-part Being: Father, Son, and Spirit. The Father is the Creator, the Son is the Redeemer, and the Spirit is the Sanctifier (another form of the word Holy). All three were involved in the creation of the world and man.

Today the Son (Jesus) sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. The Son is the part of God that relates to us today. So, if we ignore the Holy Spirit, or minimize His role in our lives, we are thus minimizing or ignoring God in our lives. The Holy Spirit guides and directs, but only as we seek Him. As we’ve discovered in the scriptures, God loves to hide and encourages us to seek Him out. “Seek and you shall find,” Jesus taught His disciples.

As we seek for God, by searching His Word, prayer (both talking and listening), and meditation, the Spirit of God speaks to our human spirit the steps we need to take. This is what being led of the Spirit is.

We can expect God to lead us as we seek Him. Have you seen this work in your life? Tell us about it.

Tags: Holy Spirit