Empowered Prayer: The Holy Spirit's Intercession

He is already reminded us that in this life we are still in the body and because of that that we are subject to certain infirmities and because of these infirmities because we are not yet perfect not yet glorified we find ourselves in various difficulties but in particular he takes up one aspect of our infirmity and that is the aspect concerned with this whole question of Prayer and in particular what exactly to pray for in certain given situation. [00:01:27]

We shouldn't feel that we had committed an act of sin because we don't know at any given moment what to pray for it is a part of our general infirmity and not in and of itself sinful now I say that that's our comfort in and of itself or let me put it like this the mere fact that you sometimes find yourself in a situation in which you don't quite know what to pray for as you what is not a sign that you are not one of God's children. [00:05:16]

Far from this kind of infirmity which renders us incapable of knowing exactly what we should pray for as we ought far from this proving that we are not God's children it can indeed if we only listen to this teaching lead to a most wonderful proof of the fact that we are God's children and I suggest you that that is what the Apostle is telling us here that this infirmity of ours in this particular method if we only handle it properly and if we only regard it properly we'll turn out in the end far from being a discouragement to be an additional proof of the certainty of the fact that we are the children of God and that our ultimate salvation is assured. [00:06:08]

The Spirit comes in the Holy Spirit of God does something and there is the key to the whole doctrine and to the understanding of this wonderful encouragement that we are given it is a further action of the Spirit likewise the spirit also in addition to the other things also does this particular thing now then what does he do here what is this peculiar something he does in this exact situation, well the verb used is helping likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities. [00:08:11]

The picture is a clear one isn't it here's a men struggling under some heavy load which he is carrying and he's almost collapsing suddenly somebody comes along and says wait a minute let me get hold of another end for you so the instead of the men having to carry the whole thing himself the other one that comes along takes hold of the other end and now they together proceeded to carry this load that was too much for the one men on his own that's the picture and that's the exact word which the Apostle usually of this composite compound word which he makes up for those three words in that way now that's what the spirit does he says. [00:10:00]

Now the whole picture there you see is a two oxen yoke together here is a load being drawn and what our Lord is saying is this you are wearing your heavy laden you're laboring because the load is too much free he says now then what I'm offering is that you be yoked to me and as you are yoked to me we will do this together and you will find them that it is see that the Lord which is so heavy becomes light it's precisely the same idea as we are taught here about the work of the Spirit in helping our infirmity at this fight. [00:12:29]

The Spirit comes to us at that point comes upon us as the word puts if you see and now he comes to us as an advocate and he begins to tell us what to pray for now this is one of the functions of an advocate isn't it the man was in trouble he goes to his solicitor this man's going to be on trial what does the Advocate do well he gives the man the answers he's got to give now he says the magistrate will ask you this question in that question this is what you should say to him in reply he prepares his case for him. [00:24:13]

The ideas therefore the thoughts and the suggestions and the petitions come from the script it is he who knows what is best first in this condition we don't we don't know the what to pray for as we ought put the spirit down now this is something surely which is very wonderful there's a mystery about it all but this is a part of Christian experience when we are in this position we find ourselves groaning sigh what is it well it is that the spirit has been working in us in this way as an advocate. [00:30:49]

God is the only one who can search our hearts there's a proverb which tells us that the heart knows its own bitterness nobody else knows we can't really read one another's hearts can we there are things inside our hearts that nobody else knows but God knows all about our house the Scriptures teach us that constantly God know if your house all things are naked and open unto the eye of him with whom we have to do the heart says Jeremiah chapter 17 is yes politically we couldn't be sepal who can know it. [00:39:30]

He knows all that goes on in our hearts in the deepest recesses of our beings there are ideas there there are wishes there are aspirations there are groanings that are sized knows nothing about them drops nobody else would know anything about them God does because he's God he knows everything God alone can do this and he does do it so you see words are not always necessary when you're dealing with God you can do without words because God knows our house we are in such trouble we can't find words we can't express this it's a world wordless gray groaning but God he knows he knows exactly what's happening no we haven't out of any words God knows exactly what's happening in your hop he knows all about our feelings he knows all about our desires he knows everything about our hopes. [00:41:00]

The Spirit is doing this to you the spirit that comes up comes alongside of us and takes up this burden and begins to act as our advocate within us why well because it's God who sent him to do it he's doing this according to the will of God it is a part of God's plan this is a part of God's plan for saving his people the whole of salvation is God's plan and this is a part of God's plan it's a part of our sanctification it's a part of God's Way of keeping us going while we're in this evil world this veil of Tears here are we not knowing what he sends the spirit it's God who sent the spirit always and the Spirit is doing this work as a part of God's plan for us he's doing it according to the will of God. [00:46:25]

If therefore you find yourself giving vent to these groanings which you can't express what does it mean well it is proof positive that you are a saint which means that it is proof positive that you are a son of God that you are a child of God that you are a joint heir with Christ nobody else signs in this way nobody else knows anything about this groaning it is the spirit who produces the groanings in us and the only produces them in the Saints in those who are the children of God therefore if you are giving them to these groanings and sayings you are a saint you are a child of God and you've got absolute proof once more of your final complete salvation. [00:49:33]