Intercession by the Holy Spirit

May 28, 2021

Intercession by the Holy Spirit

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” – Romans 8:26-27

Have you ever found yourself in a challenging situation and not sure what to do or what to pray? Many years ago, my life was changed by the ministry of Healing Prayer. Having been so blessed through this ministry, I was eager to get trained and to be part of it. I attended four training schools and participated in a weekend-long internship. Even with all that amazing training, I can honestly say that I felt completely ill-equipped to pray for people in such dire circumstances. People needed physical healing, emotional healing, and spiritual healing. The stories I heard were overwhelming. Maybe this was not the ministry for me!

Then, I would close my eyes in prayer for these precious children of God, and I received visions and words that were not from me. I still marvel at the insight that the Lord provided, the power to speak into dark and hidden places, and the vision from the Lord to guide my prayer. I learned through these experiences that the Spirit does indeed help us in our weakness. In fact, the Spirit thrives in our weakness as we get out of his way and allow him to do the work in us and through us.

This kind of power comes in our ministry to others but also in our personal prayer times. There are simply times in our lives when we can’t find the words for what we are feeling or thinking. Something within us aches or longs for an encounter with God; yet how do we seek for such things? Thanks be to God, the Holy Spirit sees us perfectly, knows us perfectly, and intercedes for us perfectly. It is the work of this Spirit that draws us into the will of God. Many times when I am at a loss for words, I pray that God would make his desires my desires, that I would love what he loves, and that I would want to walk according to his plans and purposes. Essentially, I am asking the Holy Spirit to transform me into the likeness of Jesus so that I can live in obedience to the Father.

The Holy Spirit does what we cannot do. It is the power of God working in our lives. May we embrace our weakness so that we can then embrace and live into his perfect strength!

Reflect & Respond:

Do you realize the significance of the gift that lives within you? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Related Resources:

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit a "gift" who will guide us, lead us, and empower us. Yet many believers don't experience the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. This unique Christian Bible study provides a space in which we can explore what it truly means to "walk in the Spirit" on a daily basis. The Spirit-Filled Life small-group curriculum centers on a 6-part video teaching series examining the life-giving and creative work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Begin to experience the gift today!