1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:06,180 This is Week 3, the last week in this short series on the subject of prayer. 2 00:00:06,180 –> 00:00:12,380 We began by recognizing that for millions of people, prayer is nothing more than an 3 00:00:12,380 –> 00:00:16,760 uncertain attempt to communicate with an unknown God. 4 00:00:16,760 –> 00:00:21,580 We’ve seen that God gives to us the very wonderful gift of knowing him as our father through 5 00:00:21,580 –> 00:00:27,360 faith in the lord Jesus Christ, and the more that you are aware in a real and true way 6 00:00:27,400 –> 00:00:33,599 that God is your father the more you will have the desire to pray, I have a father who 7 00:00:33,599 –> 00:00:34,599 loves me. 8 00:00:34,599 –> 00:00:37,520 I have a father to whom I can come. 9 00:00:37,520 –> 00:00:42,080 But then we saw last week that as soon as you have the desire to pray you actually would 10 00:00:42,080 –> 00:00:48,160 like to, you are immediately confronted by two significant problems. 11 00:00:48,160 –> 00:00:51,560 The first is a sense of your own unworthiness, we all face this. 12 00:00:51,560 –> 00:00:54,560 Who am I to ask anything of God? 13 00:00:54,680 –> 00:01:00,000 And then the second is the weakness and the inadequacy of your own prayers, these seem 14 00:01:00,000 –> 00:01:05,080 pitiful, they seem pathetic, what is this to offer to almighty God? 15 00:01:05,080 –> 00:01:11,339 And we saw that the answer to these two problems lies in the marvellous gift of God’s own son. 16 00:01:11,339 –> 00:01:15,919 Jesus Christ not only died to save us, but he lives to keep us. 17 00:01:15,919 –> 00:01:21,639 He’s always interceding at the right hand of the father and the more you see what he 18 00:01:21,639 –> 00:01:27,620 does at the right hand of the father for you, the more you will have the confidence to pray. 19 00:01:27,620 –> 00:01:35,199 Remember, Jesus is our Great High Priest, he carries our names over his heart and he 20 00:01:35,199 –> 00:01:42,519 presents us to the father not as we are on our own, but as we are in him. 21 00:01:42,519 –> 00:01:48,139 And the more that you see Jesus Christ and all that he does for you, not only presenting 22 00:01:48,220 –> 00:01:54,139 you to the Father in himself, but also filtering your prayers so that they’re better when they 23 00:01:54,139 –> 00:01:58,180 arrive in heaven than they were when they ascended from you on earth. 24 00:01:58,180 –> 00:02:01,540 The more you see what Jesus does at the right hand of the Father, the more you will have 25 00:02:01,540 –> 00:02:05,419 the confidence to pray. 26 00:02:05,419 –> 00:02:10,020 So we thought about a desire to pray, we thought about a confidence to pray, and there are 27 00:02:10,059 –> 00:02:19,940 really three gifts that transform a believer’s prayer life, and I’d like you more than anything 28 00:02:19,940 –> 00:02:24,360 to remember this from the series, and it’s really very simple. 29 00:02:24,360 –> 00:02:31,039 The three gifts that will transform your prayer life are, number one, the gift of the Father 30 00:02:31,039 –> 00:02:38,820 giving you the desire to pray, number two, the gift of the Son, Jesus Christ, giving 31 00:02:39,020 –> 00:02:45,899 you the confidence to pray, the third great gift that is the power to transform your prayer 32 00:02:45,899 –> 00:02:53,740 life is the gift of God, the Holy Spirit, who gives you the ability to pray, and that’s 33 00:02:53,740 –> 00:02:59,399 what we’re looking at today from Romans and from chapter 8, so I hope you will have these 34 00:02:59,399 –> 00:03:05,220 verses open in front of you beginning at verse 26, just two verses that we are looking at 35 00:03:05,220 –> 00:03:06,899 today. 36 00:03:07,220 –> 00:03:15,279 Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. 37 00:03:15,279 –> 00:03:20,479 Now, the word help here immediately conveys a partnership. 38 00:03:20,479 –> 00:03:24,779 It’s about working together, that’s what help involves. 39 00:03:24,779 –> 00:03:32,259 The Holy Spirit doesn’t pray instead of us, the Holy Spirit prays along with us, he helps 40 00:03:32,699 –> 00:03:38,080 us in our attempts at praying. 41 00:03:38,080 –> 00:03:44,199 Growing up in Scotland, we had a piano in our home and neither my father nor my mother 42 00:03:44,199 –> 00:03:48,779 played the piano, but they had hoped that I would learn. 43 00:03:48,779 –> 00:03:55,380 Well, I’m afraid I was a dreadful disappointment to them in that regard, I never took to it, 44 00:03:55,380 –> 00:04:01,639 and, eventually, we all agreed that the time had come to accept that it wasn’t gonna happen. 45 00:04:01,839 –> 00:04:07,759 Well, yes, there’s more story to that but let’s just move on. 46 00:04:07,759 –> 00:04:12,899 There was a couple in our church who wanted to have a piano in their home and so my parents 47 00:04:12,899 –> 00:04:17,019 decided that we would give our piano to them. 48 00:04:17,559 –> 00:04:23,040 Now, they lived about half a mile from our home, we were high up on a hill and they were 49 00:04:23,040 –> 00:04:30,399 down at the bottom of one off the steep Edinburgh hills, about half a mile away, and my father 50 00:04:30,679 –> 00:04:37,679 decided that with the help of a few men and a furniture dolly we could move the piano 51 00:04:38,000 –> 00:04:42,160 that half a mile down the hill to their apartment. 52 00:04:42,160 –> 00:04:49,160 The problem was that their apartment was actually two floors above ground and there was no lift 53 00:04:49,519 –> 00:04:52,820 in the apartment, just a winding stair. 54 00:04:52,820 –> 00:04:59,820 So I have to tell you that the image of four men from the church I grew up in, heaving 55 00:04:59,959 –> 00:05:06,959 this piano up a winding stair to the second floor apartment of our friends, is indelibly 56 00:05:07,339 –> 00:05:10,820 imprinted on my mind. 57 00:05:10,820 –> 00:05:17,420 Not one of these men could lift the piano on their own but what happened remarkably 58 00:05:17,420 –> 00:05:23,220 was that as each of them took some off the weight, they actually managed to move that 59 00:05:23,220 –> 00:05:27,600 large and weighty instrument all the way into the home of our friends. 60 00:05:28,079 –> 00:05:30,320 Every one of these men helped. 61 00:05:30,320 –> 00:05:34,220 Now, that’s the word here, the spirit helps us. 62 00:05:37,000 –> 00:05:44,619 He comes alongside us and lifts the load, not instead of us but alongside of us. 63 00:05:44,640 –> 00:05:51,640 Here’s this burden that you’re carrying and the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness 64 00:05:51,640 –> 00:05:57,040 so that what would not be possible for you on your own becomes possible because you are 65 00:05:57,040 –> 00:06:02,299 not on your own, the Holy Spirit is there engaged with you. 66 00:06:02,299 –> 00:06:07,540 Now, these verses are of course about prayer and so what we’re being taught here very clearly 67 00:06:07,540 –> 00:06:13,959 is that praying is something that a Christian does with the Holy Spirit. 68 00:06:13,959 –> 00:06:20,399 We cannot pray without the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will not pray without us, 69 00:06:20,399 –> 00:06:25,839 he helps us, there is a partnership together in which every time a Christian prays not 70 00:06:25,859 –> 00:06:32,299 not only is it you praying, but the Holy Spirit is actively engaged in this business of praying 71 00:06:32,299 –> 00:06:34,019 with you. 72 00:06:34,019 –> 00:06:37,899 And so, this is not an invitation to kind of step back and say, okay, I’m just going 73 00:06:37,899 –> 00:06:43,720 to let the Holy Spirit do my praying for me, no, God calls you to pray, but then what he 74 00:06:43,720 –> 00:06:48,640 tells you is when you pray, you never pray on your own. 75 00:06:48,640 –> 00:06:54,940 God gives you the Holy Spirit to help you, to help you. 76 00:06:55,260 –> 00:06:58,019 Now, I want to say today two very simple things. 77 00:06:58,019 –> 00:07:03,200 The first is why we need help, and the second is how the Holy Spirit helps us. 78 00:07:03,200 –> 00:07:07,559 If you have this verse open, you’ll see immediately why we need help. 79 00:07:07,559 –> 00:07:09,440 In fact, we’re told two things. 80 00:07:09,440 –> 00:07:16,739 The first is the Spirit helps us in our weakness. 81 00:07:17,380 –> 00:07:23,500 Now, weakness arises for us for various reasons. 82 00:07:23,500 –> 00:07:28,779 One is simply the knowledge the experience of our own frailty. 83 00:07:28,779 –> 00:07:37,679 There will be times in your life, brother, sister, when you feel so exhausted that it 84 00:07:37,679 –> 00:07:40,380 hardly seems possible for you even to pray. 85 00:07:40,380 –> 00:07:42,519 You’re just spent. 86 00:07:42,519 –> 00:07:44,140 You’re done. 87 00:07:44,859 –> 00:07:52,359 You receive news that hits you so hard you can hardly think straight, let alone put a 88 00:07:52,380 –> 00:07:55,640 coherent prayer together. 89 00:07:55,640 –> 00:08:02,880 This gift of the Holy Spirit is a marvelous gift for all of us, but let me make this application 90 00:08:02,880 –> 00:08:11,239 especially to the Christian who walks through the dark valley of depression. 91 00:08:11,359 –> 00:08:20,079 And your mind and your heart has been so pummeled that prayer is oh you don’t know how to say 92 00:08:20,079 –> 00:08:24,019 how difficult it is for you to pray. 93 00:08:24,019 –> 00:08:32,580 It seems to you that it’s impossible as carrying a piano up two flight of stairs on your own, 94 00:08:32,580 –> 00:08:39,799 and you say I just can’t do that, and I’m saying to you that the Spirit of God, God 95 00:08:39,799 –> 00:08:48,340 the Holy Spirit is given to you as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ to help you when 96 00:08:48,340 –> 00:08:55,820 you experience the sense of your own weakness on account of your frailty. 97 00:08:55,820 –> 00:09:00,080 And then there’s an experience of weakness of course that comes from our own awareness 98 00:09:00,080 –> 00:09:01,419 of failure. 99 00:09:01,419 –> 00:09:07,080 There will be times in your life when you feel so defeated by your own sin and your 100 00:09:07,200 –> 00:09:13,640 own failure that you hardly feel able to draw near to God at all. 101 00:09:13,640 –> 00:09:18,380 I remember Peter on one occasion where Jesus comes near to him and he has seen the glory 102 00:09:18,380 –> 00:09:24,260 of Jesus and he says to Jesus, depart from me because I’m a sinful man. 103 00:09:24,260 –> 00:09:26,960 I shouldn’t be near you. 104 00:09:26,960 –> 00:09:33,960 And you will know times when you feel inhibited from praying, unable to pray because the sense 105 00:09:34,460 –> 00:09:39,659 of your own failure is staring you in the face. 106 00:09:39,659 –> 00:09:47,460 And I’m saying to you that God gives to you the Holy Spirit to help you in that particular 107 00:09:47,479 –> 00:09:48,760 weakness. 108 00:09:48,760 –> 00:09:52,580 You do not bear that burden alone. 109 00:09:52,580 –> 00:09:58,559 And then there are times when we experience and feel very deeply the weakness of our own 110 00:09:58,559 –> 00:09:59,559 faith. 111 00:10:00,239 –> 00:10:05,039 I was thinking about the words of Jesus when he said to his disciples, 112 00:10:05,039 –> 00:10:08,820 if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, 113 00:10:08,820 –> 00:10:11,500 that was a tiny little seed. 114 00:10:11,500 –> 00:10:18,960 If you have the tiniest little bit of faith, Jesus says, you will be able to say to this 115 00:10:18,960 –> 00:10:25,840 mountain, he must have been next to a mountain when he said it, move from here to there and 116 00:10:25,919 –> 00:10:30,719 it will move and nothing will be impossible for you. 117 00:10:30,719 –> 00:10:33,219 How do you feel about your faith when you read that verse? 118 00:10:33,219 –> 00:10:36,960 Well, I tell you what I feel about my faith when I read that verse. 119 00:10:36,960 –> 00:10:42,000 I say, well, I don’t have the kind of faith that’s going to move mountains. 120 00:10:42,000 –> 00:10:46,059 And sometimes, you know, you will have very little confidence that the things you are 121 00:10:46,059 –> 00:10:51,739 praying about will actually happen, because you can’t even imagine it. 122 00:10:51,739 –> 00:10:58,280 And when you experience the weakness of your own faith, I want you to remember this, that 123 00:10:58,280 –> 00:11:07,659 you’re not on your own, and that the Holy Spirit is given to help you in your weakness. 124 00:11:07,659 –> 00:11:11,239 Now that’s the first reason that we need help and then there’s a second one. 125 00:11:11,239 –> 00:11:15,820 Why do we need the help of the Holy Spirit to come alongside us in prayer? 126 00:11:15,820 –> 00:11:20,400 First because we’re very aware of our own weakness, our own frailty, our own failure, 127 00:11:20,419 –> 00:11:23,000 and even the weakness of our own faith. 128 00:11:23,000 –> 00:11:28,080 But secondly, the Apostle Paul says here that we need the help of the Holy Spirit because 129 00:11:28,080 –> 00:11:30,799 we don’t actually know what to pray for. 130 00:11:30,799 –> 00:11:38,780 Look at what he says, Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know 131 00:11:38,780 –> 00:11:44,340 what to pray for as we ought. 132 00:11:44,340 –> 00:11:47,780 You pray that God will open a door of opportunity for you, and then you think, yeah, but is 133 00:11:47,780 –> 00:11:49,840 that really the will of God? 134 00:11:49,859 –> 00:11:56,500 You have a son or a daughter who’s far from God and you pray that God will keep them from 135 00:11:56,500 –> 00:11:58,840 harm. 136 00:11:58,840 –> 00:12:03,479 And then you think, well, maybe it would be that God will allow some great disaster in 137 00:12:03,479 –> 00:12:06,979 their lives, and that’ll be the means of turning them around. 138 00:12:06,979 –> 00:12:07,979 You don’t know. 139 00:12:07,979 –> 00:12:10,099 Am I even praying contrary to the will of God? 140 00:12:10,099 –> 00:12:13,479 How do I know what the will of God even is? 141 00:12:14,239 –> 00:12:20,520 A loved one is seriously ill, and, of course, you rightly pray that they will be healed, 142 00:12:20,520 –> 00:12:25,140 and then the thought occurs to you, but is it possible that this is the time when the 143 00:12:25,140 –> 00:12:31,599 Father will answer the prayer of his own son in regard to this person? 144 00:12:31,599 –> 00:12:35,679 For Jesus prayed that each one of his children would be with him. 145 00:12:35,679 –> 00:12:43,440 And is that what God is doing here in this situation to our astonishment and to our surprise? 146 00:12:43,440 –> 00:12:46,859 So he’s stating something that all of us know in our own experience. 147 00:12:46,859 –> 00:12:49,820 We come up it again, against it again and again. 148 00:12:49,820 –> 00:12:55,440 We do not know how to pray as we ought. 149 00:12:55,440 –> 00:13:01,359 And what I want you to know is that this is a problem even for the most mature believers. 150 00:13:01,359 –> 00:13:06,179 See, it is easy for us to get the idea, especially when we’re younger Christians, 151 00:13:06,179 –> 00:13:09,200 that if only we had grown in the Christian life, 152 00:13:09,200 –> 00:13:12,239 then we would be in the position of always knowing what God’s will is, 153 00:13:12,400 –> 00:13:14,640 and then we would know exactly how to pray. 154 00:13:14,640 –> 00:13:21,219 But this is a problem even for the most mature believers, you never grow out of this. 155 00:13:21,219 –> 00:13:27,000 Notice how Paul says, we do not know what to pray for. 156 00:13:27,000 –> 00:13:31,440 In other words, he includes himself, the apostle himself, he doesn’t say you lot don’t know 157 00:13:31,440 –> 00:13:37,780 what to pray for, but of course I’m an apostle and I do, he says we don’t know. 158 00:13:37,780 –> 00:13:41,739 So he’s speaking from his own experience as well as from the experience of every other 159 00:13:41,739 –> 00:13:49,159 christian that there are times when the apostle himself didn’t know what to pray for. 160 00:13:49,159 –> 00:13:53,039 And actually if you think about it, he gives us an example of that from his own experience 161 00:13:53,039 –> 00:13:54,039 in the Bible. 162 00:13:54,039 –> 00:13:59,039 He tells us about a time when he prayed for a problem, a painful problem in his own life 163 00:13:59,039 –> 00:14:00,039 to be removed. 164 00:14:00,039 –> 00:14:05,520 He refers to it as a thorn in the flesh, and yet when he prayed for it to be removed what 165 00:14:05,820 –> 00:14:12,440 discovered in the end was that his prayer had clearly been contrary to the will of God. 166 00:14:12,440 –> 00:14:19,659 And he says three times I pleaded with God to take this from me, so here’s the apostle 167 00:14:19,659 –> 00:14:24,119 and he’s throwing everything into pleading with God and he doesn’t know what, he’s not 168 00:14:24,119 –> 00:14:28,340 asking for what’s in the will of God. 169 00:14:28,400 –> 00:14:36,520 Because God clearly communicates to him that he’s going to be more useful with this problem 170 00:14:36,520 –> 00:14:43,099 in his life than he would ever be without it, and so God says to him my grace is sufficient 171 00:14:43,099 –> 00:14:44,719 for you. 172 00:14:44,719 –> 00:14:50,940 My strength is made perfect in weakness, it’s going to in effect be much more evident that 173 00:14:51,580 –> 00:14:59,859 is upon you as you minister with and through this than it would be if it was all on plane 174 00:14:59,859 –> 00:15:04,520 sailing for you without it. 175 00:15:04,520 –> 00:15:12,140 Now there may be an affliction on your life and you have prayed with everything within 176 00:15:12,140 –> 00:15:15,799 you that God would take it away. 177 00:15:15,799 –> 00:15:20,659 You would give anything to be done with it. 178 00:15:20,780 –> 00:15:28,280 But what if you are really more useful to God baring this than you would be without it? 179 00:15:28,280 –> 00:15:35,419 Well, you see, Paul did not know how to pray as he ought in regards to a particular problem 180 00:15:35,419 –> 00:15:37,940 in his life. 181 00:15:37,940 –> 00:15:38,940 And he says that here. 182 00:15:38,940 –> 00:15:41,659 Now, don’t be surprised about this. 183 00:15:41,659 –> 00:15:48,140 We do not have full knowledge of the will of God for the particulars of every area of 184 00:15:48,140 –> 00:15:49,340 our life. 185 00:15:50,179 –> 00:15:56,320 There are other examples, lots of them in the Bible, of good and godly people who asked 186 00:15:56,320 –> 00:15:58,619 for the wrong thing. 187 00:15:58,619 –> 00:16:05,099 Let me give you another example, a mother who wants the very best for her children. 188 00:16:05,099 –> 00:16:08,979 Every mother wants the best for her children. 189 00:16:08,979 –> 00:16:11,799 And the Bible tells us about the mother of James and John. 190 00:16:11,799 –> 00:16:13,320 She wanted the best for her children. 191 00:16:13,320 –> 00:16:18,760 And in Matthew, chapter 20, we read that the mother of James and John came to Jesus with 192 00:16:18,760 –> 00:16:23,119 the boys and kneeling before him, she asked him something, and Jesus said, what do you 193 00:16:23,119 –> 00:16:24,119 want? 194 00:16:24,119 –> 00:16:27,979 And the marvelous thing, Jesus Christ says to you, what do you want? 195 00:16:27,979 –> 00:16:31,299 You’ve got a chance to ask anything. 196 00:16:31,299 –> 00:16:32,400 And what does she ask? 197 00:16:32,400 –> 00:16:38,400 She says, say that these two sons of mine, James and John, are going to be on your right 198 00:16:38,400 –> 00:16:42,760 and on your left when you come into your kingdom. 199 00:16:42,780 –> 00:16:50,460 When Jesus said to her, you don’t know what you are asking. 200 00:16:50,460 –> 00:16:53,739 You don’t know what you’re asking. 201 00:16:53,739 –> 00:16:58,979 And then he says to James and John, can you really drink the cup that I drink? 202 00:16:58,979 –> 00:17:06,280 In other words, he’s saying, you see, you have no idea of the agony involved in getting 203 00:17:06,280 –> 00:17:08,859 to where I’m going. 204 00:17:08,859 –> 00:17:11,339 You don’t know what you’re asking. 205 00:17:11,339 –> 00:17:15,280 You don’t know what that would actually mean. 206 00:17:15,280 –> 00:17:19,479 Now there may be an opportunity that is on your heart. 207 00:17:19,479 –> 00:17:24,260 Perhaps a position that you wish would open up for you and you say, boy, if I had that. 208 00:17:24,260 –> 00:17:26,300 If I had that open door for me. 209 00:17:26,300 –> 00:17:30,540 If I had that position, if I had that opportunity, that would be the most marvelous thing in 210 00:17:30,540 –> 00:17:31,540 all the world. 211 00:17:31,540 –> 00:17:34,420 And so, of course, you ask God for it. 212 00:17:34,420 –> 00:17:35,939 You could see yourself there. 213 00:17:35,939 –> 00:17:40,780 You come and you say, Lord, here’s what I am asking. 214 00:17:40,979 –> 00:17:45,640 But what if being in that position that you think would be so attractive were to bring 215 00:17:45,640 –> 00:17:48,699 you more pain than you could ever imagine? 216 00:17:48,699 –> 00:17:56,260 Well, you see, the mother of James and John did not know how to ask for her sons what 217 00:17:56,260 –> 00:17:58,140 she ought. 218 00:17:58,140 –> 00:18:01,239 She had the best intent in all of the world. 219 00:18:01,239 –> 00:18:06,099 But she didn’t actually know what was ultimately good even for her own children. 220 00:18:07,040 –> 00:18:09,000 Then let me give you another example. 221 00:18:09,020 –> 00:18:11,640 Moses, he’s a godly leader. 222 00:18:11,640 –> 00:18:13,680 This is why I say, you never grow out of this. 223 00:18:13,680 –> 00:18:19,040 Even mature believers face the limited knowledge that we have of the will of God. 224 00:18:19,040 –> 00:18:25,119 He is this godly leader and he prays for a blessing that was not God’s will for him. 225 00:18:25,119 –> 00:18:28,739 He didn’t know that at the time, it wasn’t wrong for him to ask. 226 00:18:28,739 –> 00:18:31,699 But what he asked, simply, was not according to the will of God. 227 00:18:31,699 –> 00:18:36,699 He asked that he would be allowed to go into the promised land. 228 00:18:36,699 –> 00:18:38,300 He says in Deuteronomy chapter 3, 229 00:18:46,300 –> 00:18:49,280 I’ve led your people all the way through this wilderness. 230 00:18:49,280 –> 00:18:52,540 I’ve done the tough stuff of leadership. 231 00:18:52,540 –> 00:18:55,459 Now let me lead in a season of blessing. 232 00:18:56,579 –> 00:18:58,219 That’s what he said. 233 00:18:58,219 –> 00:19:00,900 I want to see the land of milk and honey. 234 00:19:01,180 –> 00:19:05,180 I want to see the blessing of God poured out. 235 00:19:06,880 –> 00:19:08,660 Give me that in my lifetime. 236 00:19:10,819 –> 00:19:13,180 Do you remember that that blessing 237 00:19:13,180 –> 00:19:14,920 was given to someone else? 238 00:19:16,599 –> 00:19:19,699 And God’s call to Moses was that he would continue 239 00:19:19,699 –> 00:19:24,180 to faithfully lead his people in the desert 240 00:19:24,180 –> 00:19:26,239 for 40 years and then die. 241 00:19:27,099 –> 00:19:31,979 You have something similar but different again 242 00:19:31,979 –> 00:19:33,680 in the story of Elijah. 243 00:19:35,300 –> 00:19:38,359 Moses was looking for something marvelous 244 00:19:38,359 –> 00:19:40,439 and God gave him the discipline of being faithful 245 00:19:40,439 –> 00:19:42,099 when he didn’t get what he wanted. 246 00:19:43,719 –> 00:19:44,880 Elijah was the other way. 247 00:19:44,880 –> 00:19:49,459 He was done with what he was doing and ready to quit 248 00:19:51,000 –> 00:19:53,760 and God had more for him that he didn’t realize. 249 00:19:54,420 –> 00:19:57,979 Elijah felt that his ministry was over. 250 00:19:57,979 –> 00:19:58,839 Look I’ve served. 251 00:19:58,839 –> 00:20:01,180 It’s been really tough, just release me. 252 00:20:01,180 –> 00:20:03,359 I’m done. 253 00:20:03,359 –> 00:20:05,380 It is enough Lord, he says. 254 00:20:06,520 –> 00:20:07,900 I’ve given all I’ve got to give. 255 00:20:07,900 –> 00:20:09,939 I’m so tired of the battle, I’m ready for Heaven. 256 00:20:09,939 –> 00:20:11,479 Will you now just take me home? 257 00:20:13,439 –> 00:20:17,239 And God had another chapter of ministry for Elijah 258 00:20:18,239 –> 00:20:20,719 and it was more fruitful 259 00:20:21,479 –> 00:20:25,680 and I have no doubt that it was more joyful for Elijah 260 00:20:25,680 –> 00:20:28,439 than anything he had ever experienced before in his life. 261 00:20:28,439 –> 00:20:32,640 So Moses and Elijah were entirely contrasting experiences 262 00:20:33,520 –> 00:20:35,219 in regards to the plan and the purpose 263 00:20:35,219 –> 00:20:36,680 of God for their lives 264 00:20:38,119 –> 00:20:40,920 and neither of them really knew what to ask for 265 00:20:40,920 –> 00:20:45,599 and both asked quite contrary to the will of God. 266 00:20:47,119 –> 00:20:49,420 Now we’re looking at why it is that we need 267 00:20:49,560 –> 00:20:51,219 the help of the Holy Spirit 268 00:20:51,219 –> 00:20:53,959 and we’re seeing that there are two reasons. 269 00:20:53,959 –> 00:20:56,939 The first is our weakness arising from our frailty, 270 00:20:56,939 –> 00:20:58,219 arising from our failure, 271 00:20:58,219 –> 00:21:00,180 arising from the weakness of our faith, 272 00:21:01,260 –> 00:21:04,020 and the second is that the reality is even at our best 273 00:21:04,020 –> 00:21:05,900 we don’t always know what to ask for. 274 00:21:05,900 –> 00:21:08,300 Sometimes we do, but very often we don’t. 275 00:21:09,859 –> 00:21:12,780 A problem to remove, a position or an opportunity 276 00:21:12,780 –> 00:21:13,939 that we would love to open, 277 00:21:13,939 –> 00:21:15,839 a blessing that we would like to enjoy, 278 00:21:16,839 –> 00:21:19,040 we need the help of the Holy Spirit. 279 00:21:20,040 –> 00:21:21,459 Now let’s get to this. 280 00:21:21,459 –> 00:21:25,020 How then does the Holy Spirit help us in our weakness 281 00:21:25,020 –> 00:21:30,020 and in our often ignorance of the will of God? 282 00:21:30,219 –> 00:21:31,260 Well, let’s go over what it says, 283 00:21:31,260 –> 00:21:34,579 we do not know what to pray for as we ought to, 284 00:21:34,579 –> 00:21:39,579 but the Spirit himself intercedes for us. 285 00:21:42,020 –> 00:21:44,900 He intercedes for us, 286 00:21:45,459 –> 00:21:48,599 and then the same word is used in the next verse again, 287 00:21:48,599 –> 00:21:53,060 the Spirit intercedes for the saints 288 00:21:53,060 –> 00:21:56,219 according to the will of God. 289 00:21:56,219 –> 00:21:59,660 We don’t know what we ought to be asking for many times, 290 00:21:59,660 –> 00:22:01,839 but the Spirit intercedes for us 291 00:22:01,839 –> 00:22:05,180 according to the will of God, 292 00:22:05,180 –> 00:22:09,000 he helps us because of our weakness 293 00:22:09,000 –> 00:22:10,819 and because of our ignorance. 294 00:22:11,300 –> 00:22:16,239 Now, we learned this wonderful word intercede, last week 295 00:22:16,239 –> 00:22:21,099 we saw that our Lord Jesus intercedes for us in heaven 296 00:22:21,099 –> 00:22:22,300 and we saw what that means. 297 00:22:22,300 –> 00:22:25,239 He stands in the gap between us and the Father 298 00:22:25,239 –> 00:22:28,239 reconciling us to the Father in himself 299 00:22:28,239 –> 00:22:32,719 presenting us to the Father as his own. 300 00:22:32,719 –> 00:22:37,400 He always lives to make intercession for us. 301 00:22:37,400 –> 00:22:41,339 And now we’re finding exactly the same word 302 00:22:41,339 –> 00:22:43,959 not only applied to our Lord Jesus 303 00:22:43,959 –> 00:22:46,060 and his great work for us in heaven 304 00:22:46,060 –> 00:22:48,800 but to the ministry of the Holy Spirit 305 00:22:48,800 –> 00:22:52,599 in our minds and hearts as he lives with us. 306 00:22:52,599 –> 00:22:55,099 In other words what Jesus does for us 307 00:22:55,099 –> 00:22:58,479 in heaven the Holy Spirit does for us on earth. 308 00:22:59,380 –> 00:23:01,280 And that is how he helps us. 309 00:23:02,160 –> 00:23:05,640 Now, what does it mean for the Holy Spirit 310 00:23:05,640 –> 00:23:07,160 to intercede for us? 311 00:23:07,640 –> 00:23:09,020 What does that actually look like? 312 00:23:09,020 –> 00:23:10,660 How does he do that? 313 00:23:11,859 –> 00:23:14,459 Well, again we’re given two marvelous statements. 314 00:23:14,459 –> 00:23:16,839 Verse 27, let’s take this one first. 315 00:23:16,839 –> 00:23:20,079 The Spirit intercedes for the saints 316 00:23:20,079 –> 00:23:24,060 according to the will of God. 317 00:23:25,439 –> 00:23:28,699 So we’ve seen that there’s often a gap. 318 00:23:28,699 –> 00:23:31,359 Remember intercession means standing in the gap. 319 00:23:31,359 –> 00:23:36,359 There’s often a gap between what we actually ask for 320 00:23:36,579 –> 00:23:39,640 and what God’s will actually is, 321 00:23:39,640 –> 00:23:43,239 and the Holy Spirit stands in that gap, 322 00:23:43,239 –> 00:23:46,800 and he is uniquely able to do that 323 00:23:46,800 –> 00:23:51,079 because the Father knows the mind of the Spirit. 324 00:23:51,079 –> 00:23:52,239 Verse 27. 325 00:23:52,239 –> 00:23:56,599 And the Spirit knows the will of the Father. 326 00:23:56,599 –> 00:23:57,459 Verse 26. 327 00:23:58,640 –> 00:24:02,599 So the Spirit comes alongside you when you pray, 328 00:24:02,599 –> 00:24:05,760 and even when the things that I ask of God, 329 00:24:05,760 –> 00:24:07,859 and I must ask freely and from the heart, 330 00:24:07,859 –> 00:24:09,640 there’s no condemnation in that, 331 00:24:09,640 –> 00:24:10,900 but when I ask things 332 00:24:10,900 –> 00:24:12,959 that are not actually the will of God, 333 00:24:12,959 –> 00:24:16,579 he comes alongside the mistakenness 334 00:24:16,579 –> 00:24:17,959 of my own prayer, 335 00:24:18,959 –> 00:24:23,079 and he intercedes with me and for me 336 00:24:23,079 –> 00:24:27,040 according to the will of God. 337 00:24:27,040 –> 00:24:29,380 Now, this is the most marvelously freeing thing, 338 00:24:29,380 –> 00:24:31,260 and I want you to get the freedom of this. 339 00:24:31,260 –> 00:24:33,400 You don’t need to worry about asking God 340 00:24:33,400 –> 00:24:34,400 for the wrong thing. 341 00:24:36,000 –> 00:24:37,880 I’ve had so many conversations with Christians 342 00:24:37,880 –> 00:24:39,520 about, well, how do I know what to ask for? 343 00:24:39,520 –> 00:24:40,680 How do I know what to ask for? 344 00:24:40,680 –> 00:24:43,239 And like, you know, if you ask for the wrong thing, 345 00:24:43,239 –> 00:24:44,439 that something would explode, 346 00:24:44,439 –> 00:24:48,439 and you don’t need to worry about asking for the wrong thing. 347 00:24:49,479 –> 00:24:51,280 It’s the nature of the Christian life. 348 00:24:51,280 –> 00:24:54,119 We don’t actually always know what the will of God is. 349 00:24:54,119 –> 00:24:55,660 That’s why whatever we ask, 350 00:24:55,660 –> 00:24:58,560 we always have to submit it in the name of Jesus, 351 00:24:58,560 –> 00:25:00,339 which carries with it the meaning 352 00:25:00,339 –> 00:25:03,099 of submitting all that we request 353 00:25:03,099 –> 00:25:05,400 to his ultimate and sovereign will, 354 00:25:05,400 –> 00:25:08,819 but knowing that actually frees you, wonderfully frees you, 355 00:25:08,819 –> 00:25:11,500 you don’t need to worry too much 356 00:25:11,500 –> 00:25:14,060 about whether you are asking for the right thing 357 00:25:14,060 –> 00:25:16,219 in a particular situation. 358 00:25:16,219 –> 00:25:19,619 Pray according to your best understanding, 359 00:25:20,819 –> 00:25:22,619 pray with whatever light you have 360 00:25:22,619 –> 00:25:24,260 from the truth of the Bible. 361 00:25:25,439 –> 00:25:28,420 We don’t always know what is best, 362 00:25:28,420 –> 00:25:30,900 but remember that when we pray from the heart, 363 00:25:30,900 –> 00:25:33,140 the Lord Jesus Christ filters out 364 00:25:33,140 –> 00:25:35,800 all that is confused and mistaken in our prayers 365 00:25:35,800 –> 00:25:37,819 before they reach the Father anyway, 366 00:25:37,819 –> 00:25:40,699 and the Holy Spirit alongside us 367 00:25:40,699 –> 00:25:43,300 intercedes according to the will of God. 368 00:25:43,300 –> 00:25:46,619 He asks what we should have asked in the first place. 369 00:25:46,619 –> 00:25:48,140 It’s immensely helpful. 370 00:25:49,099 –> 00:25:51,599 And he doesn’t do this apart from our praying, 371 00:25:51,599 –> 00:25:55,739 he does it in our praying as we pray. 372 00:25:55,739 –> 00:25:57,099 That’s why we don’t just stand back and say, 373 00:25:57,099 –> 00:26:00,040 well, we’ll all leave it up to the Holy Spirit then. 374 00:26:00,079 –> 00:26:03,540 No, the Holy Spirit stands in the gap 375 00:26:03,540 –> 00:26:08,079 between the will of God and our often confused prayers 376 00:26:08,079 –> 00:26:09,920 that often miss the mark, 377 00:26:09,920 –> 00:26:13,040 and he breathes into our prayers 378 00:26:13,040 –> 00:26:15,920 what we should have asked of God in the first place. 379 00:26:15,920 –> 00:26:18,819 Aren’t you glad that the Holy Spirit’s given to help you? 380 00:26:19,640 –> 00:26:20,640 Marvelous. 381 00:26:21,420 –> 00:26:25,479 And then there’s a second way in which he intercedes, 382 00:26:25,479 –> 00:26:26,839 and it’s in verse 26. 383 00:26:26,839 –> 00:26:28,920 The Spirit intercedes for the saints 384 00:26:29,300 –> 00:26:30,420 according to the will of God. 385 00:26:30,420 –> 00:26:31,260 That’s one thing. 386 00:26:31,260 –> 00:26:32,880 Verse 27, and here’s the second. 387 00:26:32,880 –> 00:26:37,060 The Spirit intercedes for us with groanings 388 00:26:37,060 –> 00:26:41,560 that are too deep for words. 389 00:26:44,000 –> 00:26:48,140 Scholars debate who does the groaning. 390 00:26:49,839 –> 00:26:53,660 Is it the Holy Spirit who groans? 391 00:26:55,020 –> 00:26:56,119 I don’t think so. 392 00:26:57,079 –> 00:27:00,599 It’s really hard to imagine why almighty God 393 00:27:00,599 –> 00:27:03,439 who knows the end from the beginning 394 00:27:03,439 –> 00:27:04,800 would be groaning. 395 00:27:05,920 –> 00:27:09,180 He sees the perfection of all that is to come 396 00:27:09,180 –> 00:27:13,479 as if it were all ready and there is not 397 00:27:13,479 –> 00:27:15,880 the slightest possibility that anything 398 00:27:15,880 –> 00:27:19,479 that is in His will will not ultimately come to pass. 399 00:27:20,800 –> 00:27:23,520 So I think one commentator, Robert Haldane, 400 00:27:23,599 –> 00:27:25,140 Haldane gets it right when he says 401 00:27:25,140 –> 00:27:29,540 that the Holy Spirit draws forth these groans 402 00:27:29,540 –> 00:27:33,439 from our hearts and excites them there. 403 00:27:33,439 –> 00:27:35,359 What he means by that is the Holy Spirit 404 00:27:35,359 –> 00:27:37,400 actually stirs up the groanings. 405 00:27:37,400 –> 00:27:40,280 He’s active within them. 406 00:27:40,280 –> 00:27:45,239 Thus, says Haldane, it is our hearts that groan 407 00:27:45,239 –> 00:27:50,239 but the operation and the emotion is from the Holy Spirit. 408 00:27:50,239 –> 00:27:54,239 Now here we come to something very important 409 00:27:54,239 –> 00:27:56,439 for a Christian to understand 410 00:27:56,439 –> 00:27:58,020 because we’re all gonna hit this 411 00:27:58,020 –> 00:28:00,280 in our experience many times. 412 00:28:00,280 –> 00:28:05,280 The groaning refers to the strong desires 413 00:28:05,819 –> 00:28:10,819 and the deep feelings that are stirred up 414 00:28:11,800 –> 00:28:14,939 in the hearts of God’s children. 415 00:28:14,939 –> 00:28:19,239 You will know what it is to come to a place 416 00:28:19,900 –> 00:28:23,099 where, for one reason or for another, 417 00:28:23,099 –> 00:28:25,979 the best you can do is groan. 418 00:28:25,979 –> 00:28:29,640 It would be nice if you could put together 419 00:28:29,640 –> 00:28:34,239 a beautiful prayer, but there are some times in life 420 00:28:34,239 –> 00:28:37,619 where all you can do is groan. 421 00:28:38,859 –> 00:28:42,219 Again, there are many examples of this in the Bible. 422 00:28:42,219 –> 00:28:46,020 Asaph was the worship leader 423 00:28:46,540 –> 00:28:48,459 in the time of King David, 424 00:28:49,680 –> 00:28:52,400 and there was a time in his life. 425 00:28:52,400 –> 00:28:53,300 Now, think about this. 426 00:28:53,300 –> 00:28:56,560 He’s in vocational ministry, 427 00:28:58,339 –> 00:29:01,640 and he says in Psalm 77 in verse four, 428 00:29:01,640 –> 00:29:05,839 I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 429 00:29:07,140 –> 00:29:09,500 I am so troubled I can’t speak. 430 00:29:11,420 –> 00:29:15,060 There aren’t words that I could tell you today 431 00:29:16,040 –> 00:29:20,239 that would express the turmoil, the trouble, 432 00:29:20,239 –> 00:29:21,819 that is going on in my heart right now. 433 00:29:21,819 –> 00:29:24,619 That’s what he says, and this is a mature Christian man. 434 00:29:27,040 –> 00:29:32,040 If you’ve had the experience of being in great pain, 435 00:29:32,160 –> 00:29:35,479 physical pain, after a major surgery, 436 00:29:36,359 –> 00:29:39,099 and you’re lying there in a hospital bed 437 00:29:39,099 –> 00:29:41,140 and your tube’s coming out of your nose 438 00:29:41,140 –> 00:29:43,079 and goodness knows where else, 439 00:29:43,079 –> 00:29:44,979 you will know what he’s talking about. 440 00:29:45,819 –> 00:29:47,439 I’m so troubled, I can’t speak. 441 00:29:49,339 –> 00:29:52,219 Hannah, very different situation. 442 00:29:52,219 –> 00:29:55,020 You remember that she so longed 443 00:29:55,020 –> 00:29:56,420 for the gift of children. 444 00:29:56,420 –> 00:29:58,060 Oh, it was agonizing to her. 445 00:29:58,060 –> 00:30:01,180 She saw the gift being given to others, not to her. 446 00:30:01,180 –> 00:30:04,060 It pained her and our longing was so intense, 447 00:30:04,060 –> 00:30:06,359 she could not put it into words. 448 00:30:07,900 –> 00:30:10,300 It says in 1 Samuel chapter one in verse 13, 449 00:30:10,300 –> 00:30:12,099 she prayed before the Lord, 450 00:30:12,339 –> 00:30:15,439 and Eli who was the priest, he observed her. 451 00:30:15,439 –> 00:30:17,339 Hannah was speaking in her heart. 452 00:30:17,339 –> 00:30:19,000 Only her lips moved. 453 00:30:19,000 –> 00:30:21,020 Her voice was not heard. 454 00:30:21,020 –> 00:30:23,900 All he saw was a woman distraught 455 00:30:25,699 –> 00:30:28,660 and there were no words that could express 456 00:30:28,660 –> 00:30:31,819 the depth of the feeling 457 00:30:31,819 –> 00:30:35,880 that she wanted to communicate to almighty God. 458 00:30:37,760 –> 00:30:39,979 Now, there may be a deep longing in your life 459 00:30:40,920 –> 00:30:44,640 and a gift that you have longed for 460 00:30:44,640 –> 00:30:46,239 and it is not been given 461 00:30:46,239 –> 00:30:48,439 and the longing has not been fulfilled, 462 00:30:48,439 –> 00:30:52,140 you can’t express how deeply you feel about it. 463 00:30:53,660 –> 00:30:55,920 That’s what we’re talking about here. 464 00:30:55,920 –> 00:31:00,599 Groanings or let me give you one moe example, 465 00:31:00,599 –> 00:31:02,180 a different example from the Bible. 466 00:31:02,180 –> 00:31:07,060 Remember when Peter denied the Lord three times, 467 00:31:07,280 –> 00:31:11,119 cursed, blasphemed and then the rooster crowed 468 00:31:12,300 –> 00:31:14,300 and suddenly he realized what he’d done 469 00:31:15,500 –> 00:31:19,420 and he’s overwhelmed by sorrow at his own sin 470 00:31:19,420 –> 00:31:24,420 and the Bible says he went out and he wept bitterly. 471 00:31:26,900 –> 00:31:28,979 There were no words for Peter. 472 00:31:30,619 –> 00:31:32,599 There were no words that could express 473 00:31:32,599 –> 00:31:35,479 what he wanted to say to God at that moment. 474 00:31:37,140 –> 00:31:39,079 But his tears said it all. 475 00:31:40,660 –> 00:31:43,180 His tears cried out a prayer to God, 476 00:31:43,180 –> 00:31:47,619 a great groan from the innermost part of his being, 477 00:31:49,420 –> 00:31:51,660 deeper than he could ever put into words. 478 00:31:53,579 –> 00:31:56,239 Now what we’re reading here is that the Holy Spirit 479 00:31:56,239 –> 00:32:01,239 intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 480 00:32:01,859 –> 00:32:06,859 And what that means is that the Holy Spirit 481 00:32:07,199 –> 00:32:10,599 has this special ministry of translating 482 00:32:11,819 –> 00:32:15,459 what you cannot put into words 483 00:32:16,680 –> 00:32:21,359 so that your barely coherent cry actually ascends to God 484 00:32:21,359 –> 00:32:24,560 as a sweet offering of prayer. 485 00:32:26,040 –> 00:32:27,800 That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. 486 00:32:28,640 –> 00:32:31,859 – Carn and I have been watching a drama, 487 00:32:31,859 –> 00:32:35,859 and it’s a story that revolves around a mother 488 00:32:35,859 –> 00:32:39,479 who is at the centre of an extended family. 489 00:32:39,479 –> 00:32:41,959 And because she’s also a nurse in a small town, 490 00:32:41,959 –> 00:32:45,420 she’s really at the centre of the life of the community. 491 00:32:45,420 –> 00:32:47,880 And she has a loyal husband. 492 00:32:47,880 –> 00:32:50,479 She has a young and bubbly daughter, 493 00:32:50,479 –> 00:32:53,079 and she has a teenage son 494 00:32:53,079 –> 00:32:56,819 who is a challenge to say the least. 495 00:32:56,819 –> 00:33:01,819 And the mother has a car accident that takes her life. 496 00:33:02,140 –> 00:33:04,839 But she is close to death after this accident 497 00:33:04,839 –> 00:33:06,000 in the hospital, and of course, 498 00:33:06,000 –> 00:33:07,219 the family are around, 499 00:33:07,219 –> 00:33:08,959 and other people are coming and visiting, 500 00:33:08,959 –> 00:33:11,420 and as it draws towards the end, 501 00:33:11,420 –> 00:33:13,099 there’s just the family left, 502 00:33:13,099 –> 00:33:16,699 and one by one, each of them steps forward to say goodbye. 503 00:33:18,239 –> 00:33:20,199 The young daughter goes first. 504 00:33:21,500 –> 00:33:24,800 “‘You’re the best mum ever,’ she says. 505 00:33:24,800 –> 00:33:26,239 And I will always love you.’ 506 00:33:27,819 –> 00:33:30,880 Then the teenage son steps forward. 507 00:33:30,880 –> 00:33:32,660 He’s led his mother a merry dance, 508 00:33:32,660 –> 00:33:34,560 and she’s really been the rock of his life. 509 00:33:34,560 –> 00:33:36,219 She’s always been there for him. 510 00:33:38,199 –> 00:33:41,000 He steps forward, and he tries to speak, but he can’t. 511 00:33:43,900 –> 00:33:47,920 Mam, I want you to know that he can’t get it out. 512 00:33:50,060 –> 00:33:54,939 Mam, what I’m trying to say is that he can’t get it out. 513 00:33:57,160 –> 00:33:59,180 His father comes up and puts his arm 514 00:33:59,180 –> 00:34:01,979 around the teenage boy’s shoulders and says to him, 515 00:34:01,979 –> 00:34:05,680 it’s all right, son, she knows. 516 00:34:07,219 –> 00:34:08,580 She knows. 517 00:34:10,820 –> 00:34:14,360 The unspoken groan of the spirit, 518 00:34:14,360 –> 00:34:17,020 the inexpressible groan of the spirit, 519 00:34:18,780 –> 00:34:23,600 translated into the complete knowledge of God, 520 00:34:23,600 –> 00:34:28,439 the father in heaven your father knows. 521 00:34:28,439 –> 00:34:32,340 Your father knows because the holy spirit 522 00:34:32,340 –> 00:34:37,139 translates what you cannot put into words 523 00:34:39,479 –> 00:34:41,600 so that all of it in its fullness 524 00:34:41,600 –> 00:34:46,600 is conveyed completely to God, your heavenly father. 525 00:34:49,000 –> 00:34:52,080 I was reading a book by a man by the name of H walked 526 00:34:52,219 –> 00:34:54,280 a very famous and helpful book on prayer 527 00:34:56,399 –> 00:34:58,959 and it brought this thought to my mind, 528 00:34:58,959 –> 00:35:00,080 have you ever thought about this? 529 00:35:00,080 –> 00:35:01,540 The last prayer that most of 530 00:35:01,540 –> 00:35:04,320 us will ever pray in our lives will be a groan. 531 00:35:05,840 –> 00:35:07,219 The last prayer in all likelihood 532 00:35:07,219 –> 00:35:11,780 you’ll ever pray in your life in this world will be a groan. 533 00:35:11,780 –> 00:35:13,159 I mean a few hours before you die 534 00:35:13,159 –> 00:35:14,639 you might be able to have a coherent prayer 535 00:35:14,639 –> 00:35:19,399 but the last prayer that you’ll ever pray will be a groan. 536 00:35:20,399 –> 00:35:22,600 And Hallesby says this, 537 00:35:22,600 –> 00:35:24,919 when I stand beside the bedside of friends 538 00:35:24,919 –> 00:35:27,379 who are struggling with death and drawing near to it 539 00:35:27,379 –> 00:35:30,000 I found it blessed to say to them 540 00:35:31,040 –> 00:35:34,080 don’t worry about the prayers you cannot pray. 541 00:35:35,560 –> 00:35:38,600 Don’t worry about the prayers you can’t pray. 542 00:35:38,600 –> 00:35:42,040 You yourself are a prayer to God at this moment. 543 00:35:42,959 –> 00:35:45,159 All that is within you cries out to him 544 00:35:45,159 –> 00:35:47,239 and he hears all the pleas of 545 00:35:47,419 –> 00:35:49,280 all your suffering soul and body 546 00:35:51,239 –> 00:35:52,860 as you make your groanings to him 547 00:35:52,860 –> 00:35:54,040 that cannot be uttered. 548 00:35:55,419 –> 00:35:58,020 And then he says this that I thought was so helpful. 549 00:35:59,300 –> 00:36:01,120 But if in your groaning 550 00:36:02,239 –> 00:36:05,699 you should have a few restful moments 551 00:36:06,939 –> 00:36:11,939 thank God that you are already reconciled to him 552 00:36:13,399 –> 00:36:17,060 and that underneath are the everlasting arms. 553 00:36:18,159 –> 00:36:23,159 Likewise the spirit helps us in our weakness. 554 00:36:25,419 –> 00:36:28,199 We don’t know how to pray as we ought. 555 00:36:29,719 –> 00:36:33,540 The spirit intercedes for us 556 00:36:33,540 –> 00:36:36,620 with groanings too deep for words, 557 00:36:37,580 –> 00:36:42,580 he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 558 00:36:43,580 –> 00:36:48,000 So friends, I hope that these three weeks together 559 00:36:48,000 –> 00:36:51,899 will encourage you in your prayer, 560 00:36:53,139 –> 00:36:55,540 that this will help you to pray. 561 00:36:55,540 –> 00:36:58,760 And I want you to remember this as the last thought, 562 00:36:59,899 –> 00:37:03,939 no Christian ever prays on his or her own. 563 00:37:03,939 –> 00:37:05,899 You never pray on your own. 564 00:37:05,899 –> 00:37:09,939 Every time a Christian prays, four people are involved, 565 00:37:09,939 –> 00:37:12,399 four persons involved every time you pray. 566 00:37:13,320 –> 00:37:17,479 You are praying but as you are praying, 567 00:37:17,479 –> 00:37:20,320 the Holy Spirit prays with you. 568 00:37:20,320 –> 00:37:22,280 He reads your heart. 569 00:37:22,280 –> 00:37:26,459 He translates what you can’t adequately put into words 570 00:37:26,459 –> 00:37:29,580 so that it is fully known before the Father. 571 00:37:30,560 –> 00:37:33,360 And while he is actively engaged in your prayer, 572 00:37:33,360 –> 00:37:35,879 God the Son, is actively engaged. 573 00:37:35,879 –> 00:37:38,919 Every time you pray, he’s filtering these prayers 574 00:37:38,919 –> 00:37:40,120 so that they’re far better 575 00:37:40,139 –> 00:37:41,959 when they’re presented to the Father 576 00:37:41,959 –> 00:37:45,959 than the stumbling and sometimes incoherent utterances 577 00:37:45,959 –> 00:37:47,899 that you may have made on earth. 578 00:37:49,100 –> 00:37:51,479 And God the Father is actively engaged 579 00:37:52,879 –> 00:37:56,100 because as your prayer arises, 580 00:37:56,100 –> 00:37:58,040 with the help of the Spirit 581 00:37:58,040 –> 00:38:01,239 and through the intercession of the Son, 582 00:38:01,239 –> 00:38:04,560 the Father receives you as his own son, 583 00:38:04,560 –> 00:38:08,000 as his own daughter and he will supply 584 00:38:08,000 –> 00:38:12,179 all that you need according to his riches in glory. 585 00:38:13,260 –> 00:38:14,899 And I want to encourage you with this. 586 00:38:14,899 –> 00:38:18,040 If you have really come to know God as your Father 587 00:38:18,040 –> 00:38:20,919 through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, 588 00:38:20,919 –> 00:38:25,120 then you have indeed received the gift of his holy Spirit 589 00:38:25,120 –> 00:38:27,000 and that means that you can pray. 590 00:38:27,000 –> 00:38:29,399 You can pray, talk to God, 591 00:38:29,399 –> 00:38:31,840 don’t worry so much about whether you’re saying 592 00:38:31,840 –> 00:38:34,679 it in the right way or you’re asking for the right thing. 593 00:38:34,679 –> 00:38:36,239 Christ filters your prayer, 594 00:38:36,239 –> 00:38:40,360 the holy Spirit will interpret it and translate it. 595 00:38:41,600 –> 00:38:44,199 When you are at your weakest point 596 00:38:45,439 –> 00:38:47,760 and all that you can do is grown, 597 00:38:49,040 –> 00:38:51,679 the Spirit of God will translate it 598 00:38:52,719 –> 00:38:56,020 and the Son of God will sweeten it 599 00:38:57,159 –> 00:39:02,159 and your weakest prayer will rise to the Father 600 00:39:02,719 –> 00:39:07,120 and carry weight with Almighty God. 601 00:39:08,120 –> 00:39:13,120 Father, for this gift of prayer, 602 00:39:14,719 –> 00:39:17,800 we give you our thanks and our praise. 603 00:39:18,879 –> 00:39:22,659 Help us to pursue it with new freedom and joy, 604 00:39:23,840 –> 00:39:27,840 knowing the wonderful gifts that you have given us 605 00:39:27,840 –> 00:39:30,340 to transform our prayer lives. 606 00:39:31,239 –> 00:39:35,780 The gift of the Spirit, the gift of your Son 607 00:39:37,179 –> 00:39:40,139 and the gift of knowing that in Christ you are 608 00:39:40,139 –> 00:39:43,300 our loving Heavenly Father. 609 00:39:44,419 –> 00:39:46,040 Hear our prayers in Jesus name 610 00:39:46,040 –> 00:39:48,260 and everyone together said, Amen.