Rom. 8:26 Moreover, in like manner the Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness, for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (27) But He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to God.
[Part 1 of 2] Romans 8:26 and 27 tell us that we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Holy Spirit intercedes in us according to God's purpose. Actually, we do not know how to pray. The first time I read these two verses in Romans 8, I questioned their meaning. When I was sick, I thought, did I not pray to God asking him to heal me? When I was in want, did I not pray to God asking Him to send me provision? How could the Scriptures say that we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting? Gradually, the Lord showed me that we really do not know anything about the kind of prayer that God desires. We know those prayers which people generally consider to be prayers but which are below the standard. We do not know those prayers that touch Gods desire and are up to the standard. Thank God, in this matter of our weakness, the Spirit Himself joins in to help us and intercede for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Brothers, real prayers are the Holy Spirit within man expressing God's desire through man. In other words, real prayers are prayers involving two parties. They are not simply man alone praying to God, but they are the Spirit mingling with man, putting on man, and joining with man in prayer. Outwardly it is man praying, but inwardly it is the Spirit praying. This means two parties express the same prayer at the same time. Please remember that this alone is the prayer which is spoken of in the Scriptures. Andrew Murray once said that a real prayer is Christ Who indwells us praying to Christ Who is sitting on the throne. That Christ would be praying to Christ Himself sounds strange, but in our experience this is really the case. (Continued tomorrow)
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Lessons on Prayer by Witness Lee, pp. 18-19. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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