Praying with the Spirit

Recap From Last Week

The present sufferings we experience in this life are not worth/worthy of even comparing with the life to come.

All of Creation waits with baited breath for the appearing of Christ to set all things right.

All of creation was subjected to the same curse that we are because of the consequences of the fall in the garden.

All of Creation including humanity groans as in the pains of childbirth waiting to be freed of this fleshly existence.

All who are His adopted children have been given the First Fruits of the Holy Spirit as a down payment that eagerly awaits the finalization of our adoption as sons and daughters of the king.

All of God’s children have a different kind of hope from the rest of the world.

Romans 8:26–27 ESV

26 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. 27 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.

Note: We now have the continuing discussion on the purpose of the Spirit of God who dwells inside of every true believer of Christ.

How is your prayer life?

How often do you pray?

Do you always know what to pray?

Are you comfortable in the presence of God?

Are your prayers characterized by worship of God and reverence for Him?

Or do you only pray when you feel in a jam or an immediate need for yourself?

WEAKNESS INCREASES RESILIENCE

Imagine being dropped in the woods with a friend or two and asked to live off the land to survive. In the U.S. military, this is part of everyone’s training. It’s called SERE: survival, evasion, resistance, and escape. Studies find that up to 96 percent of individuals experience dissociation during the training—the fog of war. Some handle it better than others.

I talked to individuals who went through this crucible, and they reported the same thing. As one soldier put it,

When there’s a difference between what you project and what you are capable of, it all crumbles under stressful situations. On the other hand, if you’re honest with yourself, and acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses, what you’re capable of and what might scare you, then you can come to terms with what you’re facing and deal with it. It’s not bravado, it’s humble confidence. A little doubt keeps you sharp.

Research backs this up. We want our perception of the difficulty of a challenge and our ability to handle it to be realistic and overlap. When we go in with bravado, it backfires because at the first inkling that we may not be able to succeed, our brain freaks out.

The Bible's perspective on bringing our weakness to the Lord, but at least he gets the need to admit our weaknesses.

REASONS WHY WE STRUGGLE WITH PRAYER!

1. We do not Understand the Necessity of our Prayer.

Necessity: The word necessity is a fact of being indispensable . “The necessity of providing parental guidance should be apparent; meaning and indispensable thing.

DO YOU SEE PRAYER AS SOMETHING INDISPENSABLE IN YOUR LIFE?

Does Prayer Really Change Anything?

Have you ever heard someone say about prayer that they tried it and it did not work for them. What are they in essence trying to convey with this statement. Perhaps they are saying that they prayed for something and did not get the result that they had anticipated.

FIRST, the sovereign God of the Universe commands us to pray. When we read the very first words of the Lord’s prayer Jesus say’s, “and when you pray....”

PRAYER IS NOT OPTIONAL FOR A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST....

What if it does not do anything?

Regardless if we feel that prayer does not do any good or not, is not the issue, we are called to pray.

Why is prayer a Necessary part of all Believers lives? (something indispensable)

*Because of our Human Limitations

Through the leans of the weakness of our human flesh due to sinfulness even the most righteous prayer is tainted with sin. We must garner the spirits help to pray.

Notice that the verses just preceding this one do not end with merely hope left to sustain them in the Christian walk, an important partner or helper in the process is the Holy Spirit, who helps them, intercedes for them, and even groans for them in the middle of the groaning world.

Now the Spirit, (helper) comes alongside us in our weakness.

Our Weakness

Notice that the apostle included himself. Paul definitely knew what prayer should be or could be among the members of the body of Christ. But what to pray for in any and all difficult situations was not clear.

Paul spoke of such weakness in himself in 2 Corinthians 12:7

2 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

Apparently Paul continued to pray that the thorn in his flesh be removed. However, in Gods infinite wisdom and plan as far as we know the thorn was never removed. Some believed this to be his failing eye-sight. What we do know is that Paul found it to be a struggle, so, he prayed three times this prayer:

“Lord please remove that thorn.” He seems to have been of the opinion that the removal of the thorn would make him a more powerful witness for Christ. But God’s answer was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.”

Apposing Prayers

Another illustration taken from life runs as follows:

A pastor, loved by his people, became grievously ill. The congregation prayed, “Lord, please restore him to health.”

But he died. At the funeral a minister who had been a lifelong friend of the departed made this remark to the assembled mourners, “Perhaps some of you are in danger of arriving at the conclusion that the heavenly Father does not hear prayer.

He does indeed hear prayer, however. But in this particular case two prayers were probably opposing each other. You were praying, ‘O God, spare his life, for we need him so badly.’ The Spirit’s unspoken prayer was, ‘Take him away, for the congregation is leaning altogether too heavily upon him, not upon thee.’ And the Father heard that prayer.”

*Because we do not Know what to Pray

Perhaps some would say that if the Holy Spirit is interceding for us then why not just let Him do all the Heavy Lifting? Why should we pray at all?

(Write This Down)

We Pray to Bring God Glory!

We pray to glorify God but, we also pray to receive the benefits of our prayers given through His hands. Prayer is for our benefit, even knowing that God knows the beginning and the end.

Does Prayer Change anything?

Does Prayer Change God’s Mind?

God does not change his mind in response to our prayers or our actions.

Things that God has Decreed

There are certain things that God has decreed for all eternity. Those things are inevitably unchangeable and will come to pass. If every believer in the world were to pray at the same time that God would change what He has decreed it would make no difference at all.

R.C. Sproul gives the example: Say we were to all pray for Jesus not to return, He still would return. Some might say well, doesn’t the Bible say that where two are three are gathered and agree on anything, then they will get it? Yes, but, if you read the text in context in Matthew 18 Jesus is talking about Church discipline.

Sproul points out that again you might ask, well doesn’t the Bible say from time to tim that the Lord relents like in the story of Johan and the Ninevite people. The Bible is not describing that the Lord relents in the way we would relent, otherwise we could assume that God had sinned and therefore would need a savior Himself. What it clearly means is that God removed the threat of judgment from the people. He revoked the sentence of judgment that He had imposed.

When God holds the sword of judgment over people heads and they repent and turn to Him, he withholds his judgment, has he really changed His mind? The mind of God does not change. Things change, and they change according to His sovereign will, which He exercises through secondary means, and activities.

The Prayer of His people is one of the means by which God uses to bring things to pass in this world. So if you ask whether prayer changes things, I will always answer absolutely.

2. We do not Understand the Intercessor of our Prayer.

How does the Spirit help us when we do pray? The answer is, “The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.”

What do these words mean?

Who is the Author of our Prayers?

Some congregations are tough—really tough. But no shepherd ever had a worse flock than Pastor Moses. God himself threatened to give up on them!

The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?” (Num. 14:11)

Moses tried to do what we shepherds still do. He literally carried God’s engraved word to them but despite their hand-on-the-heart promises they broke it to smithereens. He led them to worship where the ground itself trembled with the presence of God yet before the week was out they carped under God’s testing.

On one hand, Moses faced down Pharaoh and his sorcerers for Israel and on the other, he entered into the glory of God where they feared to tread, yet when he tried to lead the nation into God’s promises they threatened to kill him! Moses’ dearest dream of the Promised Land shattered when his frustration with them finally got the best of him. And he was the humblest man on earth!

Of all the things Pastor Moses did for the Israelites nothing mattered so much as his prayers for them. Actually, the word prayer seems too tame for what Moses did. He faced into the fierce fire of God’s anger over their sin and pleaded with Yahweh for their lives, even offering his own life in their place. When the golden calf debacle inflamed the Lord the text says,

But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. … “Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out? ... Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel to whom you swore by your own self …’” (Ex. 32:11-13)

I’ve said before that probably every pastor could have a discrete little plaque quoting Moses: “What am I to do with these people?”

Here’s what to do: pray for them.

Note: Notice that Paul changes the language a bit by proclaiming that the Spirit Himself intercedes for us......

When you and I pray, we can rest assured that by the time our prayers reach the ear of God, the spirit has interceded for us to present to God our as J.I. Packer puts it, “The Holy spirit fixes our prayers on the way up.”

Cultural Note: Many of us if we were completely honest see prayer as some mundane process we God through the motions.

What if, every time you pray the veil is pulled back and you could see the scene taking place in the throne room of God as your prayers reach the ear of God?

2 Intercessors

Here is where it may become a bit confusing. All believers have two intercessors. The Holy spirit and Christ. Christ performs His intercessory task in Heaven Romans 8:34

Romans 8:34 ESV

34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

The Holy Spirit is doing His work in us here on earth. Christ’s intercession takes place outside of us, the Holy Spirit does His work inside of us; that is, n our very hearts and lives.

Christ prays that His redemptive work may be fully applied to those who trust in Him. The Holy Spirit prays that the deeply hidden needs or our hearts, needs which we ourselves sometimes do not even recognize, may be met.

Illustration: Christ’s intercession can be compared to that of a Father as head of the family, for all the family members. The Holy Spirit’s intercession reminds us of a mother who is kneeling at the bedside of her ailing child, and in her prayer presenting that child’s needs to the heavenly Father.

So, yes prayer does change things look what James writes in James 5:16

James 5:16 ESV

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Note: The problem with this verse is that we are not all that righteous. Paul makes it clear in Romans 3 that there is none righteous on this earth, no not one.

* Prayer Changes Our Heart

The wickedness and hardness of our hearts is softened through consistent time in prayer as the Spirit intercedes for us before the throne of grace.

If for no other reason prayer reminds us of our complete dependency on God from the very air we breath, to the last breath we will take on this earth before opening our eyes in glory. The more we pray the more we become dependent on God as He changes our hearts one prayer at time.

Prayer refocuses our heart with the Heart of the Father. The Spirit quickens our heart and grafts it with the heart of the Father who art in Heaven.

The Lords Model Prayer

“Our Father, which art in Heaven.”

The intercessor Helps change our Hearts in 2 pretty significant ways.

1). He turns the Heart of Children Toward their Father.

Our Father is always more than ready to hear us when we pray. In fact He is more ready to hear us than we are to pray. Look at what Jesus say’s about the father and His relationship with His children in Matthew 7:11

Matthew 7:11 ESV

11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Look at the parallel verse in Luke 11:13

Luke 11:13 ESV

13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Notice in the second verse Jesus is speaking of the connection between us and the Father, the Holy Spirit.

We are God’s children and when He returns we will be like Him 1 John 3:2.

There is a sense that all things are already yours in that they further your good here and your future glory in the Kingdom of God.

2). He turns the Heart of Children towards their Eternal Home.

Prayer is the closest to heaven we will get here on earth.

The spirit also groans with our spirit over the weight of this sinful existence. It is the Holy Spirit Himself, making intercessions for us with groanings that cannot be spoken..

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you will be their on resurrection day in the New Heaven and New Earth. Paul is reminding his readers that even as weak as the may appear to be, the weight of it all rests on the whole Trinity working together for your good.

The spirit knows every motive and emotion behind our request. Our prayer incorporates all three members of the Trinity. We cry to the Father, with the confidence of children. how can we do this?

“there is one in heaven, the Son of god, who intercedes on our behalf, defending us from all charges that might be brought against us, guaranteeing salvation in the day of judgement. But there is also an intercessor in the heart, the Spirit of God, who effectively prays to the Father on our behalf through all of the difficulties and uncertainties of our lives here on earth.”

3. We do not Understand the Kingdom Will of our Prayer

“The Spirit Intercedes for us according to the Will of God”

Where the Line Is To applaud the will of God, to do the will of God, even to fight for the will of God is not difficult ... until it comes at cross-purposes with our will. Then the lines are drawn.

In the Lords prayer we read about His Kingdom coming and will being done on earth as it is in Heaven.

The Kingdom concept is difficult for American Christians to wrap their minds around, because we love our democracy.

Our nation was built on the rejection of sovereign rule. We know that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father where He rules and reigns all of creation. Jesus is the king of the universe.

The Lord speaks to the kings of the earth in derision. Jesus speaks to those who have rebelled and set themselves up as their own king and ruler declaring that God has installed the one true King Jesus who we had better submit ourselves to Him.

Psalm 2:4 ESV

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

The Lord is not amused for long at those who hold him in derision. Psalm 2:10

Psalm 2:10 ESV

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.

Christians are to pray for God’s rule and reign and His kingdom to emerge, we pray that He would rend the heaven’s and come down to rule and reign.

The best way we can show our allegiance to the King is to pray that His Kingdom would come and His will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

God is sovereign over all that lives and breaths and their going out and coming in on this earth. Consider Joseph’s story as his brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt and told their father that Joseph was dead. Yet God overruled the will of man, so that later Joseph could say, “you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20).

Never forget that it was by the hands of lawless men that Jesus was crucified, however, god overruled the will of man, Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God,” and by his death the world was redeemed (Acts 2:23).

God’s kingdom is not a place but rather a relationship. It exists wherever people enthrone Jesus as Lord of their lives.

Remember that Jesus told Nicodemus that no one can enter the kingdom of God without a radical inner transformation by the Spirit.

How can we be sure that we are praying God’s Will?

“In Accordance with the Will of God”

Not My will be done in all the Earth, but God’s will......

Paul understands the difficulty of not know what to pray for as we ought to pray.

In His Gethsemane prayer Jesus cried out “Abba Father..... everything is possible for you, take this cup from me, yet not what I will but what you will.”

Our Prayer weakness is in our inability to know the will of God…

Paul makes this explicit in the next phrase: “We do not know what we ought to pray for.” We do not know what God wills as we come to him with our troubles.

When we pray for healing, financial aid, social relationships, and so on, we cannot know whether it is in keeping with his purposes, so we must always pray the Gethsemane prayer: not what I want but what you want

Note: This is not the determinate will of God, those things that God has already determined to usher in or make to happen. Those things that He has made plain to us in His word.

*God’s Kingdom Will is an Obedient Will

Above all we should want to be obedient to His Will not ours. Honoring God’s name and His Kingdom are inseparably connected with His sovereign will.

God is honored by our obedience, His is kingdom is made visible by our obedience. His will is done when we are open and obedient to His will.

“God’s Sovereignty is His right and Power to do all that He decides.” (John Piper)

The Sovereignty of God

How different is the God of the Bible from the God of modern sentimentalism.

The God of our time is a helpless, sappy, weak, delicate being who demands the respect or obedience of no one.

The attitude of the modern church is that God is somehow detached from His creation, He is more of a spectator of the sin and suffering caused by Adams fall.

The sovereignty of God is absolute and infinite. He has the right to rule and reign the Universe as He pleases. We affirm the right of the Father over the Clay.

In God’s sovereignty prayer does change things: However it is always according to God’s sovereign will or plan.

Apart from God’s sovereign will prayer does not change things.

You may ask why you see little difference in your church, in your family, in your marriage, in your job.

I would ask you, “Are you praying God’s Kingdom come and will be done on earth as it is in Heaven?”

Praying the Will of God

With this in mind let me remind you what this is not, we are not interjecting our own will and agenda. The job of the spirit in the process is to insure that we are praying according to God’s sovereign will and desire for our prayers.

There is a fact that certain things happen in daily life regardless if a person prays or not or that there are certain things that will only happen if we pray needs some qualifications.

If a Christian prays in faith according to God’s will he can be certain that those things which are according to God’s will most certainly will happen.

Other personal things will happen if a person prays: God will become more real to that person, His promises will become more precious.

The fact that certain things will not happen in a persons personal life if he does not pray is true in that: a prayer-less life is lived out of communion with God and all the benefits that come from such a life.

But the idea that God cannot and will not bring to pass His eternal purpose and plan is ridiculous.

Example: Christian Worker and the business man.

The Christian worker prayer was not answered by God at all. The Christian worker prayed for an opportunity to share Christ with the business man.

Apparently, the way was not opened to speak to the businessman about his soul. However, upon leaving the office and recalling his prayer, the Christian worker (perhaps in the energy of his flesh) determined to answer the prayer for himself, and instead of leaving the Lord to “open the way” for him, took matters into his own hands.

Man is continually prone to abandon the purposes of God to follow his own plan. There is never a reason for God to change His plans to accommodate ours.

*God’s Kingdom Will is a Denying to Self Will

No one can sincerely ask for God’s will be be done without denying ourselves.

“The call to take up our cross daily is a denying of self and an acknowledging of God’s Sovereign will that overrides and decision of my own heart.”

Cultural Problem

Here is the difficulty we find in our prayers if we are truly honest. Most of our prayers are about our will and desire not God’s. Here is what we do. We pray to God interjecting our will and desire, and then we plow ahead with our agenda and desires proclaiming that this is what God wills and desires for our lives.

Something doesn’t go right for us in a particular situation whether it be in church life or social life, therefore, instead of truly praying God’s will, we decide in our own heart that God is calling us to leave the situation and find a better one somewhere else.

Many times we assume that God wants us to leave a difficult situations, however, if you look at the history of scripture, how often did God leave people in difficult situations for the good of others and the glory of God.

HOW DO WE ACCEPT GOD’S WILL

The Greek word for “be done” in both the Lord’s Prayer and the Gethsemane story, literally means “happen,” and God’s will has two aspects to it:

1). His purpose for events in Human history.

2). His command to His people. (in regard to the former, “thy will be done,” that he accepts without complaining about whatever God sends.”)

Here is the Problem!

One’s inner state is important when trying to discern God’s will, the question we must continue to consider is what state of the inner man are you listening to.

CLOSING

Note: Notice that the first three parts of the Lords prayer place God in the right place to be Honored, Adored and Exalted before ever seeking to know and do His will.

Our Father (Identifies our creator)

Who art in Heaven (Identifies our Destiny)

Hallowed be your name (Identifies our Praise)

Let’s remember Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Notice that Paul gives the pre-requisite for knowing and doing the will of God.

*It is a Transformed mind (not one that is conformed to this worlds way of thinking).

The Center of His Will

“There are no ‘if’s’ in God’s world. And no places that are safer than other places. The center of His will is our only safety—let us pray that we may always know it!”- Corrie ten Boom

The Lord is our only constant in a life that will be full of trials and joys and every-changing circumstances. May we always find refuge in him

We are called to do His will, and His work alone. The plans that are according to God’s will are so much greater, and beyond anything we could even attempt in our most feeble attempts.

Application To Make

Who is carrying your Life and Decisions Today?

Who are you trusting to insure you are praying the Lords will today?

When is the Last time you relinquished control to the Spirit letting him groan with you as your prayers reach the throne room of God?