“What Does the Holy Spirit Do?”

The Holy Spirit is mentioned thirty-two times in Romans: four times in chapters 1-7; seven times in chapters 9-15; and TWENTY-ONE times in Chapter 8:1-27—more than in any other single chapter in the Bible!

As we said four weeks ago, when we began our study of Romans 8 there are FIVE MINISTRIES of the Holy Spirit:

I. FREEDOM - (8:1-11)

II. ADOPTION - (8:12-17)

III. RESURECTION - (8:18-25)

IV. INTERCESSION - (8:26-30)

V. SECURITY - (8:31-39)

This morning we will consider the FOURTH MINISTRY of the Holy Spirit, answering the question that serves as the title of this morning’s message:

“What Does the Holy Spirit Do?”

Romans 8:26–30 CSB

26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

There are THREE THINGS the Holy Spirit does:

I. The Spirit HELPS US! - (8:26a)

A. How? - “In the same way…”

“This paragraph is intended to show the ground upon which our certainty and our hope lies!”

It takes us back to TWO previous things: (v.22) - Creation groans, and (v.23) - we also groan! And in (v.26) we find that the Spirit also groans!

B. What? - “…the Spirit also helps us”

συναντιλαμβάνεται - ‘help, assist, take hold of together’ - present tense (‘keeps on helping’)!

C. Where? - “…in our weakness”

From ἀσθενείᾳ - ‘weakness, sickness, distress, lack of strength’ - taken literally, this not just a momentary lack of strength, but a physical disability!

Romans 6:19 CSB

19 I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh…

Three times the Gospels it is translated, “disabled, disability”

D. Why? - “…because we do not know what to pray for as we should”

What is our area of “weakness/disability”? - IGNORANCE in PRAYER!

Personally, I am GLAD that Scripture affirms what I know by experience!

John Stott - “Prayer has always been one of the great mysteries of the spiritual life. We understand that God is listening, but we sense our inadequacy when it comes to knowing how to pray or exactly what we should pray for. How many times have we wondered how to pray for a friend suffering a serious illness? Sometimes volumes of prayer have gone up to God, but the response from heaven was not what we wanted or expected.”

Have you ever experienced this? Someone is suffering. What should we pray? Removal? Endurance? Patience? That God would give understanding or instruction? That they should go on to glory? All of the above?

PERHAPS that’s why the very first thing Jesus taught us to pray (after acknowledging, (Matt 6:9), “…your name is honored as holy”) is,

Matthew 6:10 CSB

10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

While I acknowledge my “weakness/disability” and ignorance in my praying, I certainly should not use this as an excuse (consciously or subconsciously) to refrain from praying!

1 Thessalonians 5:17 CSB

17 pray constantly,

Ephesians 6:18 CSB

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

God’s will is for us to be men and women devoted to prayer!

The GOOD NEWS, as written by Stott, “When our lack of faith undermines certainty in prayer, the Spirit himself intercedes on our behalf.”

Which brings us to the SECOND thing the Holy Spirit does:

II. The Spirit INTERCEDES FOR US! - (8:26b-27)

How? - Three ways:

A. “…the Spirit himself intercedes for us” - (v.26b)

ὑπερεντυγχάνει - ‘to make an appeal or to plead for’

Present tense, active voice - The Spirit is the one continually interceding!

B. “…with inexpressible groanings” - (v.26c)

στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις - literally, ‘unexpressed/wordless sighing/groanings’

This is NOT praying in tongues (‘the Spirit groaning through you’)!

KEEP IN CONTEXT: (vv.22-23) - Creation groans. We groan. (v.26) - The Spirit groans!

Again, the intercession is by the Spirit (see above—active voice)! He does not require your help—He acts APART for us!

Hocking - “We put so much on our shoulders failing to recognize God continually desires us to place our burdens on Him!”

C. “…he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” - (v.27c)

ἐντυγχάνει - present tense, active voice - ‘approach, appeal, plead’

“How does the Spirit know the will of God?”

“…he who searches our hearts”

Mounce - “God understands what the Spirit desires even though it is inexpressible in human terms (v. 27). God is the one who has complete access to the heart. His knowledge is direct, not dependent upon one’s ability to articulate concerns.”

1 Samuel 16:7 CSB

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”

Hebrews 4:13 CSB

13 No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

“…knows the mind of the Spirit”

Mounce - “God is a searcher of hearts and knows the desires of the Spirit as the Spirit intercedes for us. He knows that the Spirit is interceding for saints in harmony with his will.”

No passage of Scripture provides greater encouragement for prayer. The Spirit comes to the aid of believers baffled by the perplexity of prayer and takes their concerns to God with an intensity far greater than we could ever imagine.

NOTE: It’s not just the Spirit who intercedes for us!

Romans 8:34 CSB

34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.

Hebrews 7:25 CSB

25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.

AGAIN from Mounce, “No passage of Scripture provides greater encouragement for prayer. The Spirit comes to the aid of believers baffled by the perplexity of prayer and takes their concerns to God with an intensity far greater than we could ever imagine.”

No matter your WEAKNESS or IGNORANCE, the intercession of the Holy Spirit makes the prayers of ALL God’s children POWERFUL!

III. The Spirit ASSURES US! - (8:28-30)

A. Of God’s SOVEREIGNTY! - (v.28)

Romans 8:28 LSB

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

John Stott outlines this verse as: FIVE UNSHAKABLE TRUTHS!

1. God WORKS, or is AT WORK, in our lives!

God’s work or intervention in our lives is IMPLIED!

Why would we be encouraged to PRAY if everything is either by chance or consequence?

Philippians 2:13 CSB

13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

2. God is at work for the GOOD OF HIS PEOPLE!

Do you remember the story of Joseph, who was sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt?

Genesis 50:20 CSB

20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.

3. God works for our good in ALL THINGS!

The good, the bad, and the ugly ultimately all are working together for our good!

Some of the most difficult days of my life have proven to be some of the best things for me!

While I would never have chosen them, in hindsight I see the hand of God working through them!

Mounce - “Moral advance utilizes hardship more often than not.”

Philippians 4:4 CSB

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

4. God works for the good of THOSE WHO LOVE HIM!

Mounce: The verb (“works”) and the participial phrase (“those who love him”) are in the present tense. Not only is God continually at work, but those for whom he works are steadfast in their love for him. The Christian faith is never presented in Scripture as a static relationship. A person’s salvation is not something that took place sometime in the past with little or no impact in the present. By definition, a relationship is a continuing affair. A vital ongoing love for God is the necessary prerequisite for his active intervention in the affairs of our life. From the human side we love God. From God’s side we are called in accordance with his purpose.

Which brings us to Stott’s final point:

5. God works for the good of THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE!

Since we have used Stott’s outline, I’ll all him to conclude: “These are the five truths about God which, Paul writes, we know. We do not always understand what God is doing, let alone welcome it. Nor are we told that he is at work for our comfort. But we know that in all things he is working towards our supreme good.”

NEXT WEEK: “God’s Salvation!”