Pray in the Holy Spirit (Eph 6:18; Rom 8:26-27)

It is hard to pray on our own.

- EX: My experience about prayer

- I am not a person who prays well. I think the level I pray is similar to the level of your prayers. Prayers are always difficult.

- We all have the experience that we wanna pray, but it was beyond our control.

- When we try to pray, we become sleepy. Trivial thoughts suddenly come to mind for us not to focus on the prayer. We do not know what to pray. We say something in prayer time, but it does not come from our hearts. It feels like our prayer is falling on the ground, not going to the Father in Heaven.

- When we pray with others in the church service or retreat, it is not easy to focus on our prayers. We just see or hear others pray. And instead of praying, we think about something others in prayer time.

- And sometime, because of our laziness, we don’t pray although we know we have to do.

- You would remember the disciples’ prayer in the Garden of Gesthemane.

- It was the last minute before Jesus was captured, and Jesus was praying earnestly to carry out the most important mission in the world.

- But the disciples fell asleep in that important moment.

- So Jesus said a very famous saying, “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

- Right! We are weak so we cannot pray on our own.

~ But today’s text says there is the one who helps us in our weakness, the Holy Spirit!

The One who helps us in our weakness, the Holy Spirit

<< Rom 8:16

- <The Holy Spirit>

- HS is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Jesus. He is the same one as God.

- God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Our God is three in one. So we called this Trinity or triune God.

- It’s hard to understand. We cannot understand everything about God. If we can understand everying about God, it is also weird.

- So one of the church Father, Turtullian, said, “I believe because it is absurd.” <PPT>

- Yes, if we can understand something perfectly, is it worth to be believed as God?

- Trinity is the realm of faith. But we can understand this to the degree that the Bible says.

- Let’s talk about each of the triune God for a while! <PPT>

- God: Father/Supervisor // Jesus: the Son/Accomplisher/the most decisive role // HS: the Spirit/Final Worker/Finisher

- If God is the Father, planner and supervisor, Jesus is the Son and the one who carries out the most essential work, the one who accomplished God’s saving plan on the cross. And the Holy Spirit is the one who works for what God planned and Jesus accomplished to be actually fulfilled in this world and in our lives. He always works with power to fulfill God’s will finally.

- When we think of the relation of this Trinity and us, if God is our Father, and Jesus is our Savior, then the Holy Spirit is the one who is always with us and helps us like a mentor, couch, or friend. He is our helper. So the Bible called the Holy Spirit our Paraclete (보혜사).

- It’s the Holy Spirit who made you believe in Jesus. If you are believing in Jesus as your Savior and Lord now, you should also believe that the Holy Spirit remains inside you. He is always there inside you. He keeps your faith to the end and helps you in whatever you need. He guides your life. He gives you new power and new heart in your life. This is the Holy Spirit and the work He does.

- Any question about the Holy Spirit?

~ By the way, this Holy Spirit also helps us pray.

The Holy Spirit who Helps us Pray

- So the Bible says to us to pray in the Holy Spirit.

<< Eph 6:18 Pray in the Spirit

<< Jude 1:20 “사랑하는 자들아 너희는 너희의 지극히 거룩한 믿음 위에 자신을 세우며 성령으로 기도하며”

Jude 20 ESV

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,

- We must pray in the Spirit because we cannot pray on our own. To pray in the Spirit means to pray with the help of the Spirit.

- If God the Father is the one who listens to our prayers, and if Jesus is the one who solved all our problems and sins for us to pray with confidence, then the Holy Spirit is the one who helps us pray actually and effectively.

- EX: The story of our Retreat

- Remember our last Summer retreat? It was a really blessed time that we could pray fervently.

- Did you notice that we always started prayer time after singing a song about the Holy Spirit? And, after singing the song of the Holy Spirit, we first asked for the help of the Holy Spirit, and then we prayed for other topics.

- I believe that we could pray much better because of this. The Holy Spirit helped.

- So, let me suggest how to pray in the Holy Spirit with three steps! <PPT>

- (1) Admit and confess that I cannot play on my own (in my power)!

- (2) Be aware that the Holy Spirit is present with you!

- (3) Pray to the Holy Spirit to lead your prayer and help you pray!

- EX: 목사님의 새벽기도

- 별로 안 좋아한다. 잠이 많다. 새벽에 기도가 잘 안 된다.

- 그런데 이번 금요일! 너무 좋았다! 이 메시지를 준비하고 적용! 너무나도 달콤했던 시간!

>> Hey guys~ Pray in the Holy Spirit! Admit and confess your weakness and limitation before God! Remember the unchangeable presence of the Holy Spirit! And earnestly ask for the help of the Spirit!

- Then, you will be able to experience amazing grace and blessing in your prayer. You will pray better and more easily. The Holy Spirit will teach you what to pray and how to pray. The content to pray will come to your mind. You will experience God’s presence. You will be able to pray more rightly and deelply!

- So, in your life, you will be a person of prayer.

The Holy Spirit who prays instead of me

- There is one more amazing thing we have to know.

<< Rom 8:26-27

- This text says the Spirit Himself intercedes for us. It means that He prays for us instead of us.

- We all know that an intercessory prayer (중보기도) is so powerful because there is love in the intercessory prayer. That is why your parents and friends pray for you and you pray for others.

- But there is much more powerful prayer than your and your parents’ intercessory prayers. It is the Holy Spirit’s intercessory prayer for you.

- The Holy Spirit is always praying for you inside you! How grateful!

- The text says He prays according to God’s will. We know that this prayer according to God’s will is the most beneficial prayer for us.

- Remember! Even now the Holy Spirit is praying for each of you. Even when we are not praying because of our weakness and laziness, He is still praying for us.

- And eventually, HS will lead us to pray ourselves in the Holy Spirit. Wow! Praise the Lord!

Conclusion

- Is there anybody who wants to pray but it is not easy?

- Remember today’s message! Pray in the Holy Spirit!

- (1) Admit and confess that you cannot pray on your own.

- (2) Be aware of the presence of Holy Spirit in prayer time.

- (3) Ask for the Holy Spirit’s help for you to pray well!

- Let’s practice what we learn today at this time!

- 찬양: Holy Spirit