Not Ashamed- Part 28- Patiently Waiting

Introduction- Romans 8:24-27

Last week we considered the present suffering that we endure and the future glory that shall be ours in Christ along with our present groaning as we await our coming redemption.

Today we will continue in that theme as we consider the hope that we have which causes us to wait patiently for the day of our redemption and the infirimities of our flesh and the intercession of the Spirit.

We spoke last week of the fact that there is a persistent theme throughout the scriptures of the “already and not yet.”

This is true with regard to our salvation as well. If you have believed on Jesus Christ you are already saved but your redemption in not yet fully realized.

This passage begins with a reference to our...

Hope for the Future (Vs. 24)

We need once again to be reminded what the word hope means in scripture. It is a confident expectancy that what we hope for will happen not a wishful desire for something to happen.

Hebrews 11:1 KJV 1900

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

What makes people of faith unique is that our hope is not confined to this present life upon earth.

There are many people in the world today who find themselves in a state of hopelessness because things have not turned out as they had planned in this life.

1 Corinthians 15:19 KJV 1900

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Yet the true believer never finds himself in this state because his hope is beyond this life.

This thought naturally flows from what precedes it. No matter how difficult things may be or how much suffering we may be called upon to endure in this life, we know that one day we shall be made perfectly whole and we shall enjoy a blissful experience in the presence of God for all eternity.

We are not yet able to see what awaits us with our physical eyes but we do even now behold it with the eyes of faith knowing that Christ has prepared a place for us and that one day our redemption will be complete and we shall spend the rest of all eternity with Him!

The Christian lives in a state of constant hope knowing that whatever befalls him in this life is only temporary and that a glorious eternal existence awaits him in the life to come.

This hope that we have gives us...

Patience (Vs. 25)

Those who have believed on Jesus Christ and who now have the firstfruits of the Spirit of God dwelling within them feel a constant yearning for eternity.

Yet God has appointed each of us a span of time upon this earth and so we wait patiently for that day when that which we hope for shall be finally realized.

The word patience here speaks of endurance and perseverance which is to

We must understand that God has a purpose and a plan for our lives here as we await the day when our redemption is complete.

It is this hope that we have which allows us to patiently endure whatever may be our lot in this life.

God certainly does not intend for this life to be a drudgery but there should be something within each of us that longs for the day when we shall experience the fulness of our redemption.

We need not grow impatient or frustrated with our present existence but instead we ought to wait patiently in hope of our future redemption always being reminded that this life is only temporary.

James 5:7–8 KJV 1900

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

2 Thessalonians 3:3–5 KJV 1900

But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

As we await our coming redemption we also have...

A Helper (Vs. 26-27 )

Naturally because we must still deal with our flesh and with the sinful world around us we find ourselves at times struggling to live for Christ.

Yet we have a precious promise here that the Spirit of God will be our helper and it is He which will enable us to live as we should for God.

When we find ourselves struggling with our own weakness and inability to do what God has called us to do, it is the Spirit that steps in to enable and empower us.

Certainly there must have been times in Paul’s own life when he felt that he was not able to continue on when he was weak and tired and ready to faint and yet the Spirit of God enabled him to continue to carry out the mission which God had given him.

The Spirit of God will do the same for you and I. One specific way that the Spirit of God helps us is with regard to our praying.

There are often times in our lives when we are facing circumstances that we do not fully understand and when we find ourselves unsure of the direction that we should take.

How many times have we cried out to God not knowing what we should do or even how we should pray in light of our circumstances.

It is at these times when the Spirit of God interecedes on our behalf even when we do not know what to say.

There may often be times when we are not sure what the will of God is and we are not confident as to how we should proceed.

Yet this is precisely why God has given us His Spirit to help us to be able to discern the will of God and to intercede with God on our behalf for those things which me may not even be aware that we need.

In the following verse the scripture states the fact that the Spirit of God intercedes on our behalf according to the will of God.

Often times we may think that we know what God’s will is and yet the Spirit of God intercedes for us even when we may be praying in the wrong direction.

There are some who have used this particular verse to support some type of speaking in tongues in prayer to God but this could not be further from what this scripture actually teaches.

Notice that the Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings “which cannot be uttered” meaning that there is no audible voice. This rules out this false teaching.

These verse assure us that when our heart is right with God the Spirit of God and God the Father will provide the direction and the capacity to do the will of God.

The most significant matter in the life of the believer is the condition of his heart. If this is right the Spirit will empower and enable us to do the will of God.

Wherever we are weak the Spirit will help and stengthen us for the task that God has called us to do.

Conclusion

How grateful we ought to be for the hope that we have in Christ. This hope serves to help us to endure whatever suffering and trials we may face in this life.

It is this blessed hope which allows us to patiently wait for the day of our redemption as we yearn to be free from the limitations of this flesh and this sin cursed world.

As we strive to do the will of God in this life we will come face to face with our own weakness and inability and yet we can be sure that the Spirit of God will more than make up for anything that is lacking in us so long as our heart is right with God.