Romans 8:17-27

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."  Romans 8:26

As children of God we have everything we need for time and eternity!  Romans 8:17 tells us that we are "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ."  Along life's way it is inevitable that we will have a certain amount of heartache and pain, but we have the absolute assurance of God's presence with us throughout our entire lives.  We also have the assurance of a future entrance into our eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus. 

The heartaches and pain we suffer on this earth are temporary, and they can not begin to compare to the glory we will have with the Lord Jesus some day.  Paul said in Romans 8:18, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."  Even creation is presently affected by sin and its consequences.  So the children of God also "groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:23)  We already have the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a deposit or promise of what is to come in our glorious eternal futures.  We already have the forgiveness of our sins in Christ.  We are already free from the penalty and power of sin, but sin and its effects are still present in our lives.  So we groan in excited anticipation of the day when we will be completely free from the presence of sin and its consequences in the world and in our lives.  We presently "hope" or look forward with absolute certainty to the blessed eternal inheritance that we have in Jesus Christ!  Romans 8:25 tells us, "But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

As the blessed assurance of our eternal inheritance and future in Christ sustains us, so the Holy Spirit helps us in our prayer life.  Romans 8:26 promises the following, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."  Have you ever tried to pray and felt so overwhelmed with some heartache that you did not know how to pray?  Have you ever felt that you could not find the words to express in prayer the depths of your feelings and needs in your heart? 

God understand our weaknesses and has provided us a helper in our prayer lives.  That helper is the Holy Spirit Himself!  The Holy Spirit prays in and through us.  He also prays for us especially during those times when we are too overwhelmed with heartache to find the right words to express our pain to the Lord in prayer.  The Holy Spirit understands our sorrows and is our prayer helper, and He "intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."  The Holy Spirit Himself pleads and intercedes for us before the Heavenly Father!  The Holy Spirit is our perfect intercessor before the Heavenly Father, because Romans 8:27b says "the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." 

Praise the Lord for His infinite blessings!  He is our salvation.  He is our source of strength, promise, and hope.  He provides for every need in our lives for time and eternity.  The Lord provides us the Holy Spirit to help us live for the Lord and to help us in our weaknesses.  Finally, the Lord even provides the Holy Spirit as our prayer helper and advocate!  What a glorious God we serve!  Praise His name!