Teach us to pray-18

Sorry to be late, but we had a houseful of grandchildren and couldn’t find any quiet time to work on this week’s study. Much like my time problem this week, we all need help finding the time, the words, and the solitude we need to pray to our Heavenly Father. Where would our help come from?

Romans 8:26  In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 

This is one of our problems in our prayer life. Most of us, most of the time we struggle in knowing how and what to pray. There are other times we just can’t even think of what to pray when we are faced with the trials and temptations of life. Sorrow, suffering, loss of loved ones, hardships, etc. all put us on our knees but don’t by themselves give us the words or right attitude for prayer.

8:27  and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 

This is a great comfort to all of us. The Holy Spirit is our helper and His role is to intercede for us before the very throne of God and always according to the divine will of God.

John 14:16  "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 14:17  that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. 

But, how do we access this great blessing? We need to humbly ask our Lord and Savior to help us and guide us, even as He comforts us.

1 Corinthians 2:10  For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 2:11  For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 

Amazing but true! This truth needs to be written on our hearts and minds. This is the Holy Spirit that indwells all who are true believers in Jesus Christ.

2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 2:13  which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 

Only those of us who know and can understand these spiritual truths. They are freely given to us and always, unless we have dampened the Holy Spirit, available to us.

2:14  But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 2:15  But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 2:16  For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ. 

The mind of Christ is written for us in our Bibles. This isn’t new revelations just for us, but revealed truth available to us. We can now fully understand these truths as we have access to the Spirit of Truth that will make is clear or clearer to us. But, we have our part to play in this great gift.

We need to seek it, believe it, and obey the truth available to us. This is freely given to us within the Bible we hold in our hands. The real question remains, are we seeking the truth that is only within these sacred pages? Are you daily reading and studying God’s Word?

More next Saturday.