The Spirit Helps Us in Our Weakness

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18 ESV)

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Romans 8:26-30 ESV)

The subject matter is our sufferings, the difficulties of life which we are called upon by God to endure. When we are going through such sufferings it is painful, and so as those who love the Lord Jesus, we long for our heavenly home. We look forward to the day when we are no longer in these flesh bodies but we will be in our glorified bodies, and we will no longer be subject to pain and crying and temptation to sin, and when we will no longer be subject to the mistreatments of others who are still walking in sin.

But while we are still living on the earth, we are going to suffer, primarily because we are human and we live in flesh bodies and we live on a fallen earth, but also because we love the Lord Jesus with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, and because we are following him in obedience to his commands. And because Satan, who is our enemy, does not want us to do that. And so our enemy will devise many ways in which to come against us and to attack us and/or to tempt us to give up hope.

But the Holy Spirit, who lives within those of us of genuine obedient faith in our Lord Jesus, is there to help us in our times of weakness when we are going through trials and tribulations and sufferings and persecutions and temptations to sin. He is there to help those of us who are walking according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh, and whose minds are set on the Spirit and not on the flesh, who by the Spirit are putting to death the misdeeds of the body and who are being led by the Spirit (Romans 8:1-14).

For, because we still live in flesh bodies, and not yet in our glorified bodies, when we go through such trials as these we don’t always know what to pray as we ought because we are human and because we are in the midst of suffering, too. Sometimes all I prayed was just “Help!” when I didn’t know what else to pray, and the Lord helped me through whatever it was that I was going through at the time. So we don’t always have to have just the right words, because the Spirit will intercede for us on our behalf. 

But this is always going to be according to the will of God. The Lord is not going to answer fleshly and worldly requests which are contrary to the teachings of the Scriptures or which are contrary to his divine will and purpose for our lives. So we need to be walking in obedience to his commands in holy living and no longer in sin. For far too many people these days here in America who profess Jesus as Savior and Lord do not submit to Christ as Lord but they are still living in deliberate and habitual sin.

For the saints of God are his holy ones who are living separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being made by God to be like Jesus Christ in character, thinking, attitude, actions, and speaking. We are not one of his saints if we are still walking according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit, and if we are making sin our practice and not righteousness and holiness and obedience to our Lord. So don’t expect the Holy Spirit to intercede for you if you are refusing to walk in obedience to our Lord.

We know that for those who love (obey) God, all things work together for good (as God defines good), for those who have been called and who are living according to his purpose. And what is his purpose for us? It is that we die with him to sin and live to his righteousness. And it is that we are being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ and no longer to the patterns of this sinful world. For Jesus said if we are going to come after him, we must deny self, take up our cross daily, and follow (obey) him (Luke 9:23-26).

But this “good” is not necessarily what we humans might call “good.” For this involves us having to suffer for the sake of the name of Jesus, and for the sake of his gospel, and for the sake of righteousness, and for the sake of our testimonies for him. So the “good” might be that we suffer in order that the Lord may mold us into his likeness. For suffering, if responded to correctly, can bring about good change in our lives, and closer walks with the Lord, and a more serious approach to our Christianity, too.

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 6:22-23; Lu 21:12-19; Jn 15:1-21; Jn 16:33; Jn 17:14; Ac 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

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