DIVINE HELP IN PRAYER
“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 through wordless groans.”- {Romans 8:26}
“In the same way,” as creation groans v 22 and the believers groan v 23 to be free from the corruption and defilement of sin, the Holy Spirit groans too for that day of redemption! Just as HOPE sustains us in time of suffering, {18-25}, so too in the same way The Holy Spirit will come to our aid and assist us in our time of weakness in our trials. specifically in this passage regarding helping us in prayer, when we don’t know what to pray for. The idea is that we have more than enough resources for each and every trial we encounter because of Him!
Both Hope ans the Spirit sustain and supply to us what is needed in time of testing!
“HELP”–
{sunantilambanomai}-
“sun,” means “together or union with,”: “Anti means facing us. Imagine a man struggling to move a heavy log. Along comes another man, who picks up the other end to help. One is on each end of the log, and they face each other as they work together to move the log. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is there with us to do His part in helping us in our weakness.”- {Wayne Barber.}
Winslow writes…
The word here rendered helps properly means to take part with. It implies, not merely sympathy with, but a personal participation in our infirmity. The Spirit helps our infirmities by sharing them with us.”
The word speaks of coming alongside someone to help them carry or lift a load, Not carrying the whole load but assisting them with the load as in the case of Martha saying to Jesus”tell her to help,” {Luke 10:40}. The Holy Spirit comes to assist, help you in your distress, time of need, NOT by taking over but by helping you overcome your problems and work it out with His strength, wisdom, sufficiency. A. T. Robertson says “The Holy Spirit lays hold of our weaknesses along with(sun) us and carries His part of the burden facing us (anti) as if two men were carrying a log, one at each end.”
“WEAKNESS,”–
Literally means, “without strength, the state of incapacity to do or experience something, in this case to help us in our praying. It is a spiritual not physical weakness, when we do not know what to pray. Vine says, “Without the aid of the Holy Spirit our patience would fail and we should succumb to despair. (Collected writings of W. E. Vine.) ”
“Paul has something specific in mind. We are weak in our ability to know what we should ask. Many times we really don’t know what we should specifically pray for. We are not omniscient. We don’t know everything, nor can we see into the future. So we don’t know whether the things we’re asking for will turn out good or bad for us.”– {Robert Morgan}.
In your distress, difficulties, when you feel at the end, emotionally, and on your last nerve and don’t know what to pray, be encouraged, GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A PROMISE- He has Promised the Holy Spirit whom He gifted you with {Rom 5:5} lives within to assist, help you as it were “lift the log.” Face to face with you. Not turning HIS Back on you, but in a caring, intimate way.
“But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us.” The verb is in the present tense. He works on behalf of us. How beautiful and assuring is this. You as I can say,
“The Holy Spirit is continually acting on my behalf.”
In times of suffering, weakness, He is acting on our behalf, assisting us in prayer for us “…according to the will of God.”-{v27}
He who promises is faithful and He cannot and does not lie-{Jude 1:2}