Sighs too deep for words

Praying in the Spirit

8 March 2009

Romans 8:26-27

Read: Romans 8:26-27

The problems we face

Weakness – We cannot pray properly, no matter how hard we try, without the Spirit’s help. As flawed human beings, nothing we do is perfect, not even our prayers. For example, which is true of you? You pray too much? Or you pray too little? Your praying is faultless? Your praying is faulty?
Ignorance – We don’t know what to pray for -- we may be aware of a problem or difficulty or we may know of a person in need, but we may not know just how to pray about it for the best outcome.
Ineffectiveness – We do not pray as we ought.

The Holy Spirit helps us

The Greek verb emphasises that he works together with us to help us
Compare Genesis 2:18
Just as Eve was made as a helper for Adam, so the Holy Spirit helps us. In both cases, the stronger was given by God to help the weaker.

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us

The Greek verb (huper-entugchano) is a strong form of the verb ‘I plead’. It could be rendered ‘Hyper-plead’.
It is only used of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the New Testament
Jesus acts as our ‘go-between’ by his blood: he is always making it possible for us to have access to the Father because he is always making a way for us (Hebrews 7:25).
The Spirit acts as a ‘go-between’ by assisting us with our prayers. He ensures that they are not mere words, but that they become effective communication with God.
So our prayers go beyond the ceiling and penetrate the very heavens by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit helps us in our prayer

There is a need to pray with discipline and understanding (1 Cor 14:15; Eph 6:19). Hence the value of using a Prayer Diary.
But sometimes, we cannot begin to find the right words – all we can do is ‘groan’ or ‘sigh’.
The word means a cry of anguish, pain or misery.
Creation ‘groans’ with its sorrow (earthquakes, fire, flood, drought, human misery etc) waiting for the new heaven and the new earth promised by God (Romans 8:22; Revelation 21:1)
Believers also ‘groan’ in anticipation of the redemption of the body to match the redemption of the soul (Romans 8:23-25; Philippians 3:21).
‘Likewise’ or ‘in the same way’, we ‘groan’ in supplication, longing for a way to escape the weakness of our prayer.
These are our groanings (from our hearts – 27) generated by the Spirit.
The Spirit enables our cries to be heard.

The Holy Spirit helps us to express the inexpressible without words

These cries do have meaning (27).
Not alalos (= ‘mute’ or ‘unable to speak’) but alaletos (= ‘not possible to put into normal expression’).
These are cries that ‘words cannot express’ (NIV).
They are ‘too deep for words’ (ESV).
E.g. the great revivalist Jonathan Edwards, at the age of 20, recorded this note in his diary: ‘Resolved, when I find those ‘groanings which cannot be uttered’, of which the apostle speaks, and those ‘breathings of soul for the longing it hath’ of which the psalmist speaks, Ps 112:20, that I will prmote them to the utmost of my power; and that I will not be weary of earnestly endeavouring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July 23 and August 10, 1723.’

The Holy Spirit helps us to express the inexpressible with spiritual words

A significant number of commentators believe there is probably also a reference here to praying in tongues (glossolalia). E.g F F Bruce, Gordon Fee, Johannes Behm, Frank Macchia.
Glossolalia enables us to express the inexpressible by putting into words that which we cannot express in our normal language.
God the Father searches out hearts (27) – so he knows our true intentions.
Through glossolalia God the Father ‘knows the mind of the Spirit’ (27).
When we pray with words given to us by the Holy Spirit, we know we are praying according to the will of God (literally ‘according to God’, 27) because we are only using the Spirit’s language and his choice of words.
In this way, our praying becomes powerful and effective.
Glossolalia is primarily a prayer gift (1 Corinthians 14:2; 14:14).

Challenge

Some years ago, my wife and I took a young lady named Helen into our home. Several years later she married a young man from our church. Later they had a baby son who was born deaf. It was then discovered that Helen had cancer. In spite of the best medical care, and much prayer, the cancer spread throughout her body. Finally she was sent home to die. The cancer spread to her throat and ultimately she was unable to speak. After her death, I was talking with her husband Philip and he said, ‘Helen’s life was a life of prayer: she was praying all the time.’ He went to tell me, his eyes shining, how in the last couple of weeks she could not speak to anyone around her. But almost inaudibly, she could still pray in tongues. Everyone, including the nursing staff who visited the home, was deeply moved as they saw her in tender fellowship with the Father, communing with him as the Spirit enabled her.

If ever there was an example of the Spirit helping someone in their weakness to pray effectively, this was it. In greater or lesser degree we all find ourselves in similar need.

Something to think or talk about

Remember, you don’t have to answer all the questions: choose those that seem most relevant.

Read Romans 8:26-27

Biblical
1. Read Romans 8:18-39. What is the overall context/theme of the passage?
2. Consider the phrase ‘in the same way’ (‘likewise’ in some versions). To what does it refer? (26)
3. To what sort of ‘weakness’ is Paul referring? (26)
4. Who is ‘he who searches the hearts’? (27)
5. According Romans 8:26-27, what are the benefits of praying in the Spirit?
6. Do you think there is a connection between 27 and 28? Give reasons for your opinion.

Personal and practical
7. How well do you identify with 26a? Give examples.
8. What has been your experience of 26b?
9. Can you recall specific or particular examples of times when you have not known how to pray and the Holy Spirit has helped you to pray effectively? Share your story.
10. If you have never experienced using a prayer language, ask the Holy Spirit to enable you today. Maybe the group could spend some time in prayer together with you.

Read: B.Chant, Praying in the Spirit Sovereign World, 2002:101-122.

Christian Life