Romans 8:26-27

Prayer is an absolute necessity for spiritual growth.  It is the means by which we approach our Father (Rom. 8:12-17).  Thus, under grace, we have help in our prayers.

** Under grace there is a divine intercessor, 8:26-27.

·        In the same way.  As the hope of redemption (8:18-25) sustains us in our weakness, so does our intercessor.

·        The Spirit helps us.  He provides what is needful.  This is the Spirit’s role (John 14:16-17).  And thus we continue to see here in Romans 8 that these are the things of the Spirit. 

·        Our weakness.  We are weak physically, part of the fallen creation into which we were born.  We are weaker than angels (Psalm 8:5) including Satan. He is a powerful enemy for the believer.  We are weak in faith (Rom. 14:1).  And we are weak because we are finite beings.  We have imperfect understanding of the past and almost no understanding of the future.  Thus we are weak.

·        We do not know what we ought to pray for.  We don’t understand our weakness or the solution.  Often we think we know what is best when in fact, in the long run, our answers are only band-aids, temporary solutions that don’t really solve our situations.  We tend to pray that God will take us out of our troubles when often that is not the only issue we are facing.  There is usually something that got us into the trial and we need to learn how not to get into the same fix again.  We desire to come to our Father to request help but must admit we often are at a loss as to what would be best to ask for.

·        But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us.  It is the Holy Spirit who prays for us.  He goes to the Father on our behalf and asks for what is right for each situation.

·        With groanings which cannot be uttered.  He accurately relays our groans (8:23).  He cries for us.  What matchless grace this is for believers in their affliction.

You may think this strange since the Father knows what we need before we even ask (Matt. 6:7-8).  But v27 actually explains why it is that God knows our need.  It is because of this ministry of the Spirit.  Being one God in three persons (Father, Son, Spirit) the Father is in perfect union with the Spirit (knows the mind of the Spirit); the Spirit always prays for what the Father wants (makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God).

This is an encouragement for the believer to pray.  He comes to his “Daddy” in heaven, knowing that the Spirit will help in bringing about God’s will.  What grace!