Here is one thought about why I love the working of the Holy Spirit in my prayer life. While I might be so bright that my mother used to call me son (I don’t even have to be with you as you read those last few words to know that you are shaking your head in disbelief at my feeble attempt at humor), I am honest enough to tell you that many, many, many times when I am praying about a situation or person, I am completely, totally, 100% clueless on what and how to pray. I am fully aware that my “brightness” is filled with restrictions and limitations. Can you identify with this lack? My prayers echo what Paul wrote to the Roman believers … “…We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should…” (Romans 8:26 Amplified Bible) As much as I desire to pray exactly what’s needed when needed, I often come up short.
Thankfully, this isn’t the end of the story. I’m not writing about a hopeless tale of woe where I just throw up my hands in despair and give up on praying for my situations and the needs of others. (It’s time to launch the Lone Ranger theme song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8eDoJD2r_I to indicate that something is about to change because help is on its way.) God has provided a way for the Holy Spirit to come to my rescue and cause these limitations to fall by the wayside and make our prayers effective. The remainder of the verse says “…but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26 Amplified Bible).
While I falter on some “brightness” levels, I am bright enough to know what happens when I allow the Holy Spirit to come to my rescue as I pray in His language. I know that those last few words might be confusing for some and so let me add this explanation. One of the many benefits of the infilling (baptism) of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5; 2:1-4; 10:44-46; 19:1-6) is to be able to pray in the language of the Spirit, not the language of the intellect. Paul wrote the Corinthian believers and told them “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive [because it does not understand what my spirit is praying].” (1 Corinthians 14:14) The whats and hows are blindsided as I bypass these limitations of my brain and begin to say everything that the Father wants me to communicate as I pray in other tongues. My prayers begin to make things happen!
Let me close by talkin’ some Texanese (the official language of Texas). I am so, so, so, thankful that the Holy Spirit helps me to be smack dab (not pert near) on target with the will of God in my praying. Thank God for this supernatural benefit that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit. I’ll share more about this in a future blog post.
Smack dab on target, Billy. I often pray for others without knowing even the bare bones of the story of the person I am praying for and praying in the Spirit is all the help I can offer them…..the best help I can offer them. My pastor recently appointed me recently to pray with a woman in the altar. Not unusual. What was unusual was that he asked me to find out how we could pray for her…..he was in the dark too, as she was a newbie. Within a few brief minutes of exchanged whispers – reminescent of altars times with kids in the field years – I knew exactly how to pray and she melted into the arms of Jesus. I’m not as experienced dealing with praying for adults, but with a polite shove from my Pastor, I attempted it readily. I’m glad I did, she is a regular now and we are great friends!
Mel, I love, love, love it. Thank God for the Holy Spirit who enables us to blindside our whats and hows!