The Holy Spirit: Our Indwelling prayer Partner

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. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).

In times of trouble we instinctively turn to God in prayer. But at such times prayer can be exceedingly difficult. Weakened and emotionally numb, we do not know how to pray as we ought. In the face of bewildering circumstances we cannot fathom the will of God. Our words seem empty and useless as we struggle to articulate our heart’s longing.

 

For example, a loved one is in the final stages of cancer. We don’t want to lose our loved one but at the same time we want their suffering to end. Do we continue to pray for healing or do we ask God to take them home?

Paul assures us that the Holy Spirit is ever present to help us at such times. Even when we don’t know what to pray, the Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God. The Spirit, who dwells in the deepest recesses of the soul, understands our longings and wordless groans even if we don’t. He makes our heart's desire known to God in perfect harmony with his will.

When we find ourselves pressed beyond measure by the trials of life, how reassuring it is to know we have an indwelling prayer partner: the Holy Spirit of God.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

John 16:7

Most Christians at one time or another have wondered what it would be like to meet Jesus in

the flesh. How blessed were the first disciples, we think, to have seen him with their eyes and touched him with their hands! And yet when it came time for Jesus to leave this world, he said to the apostles: I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away.

This must have puzzled the apostles. How could it possibly be to their advantage for Jesus to leave them? Jesus answers that, when he goes away (e.g. ascends into heaven), he will send the Counselor, who is none other than the Holy Spirit, to them.

The indwelling Holy Spirit is far more advantageous to followers of Christ than his mere bodily presence. Confined to his human body, Christ could only be in one place at one time. He could only reach people externally, that is, from the outside in. But with the coming of the Holy Spirit all of this would change.

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to bring the presence of Christ to us in a far more intimate and personal way than physical presence. The Spirit of God is to united with our spirit and dwells in our heart. Now Christ can reach us in the deepest wellsprings of our being where true transformation begins. Christ’s physical body could be taken from the disciples, but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is an eternal and unbreakable bond.

So let us not envy the apostles for their proximity to Christ. His indwelling Spirit is far more advantageous for them and us.

Have a blessed Pentecost!