Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
Today is 2-for-1 Friday!
Check out Can You Hear Me?!
The Questions
1) How does the Holy Spirit help us in our weakness? (verse 26)
2) Why does the Bible say that creation groans, we groan, and the Holy Spirit groans? (verses 22-26)
3) What does the Holy Spirit pray for us? (verse 26-27)
Romans 8:18-27
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope 21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 23 Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 25 Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience. 26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Original Intent
1) How does the Holy Spirit help us in our weakness? (verse 26)
The Bible is clear that God gives us the Holy Spirit as a teacher (John 14:26) and a wise helper (John 16:7) The Holy Spirit comforts us with His presence by living within every Christian. (I Corinthians 3:16) Romans 8:26 also tells us the Holy Spirit intercedes for us; this is an amazing concept! The Holy Spirit prays for believers because He knows we need His omniscience and His assistance. He knows we are weak, and precisely because of this, He helps us by interceding for us. Author Octavius Winslow notes, “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.” God is aware we don’t know what to pray, so He helps us by providing the Holy Spirit to pray on our behalf. Author Matthew Henry describes our weakness in this passage as being “we know not what to ask. We are not competent judges of our own condition. . . We are short-sighted, and very much biased in favor of the flesh, and apt to separate the end from the way.” God is aware of our imperfections and inability to know exactly how to pray, and He makes provision for this through the Holy Spirit’s intercession for us. He bears us up in our weaknesses, lifting us and helping us!
2) Why does the Bible say that creation groans, we groan, and the Holy Spirit groans? (verses 22-26)
In Romans 8:22-26, Paul uses similar descriptors for both the corrupt state of man and all of creation, as well as the same description for the work of the Holy Spirit on our behalf. He declares in Romans 8:22, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now.” This alludes to creation’s suffering since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3) Author John Piper suggests “God subjected the physical world to corruption to show us the outrage of sin at the one point where we really feel it.” Paul also writes “We ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies”. (Romans 8:23) Both nature and man have suffered since sin entered the world, but Paul explains this pain points us toward the return of Christ, when everything will be perfect as God intended. He uses the metaphor of groans and labor pains to show us that new life is coming. Tim Keller explains that “The pangs aren’t meaningless because the world is giving birth to a new version of itself. This is the future, the fulfilling, renewing, joy-giving future creation can look forward to since it’s the future God’s children look forward to.” Paul uses this same language again in Romans 8:26, when he writes “In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.” The Holy Spirit groans in the same way humans and nature are groaning, but instead of despairing, the Holy Spirit’s groaning is for us. Author Wayne A. Barber explains ”the word used here and translated ‘helps’ is sunantilambanomai, sun—together with, and antilambanomai—to support or to help. . .The Holy Spirit is there to give us support as we groan.” Paul unites these ideas with the image of groaning to show us that even though our pain is intense, the intercession of the Holy Spirit is just as intense. His intercession is powerful and directs our steps in the direction of God’s will and coming hope. (Romans 8:27)
3) What does the Holy Spirit pray for us? (verse 26-27)
The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings (Romans 8:26) Author Stephen J. Cole explains, “Paul pictures the Holy Spirit groaning on our behalf to convey that he takes up our needs at the deepest emotional level and conveys our hurts and cares to the Father’s throne, all in line with the will of God.” The Holy Spirit searches our hearts and intercedes for us according to the will of God. He is not just putting up generic, one size fits all prayers when He intercedes for us. He searches our hearts to know our needs and then He actively prays God’s will for us. Whatever God’s heart is toward us and whatever His will is for us informs the intercession of the Holy Spirit within us. It is intriguing to know He is not even praying words, but inexpressible groans. He does not even need to communicate with words to pray the will of God for our lives. Author Andrew Murray explains “the Spirit prays with His unutterable yearnings in a region and a language which the Heart Searcher alone knows and understands.” God put His Holy Spirit inside of us to help us, teach us, and intercede for us. He knows us and our needs so well and loves us so deeply He can intercede for us with silent groans instead of words. Be encouraged that if you find yourself unsure of how to pray or unable to pray because you are so distraught, the Holy Spirit knows your deepest needs and is praying the will of God for your life even now!
Everyday Application
1) How does the Holy Spirit help us in our weakness? (verse 26)
One of my favorite book characters is Father Tim Kavanagh from the Mitford book series by Jan Karon. Oftentimes, when faced with a difficult situation, he admonished his congregants to pray “the prayer that never fails”, which, in essence asks, “Lord, let Your will be done”. (Matthew 6:10) I pray this prayer myself when I just don’t know how to pray, or I don’t trust myself to pray with unselfish motives. Often, my circumstances make it unclear if I am to pray for deliverance or perseverance. Should I make a change, or should I stay the course? I seek God’s will, but many times I just don’t know what to do. The good news is that even while I pray the prayer that never fails, the Holy Spirit is doing the same thing for me! Romans 8:27 tells us, “He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” It is encouraging to know that not only does God provide prayer as a means of communication between us and God, but He also provides the Holy Spirit to pray God’s will for us. It is a comfort to know God is aware of my weakness in the area of prayer. I don’t need to know God’s will perfectly in order to pray to Him because the Holy Spirit knows God’s will and is praying it for me on my behalf.
2) Why does the Bible say that creation groans, we groan, and the Holy Spirit groans? (verses 22-26)
A few years ago I was standing on a mountain looking down on the ocean before me in Acadia National Park in Maine. I could hear waves crashing against the jagged rocks and smell pine in the air, and I wondered to myself, “Why don’t I live here?”. God’s creation is so spectacularly amazing it’s difficult to believe that nature is in a fallen state, just like people are, since sin entered the world. Yet, this is what Paul tells us in Romans 8:22, “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now.” We know from Genesis 3:17 God cursed the ground as a consequence of human sin. Since then, all of creation, both nature and people, have been waiting for God’s redemption. Writer Simon Turpin explains, “Paul describes the glory that awaits the sons of God in terms of freedom, and this freedom is associated with the state of glory to which the sons of God are destined. The creation itself will be set free from the bondage to corruption and into the glory of the sons of God.” I still draw peace and encouragement from my memories of those glorious mountains and vast ocean views, so imagine what they will be like when they are in a state of freedom! Even better is the fact that God will restore fallen humanity who have trusted Jesus as Savior. The Gospel of Jesus is all about God’s plan of redemption, and it culminates with the return of Jesus and our restoration to the Father. Author Ed Stetzer explains that Jesus will return “to judge sin and evil, and He will usher in righteousness and peace. God will purge this world of evil once and for all.” Every struggle and pain we are walking through now will be worth it when we are finally restored to the Father. (Romans 8:18)
3) What does the Holy Spirit pray for us? (verse 26-27)
Have you ever been in a situation where words simply would not come or were not sufficient to express your emotion? For me, it usually involves a massive disaster caused by my kids or my dogs or my computer. No words come to my lips, only exasperated groans of disbelief or despair. Those sounds say everything I am feeling without words. This is how I imagine what the Bible calls the “inexpressible groanings” the Holy Spirit uses in intercession for us. (Romans 8:27) He doesn’t need any words to pray for us. He knows everything we are thinking and feeling, and He knows the will of God for our lives. He takes everything He knows about us and God’s will for us to intercede for us in ways we could never know to pray for ourselves. The Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary notes, “ the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us, knowing our wants better than we, Himself pleads in our prayers, raising us to higher and holier desires than we can express in words, which can only find utterance in sighings and aspirations.” His prayers for us are beyond words, and His prayers for us inform our own prayers. He guides us, and our prayers, using the will of God for our lives. Not only does the Holy Spirit intercede for us, but we can trust He is praying God’s perfect will for our lives and leading us to follow that perfect will as He stirs our hearts.
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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
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Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
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