9.50 The Holy Spirit helps us to pray

Another difference in the New Covenant is that the Holy Spirit has been sent to help us to pray. He was poured down to indwell the believer on the Day of Pentecost in Acts Chapter 2. They did not have this privilege under the Old Covenant.

If we understand this truth, it means that our prayer life should be stress free. Instead of struggling in our own effort to pray, we can now depend on the Holy Spirit to help us to pray. The Holy Spirit has come to be our Helper and Teacher. Depending on Him is the key.

Romans 8:26 says that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses – in particular when we do not know what we should pray. Have you felt that way before; that you don’t know how or what to pray? That’s why we have the Holy Spirit.

It says that He makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered in the known language. He helps us to pray even beyond our understanding. Sometimes our understanding limits God, so He gives us a new ability to pray beyond the limitations of the mind.

(Romans 8:26-27)
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

When we pray in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit also gives us the interpretation of what we pray. So our mind benefits too. Paul said, “I will pray with the Spirit, I will pray with the understanding. Praying with the Spirit comes before praying with the understanding.

The verse above also says that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. We may not know God’s will but the Holy Spirit does.

This new prayer language came on the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit was poured down. The Old Testament believer did not have the privilege. When we treasure what we have, we can begin to depend more and more on the Holy Spirit.

So today, we can pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus, and with the help of the Holy Spirit. We enjoy relationship with Father God through Jesus our High Priest, and with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.