Friday, December 20, 2013

What To Do When Prayer Seems To Be Dead And Useless. Help From The Bible, Romans 8:26

Few people are satisfied with their prayer life. We feel we are not putting enough in it or we are not confident in the discipline of prayer. We ask if my prayers are any good?

"In the same way the spirit helps in our weakness, we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." Romans 8:26

WEAKNESS
We are weak because we are human and do not know the mind of the Almighty, and we are far from his counsel.  In our human flesh, we doubt and question prayer or our proper use of it. At those times when we struggle with our prayer life, then we can count on the Holy Spirit.

KNOW
Prayer is a mystery in many ways, but that need not keep us from it. What we do understand is marvelous, and here we are told that the Holy Spirit helps us pray to God the Father.

INTERCEDES
Someone who intercedes is a go-between, often when their conflict or is much at stake. Sometimes they prevent ruin or disaster of one or the other for whom they are interceding. God's ways are higher than ours, and we cannot comprehend his purposes. We are at a disadvantage in prayer; we must have someone who can be a go-between, not because the All-knowing One cannot hear our words but because we are so off the mark that our efforts are pathetic.

PRAYER CHANGES US
Prayer has a transforming power, and people of faith have credited prayer for changing their lives. Knowing that the Holy Spirit is active in our prayers explains this. As he intercedes for us His intercession leaves a mark or a fragrance in our lives, not unlike when Moses came down from the mountain wearing a veil because of the holy light that glowed from his face.

WORDLESS GROANS
Wordless groans give the image of a deep raw need. Here is an expression of need and dependence. The Holy Spirit is in touch with the passion of our hearts and is making our feeble language pure expression before The Lord in Heaven.

FAITH
Prayer is an expression of faith, and we must keep the attitude of faith before us. If prayer seems to be a struggle and you feel it is useless, the best solution is to continue to pray to know the Holy Spirit is involved in making what we say holy and acceptable to the Almighty. With that confidence of being heard, we can be assured of the Power of God in our lives.

(c)Adron Dozat 12/20/13