Dan
Winkler calls Romans 8 “The Holy Spirit Chapter” of the Bible. And
indeed it is. Verses 1-8 discuss the Spirit’s instruction.
1 There is therefore
now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk
according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free
from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law
could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending
His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He
condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous
requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk
according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things
of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of
the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but
to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law
of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in
the flesh cannot please God.
(Romans 8:1-8)
This
instruction is “the law of the Spirit of life.” (verse 2) The Spirit has
revealed the things God desires of us.
10 But God has
revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all
things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man
knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?
Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been
freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also
speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit
teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
(1 Corinthians 2:10-13)
“Walking
after the Spirit” is following the Spirit’s instruction.
Verses
9-11 of Romans 8 teaches us about the Spirit’s influence.
9 But you are not in the flesh but
in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone
does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is
in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because
of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who
raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the
dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who
dwells in you.
The Holy
Spirit influences us through the teachings of His law.
15 and that from
childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you
wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for
every good work.
(2 Timothy 3:15-17)
And
15 But the Holy
Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
16
“This is
the covenant that I will make with them after
those days, says the
Lord: I will put
My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”
17 then He adds,
“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no
more.”
Romans
8:12-17 reveal that being led by the Spirit of God means we put to death
the deeds of the body (verses 13-14).
12 Therefore,
brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the
flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you
will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit
of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not
receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit
of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The
Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of
God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and
joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also
be glorified together
(Romans 8: 12-17)
Thus we
reject sin and pursue holiness.
16 I say then: Walk
in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do
not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led
by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of
the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions,
jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions,
heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries,
and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in
time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the
kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:16-21)
Romans 8:
26-27 point us to one of the greatest blessings Christians have—the Holy
Spirit helps us pray!
26 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. 27 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.
(Romans 8:26-27)
The Holy Spirit “Helps” Us
·
Life can be
extremely hard at times, even to the point where we cannot even pray.
But thankfully, God has provided help for His people—the Holy Spirit.
·
The Greek word
translated as “help” is actually three words all combined: together,
opposite, and to take. So the idea is of someone picking up the opposite
end of a burden and helping as carry it. The Spirit pitches in to help
us and carries our pain to God.
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My
righteous right hand.’
(Isaiah 41:10)
So we may boldly say:
“The
Lord is
my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?”
(Hebrews 13:6)
The Holy Spirit Helps Us In Our
“Weaknesses”
·
Our weaknesses are
many. We can become emotionally exhausted from events in our lives to
the point where we find it difficult to pray.
8 who will also confirm
you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus
Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called
into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now I plead with you,
brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the
same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be
perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my
brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are
]contentions
among you. (1
Corinthians 8-11)
We try to pray, but can’t. We
don’t know what to say. We don’t know the right or proper things to say.
We don’t have the mental perception or understanding of what is fitting
to pray.
The Holy Spirit “Himself” helps us
when we are so hurt we can’t pray.
·
He doesn’t send an
angel or another being. He gets personally involved in our prayer lives.
He’s there for us at these times.
·
The Holy Spirit
intercedes for us. This idea of intercedes means to come upon someone in
need and help them. Example—The Good Samaritan. It would also include
the idea to pleading on behalf of someone. David did this for his son
Solomon.
19 And give my son
Solomon a loyal heart to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and
Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple for which
I have made provision.”
(1 Chronicles 29:19)
Note also:
23 “Speak to Aaron
and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of
Israel. Say to them:
24 “The
Lord
bless you and keep you;
25 The
Lord make His face
shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The
Lord lift up His
countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’
27 “So they shall
put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
(Numbers 6:23-27)
·
He
intercedes for us with “groanings too deep for words.” The sighings are
taken from the Holy Spirit to the Father. See Romans 8:27,
27 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. What
the Spirit does in no way violates the will of God but is in harmony
with it.
The
verses we have examined today should bring peace to the child of God.
The Spirit of God intercedes for us when life has for us down to where
we can’t pray as we should. Christians are highly blessed.
Guy N.
Woods—“How comforting it is when exhausted and weary from heavy burdens
to have a friend come along and lend a willing hand.
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