Friday, 16 July 2021
By Chow Ee-Tan 赵一丹
Title: The Spirit Intercedes For Us

“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 our weakness and helplessness, we sometimes do not even know how we can pray, and whether our prayers are acceptable to God. We may have undermined what the Holy Spirit can do.

Paul encourages us that although in our weakness we may be ignorant of how to pray in accordance to God’s will. God fully understands that. That’s why He gives us His Spirit to enable us, to intercede for us as He can do far more than we can imagine.

The Spirit can help us pray about the decisions and circumstances in our lives which we are at a loss. When we are wrestling with challenges in our lives, the Spirit helps us to discern the will of God and gives us the grace and inspirations to pray for divine wisdom.

And when the Spirit intercedes for us, we will pray in a way that is pleasing to God and to magnify Christ in our lives.

What does it mean by the Spirit intercedes for us through wordless groans’? A few verses earlier in vs 22-23, Paul says:The whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly.” Groaning is part of the weakness and futility and decay of our fallen world.

John Piper in his devotion says the groaning refers to both our groanings and also the Spirit’s groanings. The Spirit moves powerfully in our hearts to create groanings – His groanings experienced as our groanings. This is based on a deep desire for Christ to be magnified in our lives, and a weakness that leaves us unknowing as to how this is going to happen. So we are not sure how we should pray but we know we should pray in accordance to God’s will.

But God the Father searches our hearts and He hears this groaning. He knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit prays for us according to God’s will. He hears the Spirit’s prayer in us – prayers that bring glory to Jesus. It is through God’s grace and power that we can come to Him in this way. The necessity of prayer is a constant reminder of our dependence on God for everything.

The words of John Piper sums it up well: “When you feel very weak, because of suffering or decay or sickness or futility or persecution or failed plans or baffling decisions, don’t despair, as if God is angry with you or at your inability to know what to do or what to pray. At that very moment, experience the wordless groanings of your heart as groanings for the glory of Christ. And trust the Spirit of God to intercede for you about the specifics. Trust him, that because He is praying for you, your Father will bring about decisions and circumstances that will magnify Christ in the best way – in the very midst of your ignorance and groaning.”

Prayer: Father God, we marvel at Your great and unconditional love. You are an all knowing and all powerful God who knows our every weakness. Thank you for Your grace and mercy, and giving us Your Holy Spirit who helps to draw us closer to You. In Jesus name, Amen.

每日灵粮
星期五，2021年7月16日
标题：圣灵为我们祷告
作者：赵一丹
翻译：陈月妃

况且我们的软弱有圣灵帮助、我们本不晓得当怎样祷告、只是圣灵亲自用说不出来的叹息、替我们祷告。鉴察人心的、晓得圣灵的意思．因为圣灵照着　神的旨意替圣徒祈求。
-罗马书8:26-27

当我们软弱无助的时候，我们有时甚至不知道如何祷告，也不知道我们的祷告是否蒙神所悦纳。我们可能削弱了圣灵的能力。

保罗鼓励我们，虽然在软弱当中的我们，可能不知道如何按照神的旨意祷告。但上帝却完全明白这一点。这也就是为什么祂赐下圣灵给我们，好让圣灵可以为我们祷告，因为祂可以做的远远超过我们的想象。

当我们在生活中不知所措的时候，圣灵可以帮助我们为着所做的决定和所处的环境来祷告。当我们为着生活中的挑战而绞尽脑汁时，圣灵帮助我们识别上帝的旨意，并赐予我们恩典和灵感来祈求上帝的智慧。

当圣灵为我们代求时，我们会以讨神喜悦的方式祈祷，并在我们的生活中彰显基督。

圣灵用“说不出来的的叹息”为我们祈求是什么意思？保罗在之前的第 22-23 节的经文说道：“一切受造之物、一同叹息劳苦、直到如今。不但如此、就是我们这有圣灵初结果子的、也是自己心里叹息。” 叹息是我们这堕落世界的软弱、徒劳和衰败的一部分。

约翰派博在他的灵修中说，叹息既指我们的叹息，也指圣灵的叹息。圣灵在我们心中强有力地运行，创造出叹息——祂的叹息如同我们的叹息一样。这是基于对基督在我们生活中被彰显的深切渴望，以及一种让我们不知道这将如何发生的弱点。所以我们不知道我们应该如何祷告，但我们知道我们应该按照神的旨意祷告。

但父神鉴察我们的心，祂听见这叹息。祂晓得圣灵的意思，因为圣灵照着神的旨意替我们祈求。祂听到圣灵在我们里面的祷告——就是那些为耶稣带来荣耀的祷告。靠着神的恩典和能力，我们才能以这种方式来到祂跟前。祷告的必要性不断提醒我们，我们凡事都依赖上帝。

约翰派博的话很好地概括了这一点：“当你因为受苦、衰败、疾病、徒劳、迫害、失败的计划或令人困惑的决定而感到非常软弱时，不要绝望，就好像上帝对你发怒，或无法知道该做什么或祈祷什么。在那一刻，你要经历你心中那说不出来的叹息，如同为基督的荣耀而叹息。并且相信圣灵会为你代求。你要相信祂，因为祂正在为你祈祷，你的天父必在你的无知和叹息中，并在彰显基督的情况下，为你做出最好的决定和环境”

祷告：父神，我们惊叹你伟大而无条件的爱。你是全知全能的上帝，你知道我们的每一个软弱。感谢你的恩典和怜悯，并赐给我们你的圣灵，使我们与你更亲近。奉耶稣的名，阿门。