As we have been going through this remarkable chapter - Romans 8 - I hope you have seen that the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit is highlighted again and again. It is central to the theology of Romans 8. In fact, Romans 8 may be the quintessential chapter on the Holy Spirit in all the bible. The point of our text this morning is a particular help the Holy Spirit gives us. But before we jump in, let’s just do a quick review of what we have seen so far in terms of the Holy Spirit’s activity.

• In v. 1-2, we see it is the Spirit who gives us life and frees us from the law of sin and death.
• In verses 3-4, it is the Spirit who fulfills the righteous requirement of God’s law in us. And remember the law is summed up in one word - love. Love God and love your neighbor.
• In verses 5-9, we see that the Spirit doesn’t just give us life, but because he indwells the believer he is our life, so we can say that we are no longer “in the flesh” but “in the Spirit”.
• In verse 13, we see that the Holy Spirit not only gives us spiritual life now, but he will also give life to these mortal bodies. The same Spirit that was at work in the resurrection of Christ, will be at work in our bodies on the day of the Lord and our resurrection.
• In verse 14, we see the Holy Spirit empowers us and leads us to make war on remaining sin that still dwells in our members.
• The Spirit is the Spirit of adoption who has been poured into our hearts and it is by the Holy Spirit we are privileged to cry that glorious cry to God, “Abba! Father!”. And perhaps above all the Spirit provides to us a rich assurance that we are children of God (v. 15-16).

One common theme we see in all of this is that the Holy Spirit’s work is uniquely a work in us. By and large, Jesus’ work on our behalf is FOR us but outside of us (incarnate, lived, died, rose, ascended, coming again). The Spirit’s work, on the other hand, is FOR us and IN us. 

BIG IDEA: In our weakness, the Spirit comes with his massive help.

Two things collide in our text: 1) Our weakness and 2) The Spirit’s help

Our Weakness

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know what to pray for as we ought.

First it simply says, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. It could mean a physical weakness, like bodily injury or sickness. The word is translated that way many times in the gospels. Paul uses this same Greek word in that way a couple of times. In Galatians 4:13, he spoke of his own bodily illness. In 1 Timothy 5:13, he spoke of Timothy’s frequent stomach ailments. So it could mean bodily weakness. But it doesn’t have to and I don’t think we need to be overly narrow here. The word is probably meant to be taken generally of all kinds of weaknesses. Remember the broader context is the Spirit helps to sustain us and strengthen us in this present time in which we suffer and endure trials.

In the future when our bodies are redeemed, there will be no more suffering, no more trials, no more suffering, no more sickness or disease or injury, no more loss, or sadness or death at all. It will all be a thing of the past. But in this time in which we live, we experience weakness. We suffer from weakness as those who are still waiting for the perfection of our salvation. Douglas Moo is really helpful in his commentary on Romans. He said the following on this word weakness:

[Paul is talking about] the totality of the human condition, the creatureliness that characterizes even the child of God in this period of overlap between the old age and the new age to come.

So this weakness has to do with the fact that we are human, even redeemed sons and daughters, living in this age. The fact that we are not perfected. And so we have weaknesses; all kinds of them. But then Paul gets specific. Because we live in this age in which we know weakness, one of the ways we feel and experience this weakness is in our prayers. Notice the second half of verse 26,

Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know what to pray for as we ought.

Why is the idea of prayer brought into this? For two reasons, I think. First because it is one way our weakness is displayed and felt. And second, because there is a connection between our weakness,  experienced in prayer and the specific kind of help the Spirit gives (which we will get to later - intercession).

Now I need to say something… and I believe this with all my heart. Prayer connects us to the almighty power of God. Prayer is powerful! John Piper wrote something like, “Prayer is connecting our limp wire to the lightning rod of heaven.” Even in this quote, our part in prayer is a limp wire. Anyone who says they have the formula on prayer and have figured out the secret to get what you want every time… I don’t believe them. And you shouldn't either. Don’t buy their books, don’t go to their conferences. You’ll waste your money and be led astray. This is the apostle Paul teaching here and under the inspiration of the Spirit and he said our weakness manifests itself in our prayers. 

I think in our honesty, we recognize our prayers display part of the weakness we experience, and we feel it. The good news is that this qualifies us for the mighty help of the Spirit. So how is weakness experienced in prayer? Notice Paul says, “we do not know what to pray for as we ought…” Paul is not talking about a style of prayer or the manner in which we pray - with faith, for example. That’s important. But Paul focuses on the content of prayer. We do not know what to pray for as we ought. Have you ever poured your heart out to God in a moment of weakness and need (for you or someone else) and just thought, “I am not even sure how to pray about this! I don’t know what to pray for!”? Have you ever sought God for some length of time and believed you were seeking the Lord’s will and prayed in faith and not received what you sought and thought “I don’t know what else to pray”? I bet you this has happened to all of us here. 

In verse 27, I think it is implied that though the Spirit knows the will of God and intercedes for us according to it, we don’t always know the will of God in a matter. We don’t! Not everything that God is up to is revealed to us.  Everything in God’s big picture of what he’s doing and his plans and purposes is not all given to us. There are things hidden from us - “the secret things belong to the Lord”. There are perplexities and uncertainties in life. 

This is part of the present weakness we experience - generally it is part of our creatureliness, which is manifested in our prayers. We should embrace it… I don’t mean love it, but acknowledge it and embrace it. Because the Holy Spirit meets our weakness with His massive help! That’s what we see in verse 26. 

The Help of the Spirit (v. 26)

Notice verse 26 starts with,

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness… 

It is in our weakness that we are helped. God wants us to be helped. The point of these two verses is that we would be helped. Not just a little help, but divine, omnipotent help through the Holy Spirit. I think that is encouraging. And my prayer is that you are greatly helped. 

Verse 26 starts with the word likewise, pointing us to the previous verses speaking to the hope of our resurrection. So here’s what Paul is saying. In the same way that the hope of our future resurrection sustains and strengthens us in this present time in which we suffer trials, the Spirit also helps us. So our future hope helps us. We hope for something we cannot see, the return of our Lord Jesus Christ and the redemption of our bodies. Amen, that is the consummation of our hope. But the Spirit who is with us now also helps us. The word help is a beautiful word. It means to “join with someone to help” or “to bear a burden along with someone else”. So the help the Holy Spirit gives is by coming alongside us, joining us in our weakness or bearing our weakness with us in order to assist us. In other words, he doesn’t give help from a distance, by sending something to us via priority mail from long distance. He gives help by joining with us in the thing we need help with.

Now this should bring to our minds how Jesus spoke of the Spirit. On the night of his betrayal, Jesus spoke to his disciples and four times referred to the Holy Spirit as the “Helper”. The word means “one who is called to someone else’s side to help”. Listen to Jesus’ words, 

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever… (John 14:15-16)

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26)

But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. (John 15:26)

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)

The Spirit, the Helper has been given to us. Jesus said he has been given, he has been sent. The Father gives, Jesus sends. And he is sent or given to come alongside us in our need and help us in the thing(s) we need help in. For people who like to feel strong and self-sufficient, this isn’t very encouraging. But for those who are acutely aware and see their need, this is deeply encouraging. So what is the help he gives? We have been speaking in generalities up until now. He helps us. Great. How does he help us? We see this in two places. 

• But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us… (v. 26)

• Because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (v 27)

We are used to speaking of Christ’s intercession for us. We will actually get to it a bit later in Romans 8. Jesus Christ is our High Priest who lived a sinless life and offered himself up as an acceptable sacrifice for our sins to God. This is the work of our High Priest. But the offering of a sacrifice is only part of the work. Then Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father where He makes constant intercession for us in God’s presence. We sing of this glorious truth in the hymn Before the Throne of God Above. 

Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea. The Great High Priest Whose name is love, Whoever lives and pleads for me.

That is a wonderful truth. Without it, we are in trouble. So that’s the intercession of Christ. But what about the intercession of the Spirit? This is the only place in the bible that speaks of the Holy Spirit interceding for us. But he does. He prays for us. Amazing. Whereas Christ prays for us in heaven, the Spirit prays for us in our hearts. Look at verse 27:

And he who searches hearts (God the Father) knows what is the mind of the Spirit, for the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

God the Father searches hearts and hears our prayers and knows the weakness of our prayers, knowing that we don’t know what to pray for as we ought. Also in the searching of the heart, the Father hears the prayers of the Spirit on our behalf. And the Father responds to the interceding ministry of the Spirit on our behalf because the Spirit’s prayers are always perfectly aligned with the will of God. Think about the interplay here. God the Holy Spirit prays to God the Father according to God’s will. Is it ever possible that the Spirit’s intercession fails? NEVER!

Here’s the question that I am left asking… and I think it’s a big one actually. Is this something that happens without our knowledge or something that we experience and are part of? This question is keying in on the word “groanings” in verse 27. Whose groanings are these? I have to say there are really good godly people who don’t see this the same way. 

I want to tell you where I land and why and then make some applications. There really are just two possibilities. One would say these are the groanings of the Spirit alone, which the believer is totally unaware of, except by faith. In other words, we do not perceive this ministry of the Spirit within. I take the other view, which says that these are our groanings, but not just ours. They are inspired by and produced by the indwelling Spirit. Here’s why I think this is the correct interpretation. Quickly let me give you four reasons.

First, everywhere this word “groan” or “groanings” is used it is speaking of a person or people or all creation in a place of need because of weakness. And we are the ones who are weak, not the Spirit. Second, the weakness we experience is not knowing what to pray for. Our knowledge runs dry, our abilities find their limits. So this is all in the context of our perplexities in prayer. Third, just three verses earlier, we see that “we, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan…” So it’s hard to not see that connection. We groan. Fourth, earlier in Romans 8 (v. 15-16), we see the Spirit of adoption when he comes into our hearts, stirs us up to cry “Abba! Father!” So who is it that cries Abba! Father!? Well, we do, but it isn’t just us. It is by the Spirit that we cry out to our Father. 

I would point out one more thing. The NT points out again and again that we are to pray “in the Spirit” Jude says, “build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 1:20). Paul exhorts us to “pray in the Spirit at all times with all prayer and supplications” (Ephesians 6:18). Which means that a part of prayer is consciously leaning into the indwelling Spirit for help, guidance, and power in prayer. So it shouldn’t surprise us that if we are praying and come to the end of our abilities and find ourselves longing and groaning, the Spirit is the One who is at work even inspiring those longings, those groans. 

Have you ever been praying and you come to the end of yourself and all you can do is groan (whether out loud or inward)? Brothers, sisters, that groan is a prayer that the Spirit himself creates in you which he then takes and prays to the Father for you, according to God’s perfect will. Spurgeon:

There is real prayer in these “groanings that cannot be uttered.” It is the power of the Holy Ghost in us which creates all real prayer, even that which takes the form of a groan because the mind is incapable, by reason of its bewilderment and grief, of clothing its emotion in words.

In our prayers, our often inarticulate longings and groanings that are too deep for words indicate that the Spirit is at work in us, producing these groanings, interceding for us in our hearts according to the Father’s will. And these are prayers that He will most certainly answer. 

How do we lean into this?

1. Fellowship with the Spirit, who is the Helper sent by the Father and the Son to help us.

2. Acknowledge your limitations. Your weakness, your need for help, even your ignorance of the will of God. Those who need no help (or think they don’t), will not experience this special ministry of the Spirit.

3. Trust. The Spirit knows the will of God and always intercedes according to it. God knows what is best for you. He knows what is best in the situations that concern you that you pray about. He knows his purposes and plans. The next verse is Romans 8:28.