Perfect Prayer

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Prayer in the Spirit, because it is a union of the child of God and the Spirit of God, is perfect prayer. In the flesh, we ask (pray) for things according to what we know in the flesh. This is most often flawed, as our senses do not give us the truth of the matter. Only by faith are we able to see the unseen and have a foundation for the things we desire (Hebrews 11:1).

Once we, children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, have been filled with the Spirit according to the Promise of the Father, we enter a new dimension of work: work in the Spirit. One main way we accomplish the works of God is through allowing His Spirit to help us pray.

26In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. Romans 8:26

As Paul shows, we don't know what we should be praying, nor are able to according to how we should. We lack in two ways, knowing what to pray and being able to pray it. The Holy Spirit solves both of these problems!

No longer do we rely on our flawed minds to do the praying, but we rely on the Spirit of our Loving God, who indeed knows what is best for both us, and everyone else. Below is a look at the successive parts of this verse, literally translated from Greek, showing us how this is accomplished.

"And likewise the Spirit also takes hold of us against the weaknesses of us..."

"Takes hold of us?"

"Likewise?"

This is referring back to verse 16, in which Paul tells us that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit—in other words, it takes hold of us (Romans 8:16). In the same way, because we are inept in knowing what the perfect will of the Father is, the Spirit must take hold of us, acting together with us, to overcome that weakness. By ourselves we are powerless, but with the Spirit's help we become powerful. He "takes hold of us, against our lack of power" to do the very praying through us! We now know to pray with the help of the Holy Spirit! This answers the one problem, of how we should pray.

"...for we do not know the what we should be praying for according as we should"

Yes, indeed, this is quite the truth. We don't know the what to pray, because we, in our flesh, don't know Yahweh's Mind. Those things which are necessary for resolving the situation ("the what"), aren't known to us. But the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God: therefore He is the sole One Who can pray in perfection. Through the Spirit, we are able to access the Mind of Christ we received at our new birth (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Therefore, we need to pray with His Mind, which is able to be expressed through our prayers, by His Spirit. Because we are baptized in and filled with this same Holy Spirit, His perfect intercession is available to us, as we willingly speak it out.

"...but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us..."

Are we really left to do nothing, leaving it all to the Spirit? Indeed it is the Spirit making intercession in our stead, but He accomplishes this through us. Just as we are used by God to preach the Gospel to every creature, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, and cast out demons, so are we used by Him to pray. In the same way as these examples, the Spirit intercedes for us, through us. We see how in the next portion of the verse.

"...with groanings too deep for words"

How can we pray without praying in our own words? The Spirit makes intercession with sighs (groanings) too deep for words? Yes, He does—sighs too deep for our native language. After a study of the Greek word translated "groanings" it is seen that it was used in classical Greek literature of the time to mean "love secrets"—the very heart of God, in fact, as we see here (1 Corinthians 14:2).

We are speaking the deep things of God, the very intimate thoughts of our Lord Yahweh, when we pray in the Spirit. It is clear now what Paul meant when he used the Greek word translated "unutterable"—they cannot possibly be spoken by us alone, for,

11For who among men 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 God’s Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:11

We must actively pray, but it is the Spirit Himself doing the actual inspiration of words (in another language) and interceding through us (1 Corinthians 14:5) (1 Corinthians 14:18).

Taken together, we can see how important it is to receive this blessed ability. As we now live in a new world, the Kingdom of God, we must so too have the means to work in this Kingdom. The Holy Spirit is the Worker of this New World, and once filled with Him, we may pray according to His perfect direction. As we pray in another language through His inspiration, we ask the Father for exactly "the what" that is necessary, in exactly the way we should.

Prayer in the Spirit is the perfect inspiration, reserved for those blessed to be called to Yahweh under His New Covenant in His Son, Christ Jesus.

The Method of Intercession

As Paul continues on, he explains how all of this works together.

27He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God. Romans 8:27

"And the One searching the hearts..."

Who is this He? Jesus is the He! Who else knows us better (Hebrews 4:12-14) (Revelation 2:23)?

"...knows what the mind of the Spirit..."

How do we know that? The Spirit does the bidding of Jesus, because the Father has given all authority, knowledge and power to His Son. Therefore, Jesus does indeed know the "mind of the Spirit" for it is His very mind. And, as seen above, we possess that Mind of Christ (John 16:13-15).

"...because he makes intercession for saints according to God."

Lord Jesus, the One who knows our every thought, searches our hearts. He knows what we are in need of, and He likewise knows the mind of the Spirit because He is One with the Spirit—therefore, He makes intercession with that same Spirit for us. Jesus pleads our case, even though He is our judge; because the Father has set Him as the one to come between for the transgressors of His Law (John 5:22) (Isaiah 53:12) (Romans 8:34) (Hebrews 7:25) (2 Corinthians 3:17).

How do we know what His will is all the time? We don't. And since we don't, He speaks through us, with His own Spirit, to do the praying for us, if we yield, and let Him "take hold of us against our feebleness." HalleluYah!

All things will work together for good

If this were not enough, we are assured that by yielding ourselves to this work of the Holy Spirit—letting Him pray through us in other languages—everything works together for good, because we are called according to purpose.

28We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

This verse should never be taken out of context, because it directly relates to the perfect ministry of the Holy Spirit, through praying in another language. Because we love God and are called with a purpose to fulfill His will upon the earth, we can trust that all things are working out for good. Because Yahweh is above all, and outside of time, nothing can surprise Him, and all things are known to Him from the beginning.

As we walk in the blessing of His New Covenant, by receiving His Spirit, we may continue on in the work of praying spiritually: of letting Him inspire our very words as we ask in the right way for His will to be done also here on earth as it already is in heaven!

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The Good Message

As you read this site, you will hopefully come to know Yahweh more fully.

But all of this continuing knowledge is useless unless and until you come into union with Him. I use the word union because it is truly a marriage. It is that deep connection we all seek, for which we most often look in other people. However, the truth is that our hearts will only be fulfilled when we enter that union in fullness with the One Who made us.

This is the grace of God, that He has not stayed distant for us only to worship as Creator. But He has come unto us, even become one of us—in His Son, Christ Jesus—in order to share an intimate union with us. He desires such closeness that it truly will envelope our entire life, transforming us into something new and wonderful.

You may have already entered this union with Him and only seek to know Him better through reading here. But if you have not, as you do read, let this Gospel sink into your heart as you read it now.

God loves you, and has cast your sins into the sea. He has sent His only Son as the Savior of the world—that includes you.

That Son, Jesus Christ, was born as a man through a virgin who had given her life to Yahweh; He lived without sin, reflected the glory of His Father, God, in all His words and deeds, and was persecuted even unto death because of it.

His death upon a cross was the powerful explosion that separated you from your life of death. It remains for you, now, to enter into that death with Him. As you die to the one you are now, a person separated from God from your many sins, you will be born anew, with a nature predisposed to live rightly. This gift is free to you, with nothing you can do to earn it. It is the mercy of God to offer it to you, as He loves you so much! All you must do is receive it by trusting Him to have delivered you. Simply place your life in His hands and embrace the freedom that came through that death on the cross.

The Gospel is that Jesus did not remain dead, but rose again on the third day after His crucifixion! Death could not hold Him, as He was without sin. And so death will not be able to hold you, as you identify with Him fully through your trust in Him. Let go of yourself and confess Him as Lord of your life. The power of His death and resurrection will work in you all that your Creator has destined for you. You will truly enter a new life and experience that intimate union you have been seeking all of your life.

So ponder these words as you read here of this great God—Yahweh—and all that He has revealed to His creation. Let His Spirit testify to your heart that these words are true, that God is Love, and that He sent His Son so that you might receive the life that is unbound by time and space. As you feel that witness in your heart, simply believe and receive what He is offering to you, even now, and begin your new life as a child of God.

Please write to me and let me know when you take this step, as I will be your brother in Christ—we will be one in Him!