Who is the Holy Spirit? The Intercessor

The Intercessor

Romans 8:15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (NIV)

            The Holy Spirit has many roles that He plays in our lives. Without Him, we would not understand the Father, nor the Son. One of His roles is that He intercedes on our behalf when we pray. We do not know what to pray for on our own, but it is through the Holy Spirit that allows proper intercession to get through to Jesus, our Mediator, and then to the Father. Romans 8:26 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. (NIV) In other words, the Holy Spirit cries out to God in a Heavenly language on our behalf. We may pray for one thing, but the Holy Spirit searches our hearts and makes it appropriate to be presented before the presence of the Most High God.

           

          The disciples, when Jesus was here on earth, asked Him to teach them how to pray. Matthew 6:9-13 ⁽⁹⁾“This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, ⁽¹⁰⁾your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ⁽¹¹⁾Give us today our daily bread. ⁽¹²⁾And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ⁽¹³⁾And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (NIV) Jesus first acknowledged the Father and where He resides for all prayers go up to Heaven and ends with the Father after Jesus mediates on our behalf. Psalm 145:18-19 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them. (NIV) Jesus then gave reverence to God’s name and let us know that God’s kingdom will one day come to earth. Zechariah 14:9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. (NIV)

Jesus let us know that God’s will is first and foremost when we pray down here on earth as well as in Heaven; meaning, that we cannot pray and expect an answer that is outside of the will of God. We are to ask for understanding and wisdom, with regards to our spiritual food, that gives us the fuel that we need to walk this journey, which is found in the Word of God. Also, forgiveness of others is a must, so that God may forgive us. Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NIV) God never tempts us, for that is of the enemy; but He does allow us to go through tests that challenges our faith. Nevertheless, He has provided a way for us to not fall into the devil’s trap by way of the Holy Spirit. James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (NIV) Therefore, the Lord’s prayer, that was taught to the disciples helps us to be mindful that when we pray, as the Jesus taught, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf.

The Holy Spirit helps the believer to not ask sinful and selfish things of God, but helps us to align our prayers in accordance to His will. The Holy Spirit is very essential in our prayer life and it is through Him that we can be in complete submission to the will and ways of the Father.