The Holy Spirit – Our Helper

Uplook – February 2020 — Grace & Truth Magazine

The Holy Spirit – Our Helper

The Holy Spirit helps the believer in many ways. While I desire to focus on Romans 8:26-30, let’s consider a few thoughts a little earlier in that chapter. In verse 16 we have the assurance, by the combined witness of the Holy Spirit and our spirit, of being children of God. Be reminded that Paul is writing to believers. The verse says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” ( NKJV ). Under the law it took two witnesses to establish anything (Dt. 19:15), and that is what we find here confirming the truth.

In Romans 8:17 we discover we are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” This is an incredible thought, yet it is tied with suffering. Scripture is not referring here to suffering sickness or disease. Instead, it is real persecution. Paul wrote this letter to Christians in pagan Rome. That city already had a history of persecuting believers, even to the point of their facing lions (consider 2 Tim. 4:17). Yet, such suffering was “not worthy to be compared with the glory” (Rom. 8:18) which would follow.

Creation itself is described as groaning, under “the bondage of corruption” (v.21) – sin and its effects. We groan too, “eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (v.23). This speaks of Christ, to His glory, reigning, and we subjected to His millennial glory. We wait “with perseverance” (v.25).

“The Holy Spirit ... helps in our weaknesses” (v.26). There are times when we do not know how to pray. Christians in some parts of the world are going through the same kinds of persecution as those in Rome experienced during Paul’s days. Instead of words, they may just groan. The Holy Spirit helps even when our prayer may be simply a groan.

“The mind of the Spirit” is found in verse 27. The Holy Spirit makes intercession according to the will of God. The Spirit brings our groans intelligently to the Father. It is the Holy Spirit who dwells in us (1 Cor. 6:19), and He knows our needs better than we do.

How many times have we wondered about a situation, “What is good about this?” God knows what is good about it; we do not. What we do know is that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Nothing is excluded – “all things work together for good.” Notice, however, the statement “... to those who love God.” Love for God allows me to consider Him to be in charge of even my most excruciating circumstance. He has His purposes in what I go through, no matter how bad it may seem to be.

God knew me before I knew Him (v.29). I believe He purposed me to be saved before I accepted His offer of salvation. As believers we are “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (v.29). Do others see Christ in you, in how you speak, act and live? Looking in a mirror – the mirror of God’s Word – do you see Christ in yourself? Consider Philippians 1:20, which says, “... According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”

“Called” in Romans 8:28,30 is not referring to an altar call. Instead, it relates to what God has done in my heart. Those whom He has called, “He also justified” (v.30), meaning He has cleansed them from guilt. God “made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). There is no need for us to berate ourselves about what we were before Christ. In Him we are justified. Yet, God does not stop there.

Speaking of those He justified, the Spirit revealed, “These He also glorified” (v.30). That is the prize of this road called “faith.” We will have new bodies, perfectly sinless and sound in heaven. Where this road ends, heaven begins – and goes on eternally!

By Curt Darling

Lord Jesus, we love Thee, and joyfully pour The praises of worshiping hearts at Thy feet; Lord Jesus, we love Thee; we love and adore The name that to God and to us is so sweet.
Thy name, blessed Lord, is as ointment poured forth; And e’en as we utter it, fragrance doth rise To the Father, who only its excellent worth, Its matchless perfection, in fullness can prize.—Catherine Helene von Poseck (1859–1953)