Romans chapter 8, verses 26 through 30. Before us this morning, we have some of the most familiar and perhaps precious verses of this entire great chapter of Romans 8. We are in our fourth section in this wonderful, as I have described it, colossal chapter, and we have one more to go. But let's read this morning, and if you'll follow along as I read, starting in verse 26. Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate. to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Our Father, we thank Thee for these wonderful truths that we find in Thy Word this morning. We thank You, Father, for gathering us today. And Lord, we also have the privilege of being here, Lord, in the place that You have called us to. And Father, I pray that You would help us by Thy Holy Spirit's power to set aside those things which would tend to deter and distract us from hearing from You today. Lord, I pray that we would look at these wonderful truths and we would realize that You have placed them here to encourage believers. And if there be one here today who is burdened, O Father, I pray that today they would cast that upon You. So, Father, be with us. We desire Thy help. Be near us, we pray. In Jesus' name, Amen. There is an innate longing for within, I should say, every believer to have assurance and guidance, the knowledge that what he believes, how he is believing, is the right thing. We are in a chapter that Paul, again, I've described as he's taking us to the very summit of all of the theological truth that he has presented in the first half of this book. And we're reaching that summit, and as we get there, it's as if things are getting better and brighter all the time. In other words, I would view chapter 8 as perhaps one of the most encouraging, uplifting, and exhorting chapters in all of the New Testament. It's as if we're going up to those heights and we're breathing in that fresh air. And again, what is he trying to get across to these readers? He is saying to them, look, if you are in Christ, you need to be encouraged. You need to understand that we are preserved in Him and by Him. We are secure in Him. And it's as if it gets better and better and better. Can it get any better than what we've seen thus far? Yes, it can. And it's going to as we will look at these last two sections. We come today to a familiar section. And I think perhaps we have let at least a portion of this particular passage, we have let some rob us of the great truths that are here because it has become entangled with a system of man's theology. And we'll talk more about that. But my friends, again, here is what we need to understand. These are such great truths. These are such encouraging words. And we must keep in mind that it is written to whom? It is written to believers. It is written to those who are in Christ. Is that you this morning? Well, if you are in Christ, these words are for you. And we need to understand them. We need to, again, take them into our hearts, not just our minds. And so we find here that, again, Paul is encouraging these Roman Christians. And the Holy Spirit does so in our modern day. He encourages us by these words. But he's encouraging those Roman Christians that he's writing to. both Jew and Gentile. And he is stating that the Holy Spirit of God is there to guide believers and that as children of God, they can be assured of what He has done in the past, the present, and the future. He's already touched on some of those things. But again, he's reiterating this as we get closer to the mountaintop. And so notice here in verses 26 and 27, we find that the help from the Holy Spirit guides God's children. Help from the Holy Spirit. guides God's children. That alone should be an encouragement to your heart this morning. Knowing that if you are saved, you have dwelling within you the Holy Spirit. And you have access to all of the help and the comfort and all of the things that He does in the heart and the mind and the soul of the believer is yours. That should be an encouragement to you. In verse 26, We find that the Holy Spirit helps the infirmities of the believer. The infirmities of the believer. And of course, we know that the word infirmities means weaknesses. Now this morning, if I were to ask you, how many of you feel weak? There may be a lot of raised hands, especially with the maybe busy weekend or the busy week that you've had. Yes, I feel weak, Pastor Gray. But it's more than just a physical weakness. You can also incorporate the spiritual weaknesses that we all encounter or that we have on many occasions. And we would all have to admit this morning that we're weak. that we are in need of help. Look, my friends, the worst thing that we can do in our spiritual lives is get to the point where we think that we don't need any help. I've got it all figured out. I've got all the things that I need. No, we need to realize, as believers, we need help every day. And in fact, we could go back to that song that we have sung for many years in our churches. But I wonder if we really truly mean it with all of our hearts and all of our mind and our soul. I need Thee every hour. We sing that, but do we really mean it? Well, I think the reality is whether we think so or not, we do need Him every hour. We need the help. The Holy Spirit helps our weaknesses, first of all, in a general way. And we know this from the Scripture. We know that the Holy Spirit He comes alongside and helps us in times of physical and moral and emotional weaknesses that we may have. And we know that He's there. And we can pray to Him. And that's what He talks about more specifically here. And so the Holy Spirit helps us in those times. where we are physically drained, where there is the temptations that come fleeting across our minds and our hearts and we act on those. Sometimes we act on them because we have not relied on the Holy Spirit of God to help us through them. And we can call upon Him in those times where we are frail and where we are weak. But as we said, the Holy Spirit helps our weaknesses also in a specific way. Notice what he says again in verse 26. Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our weaknesses, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought. So again, we know two things. He helps us in all matters of life in a very general way, but Paul narrows it down here, doesn't he? And Paul says, Here, the Holy Spirit helps us in the matter of prayer. I think that's so interesting how Paul, out of all these things, he brings that area out and says, here is where he helps us. Prayer is such a vital, important part of our spiritual walk. I have often referred to it as the lifeblood of the church. It is certainly, to begin with, the lifeblood, the vital thing that needs to be going on in our lives as we walk with God in our individual relationships, but as a called-out assembly, my friends, look, it is a vital part of everything that goes on here. We will never grow, spiritually speaking, as a church or as individuals, beyond the depth of our prayer life. And we need to understand that. And I wonder sometimes if we give lip service or we nod in approval that yes, it needs improvement, but do we do anything about it? Do we realize the significance of prayer? Well, I'm not going to preach a whole sermon on prayer, but while we're here, I wanted just to mention some things about it, just very briefly. There's a great book, one of the best books, I think, on prayer. is by a teacher, his name was D. Edmund Hebert, and he wrote a book called Working With God Through Intercessory Prayer. If you don't have that and you've never read it, I would commend it to you. It's a very great book, and I think it's one that will teach you, but also it will convict you, as it did me when I read it many years ago. But his definition of prayer is this. He says, is asking divine omnipotence to work through human yieldedness. Can I repeat that again? He says that prayer is asking divine omnipotence to work through human yieldedness. I think that is a great definition of prayer. But he goes on to say this, And I want to read here a little portion from his second chapter entitled, The Power of Prayer. He says, Prayer is the most powerful and effective means of service in the kingdom of God. That's quite a statement. It's the most powerful means of service in the kingdom of God. If that is true, if that's a true statement, I would have to say, looking at my own life, and perhaps you would have to look at yours as well, we would have to say, if that's true, boy, I'm lacking. The service is lacking. But he goes on to say this, he says, it is the most dynamic work God has entrusted to His saints, but it is also the most neglected ministry open to the believer. The Bible clearly reveals that believing prayer is essential for the advancement of the cause of Christ. is the essential element for Christian victory. Without it, all other means are powerless and ineffectual. Without prayer, toil we ever so hard. Our labors for God are vain. The devil cares but little how many activities we engage in or how many organizations the church develops. So long as he can keep believers from intensive prayer, Without prayer, all the machinery is useless for lack of power." That's quite a statement. That is quite a statement. Prayer, it is so essential. But getting back to the text, Paul says to these believers, look, you can be confident. You can be assured. that when you do enter into this most powerful and effective means of service in the Kingdom of God, and I think Paul knew that truth, by the way. He wants to reassure believers, look, you're not entering into it alone, you've got the help of the Holy Spirit of God. And I often wonder if we shy away from it because it is such an overwhelming thing. And probably we would have to admit this morning that there are times you would say, well, Pastor Gray, I want to pray. It's just that sometimes I just don't know how and I don't know what to pray for. You ever been in that situation? Look, I don't think that is limited to the novice believer. I think sometimes if we were to admit it, sometimes, listen, I think prayer is a tough thing. There are times where we can enter into the presence of God and it seems like everything just flows and we have those wonderful moments. And then there are other times where it seems like a chore almost. And that's what Paul is talking about here. There are moments and there are going to be weaknesses. Things happen in our lives. There are times when we are not spiritually where we need to be. And he says the Holy Spirit of God is there to help the child of God in those times of weakness, in the times of prayer. I'm glad to know that. I thank God for that. I've experienced this. There are times when I go and on my knees and it is difficult. The prayer is hard. Because again, we don't know sometimes what to say or how to say it. But that is where the Holy Spirit of God comes in. As Paul says in this verse. He says, but the Holy Spirit, He acts as an intercessor, a go-between on our behalf to do what? Well, it's literally this. He utters things too deep for words. Pastor Gray, explain all that to me. Well, like most of this particular section, there are going to be things I don't know. I know what it says, and I believe what the Scriptures say, but I can't explain it completely. Now, let me say this. When it says there, look at your verse again. It says, but the Spirit itself, or Himself, maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. It's too deep for words. Let me hasten to say this, folks. That does not mean that He gives us words where we can speak in tongues. Alright? It does not mean that. It means that He comes alongside and He helps us in a spiritual way that I think is still somewhat of a mystery of how He does it, and He helps us, or He intercedes on our behalf for us, in doing what? When we're commuting with God, we may not know all the words to say, but if we're right with Him, and we're praying in a clear conscience before God, I believe the Holy Spirit's there, and He's helping us communicate with the Father. I think that's what Paul is talking about. Now again, is that, my friends this morning, you who are children of God, is that not a blessing? To know that when you enter into the presence of God, that because of His groanings that are too deep to be uttered, because of Him coming along and helping us and interceding on our behalf, what happens? Well, we find grace to help in time of need, as the author of Hebrews says. That is a guarantee. Now, let me say this about prayer. That does not mean that He's always going to answer the way we think He should. Or in the timing that He should. But God always answers our prayers. I don't believe that if we're right with God, and again, we are coming in that clear conscience. We've confessed our sins. And He's faithful to forgive those. And we come and we are sincerely and honestly praying. I don't believe that the Father who loves His children turns away and says, I don't have time and I'm turning a deaf ear. I don't believe He ever does that to His children. But here's the way God answers prayer. Oftentimes, He will say yes to what we request. And again, our Lord even said that our Father likes to hear from His children. Though he knows the end from the beginning, the request, he likes to hear that. You as parents can identify with that principle. You know what the finances are, you know what the things are in your own family, but sometimes you like to hear your children come and ask you for things and it pleases your heart to be able to do it. But you also know there are times where you can't always do that. And so our Father will say, yes, in my sovereign, providential will, I will grant that to you. Sometimes He will say no, but the hardest one for most Christians is wait. But God always answers prayer in one of those three ways, yes, no, or wait. And I think that third one is a very difficult one. Because we are creatures who are what? We are designed by and we live within the confines of time. And so everything has to be done on a timetable. Folks, we pray to a heavenly Father who doesn't live that way, but He wants us to live with a heavenly mindset. And so what do we do? We say, Lord, in Your time, Again, oftentimes there are frustrated Christians because their expectations have not been met. I'm praying, Pastor Gray, I feel like the Holy Spirit is helping me when I pray, but these things aren't being answered. Yes, they are. God is saying, wait. Wait on Me. Do a study sometime and see how many times David in the Psalms talks about that very idea of waiting on God. It is a very significant part. It is an important part of your Christian walk. And if you never learn how to do it, my friends, you will always be a Christian who is walking about in this Christian life that we are to enjoy, I believe. We will walk about and we will be frustrated, and we will be discouraged, and we will be anxious. I don't believe that's the way God designed for His children to live and have a relationship with Him. Sometimes He says, wait. That's a hard thing. Is that a hard thing for you? We just don't like waiting. I have learned, and again, have been reminded of the fact that there are many institutions that make you hurry up and wait. And hospitals are one of them. And they take you from one room to another room to a little room to another room, and you're always waiting. And here's the thing, when they say waiting room, you know that you're going to wait. And they put that literally to good use, don't they? Sometimes it's hard because God says the same thing. You're going to wait. And I know there are some of you this morning that could look back and you think, you know, if I would have done such and such on a certain occasion when I wanted to, it would have turned out totally wrong. But God knew better. And I'm thankful that He did. My friends, look, God's timing and His will and His plan is always right. Sometimes that's hard when we're going through it, but it's true. But He even goes further. Look at verse 27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. So in verse 26, we saw this, that the Holy Spirit helps the infirmities of the believer. He goes and he adds to this in verse 27, and he says the Holy Spirit intercedes for the believer even further. And so what does he do? We already noted that he does that in our prayers, but here, Paul notes that the Holy Spirit, according to God's will, intercedes for us. In other words, the Holy Spirit, He makes that intercession. He's that go-between. Between us and the Father in heaven. And He does what for us? He intercedes for believers so that their minds and hearts are united with God to accomplish His will. In essence, that is what verse 27 is saying. So in other words, what do we draw from that? That we had better be in tune with the Holy Spirit of God. We had better be praying to the Holy Spirit to make it so that my relationship with Him, God, is what it should be. By the way, Did you know that you can pray directly to the Holy Spirit? I think we need to on a daily basis. I think when we wake up in the morning, we should say, Lord, first of all, thank you for waking me up, but also, Holy Spirit of God, help me this day to walk as I should before thee. Holy Spirit of God, guide me. Help me as we see here. Intercede for me. Empower me. Leave me. Teach me. All of those things can be done by the child of God who has the Holy Spirit living within him. The Holy Spirit intercedes for the believer. Folks, this morning again, that is who you have as a believer. That is what you have. That is who you have access to as a believer in Christ Jesus. There is no use to be downtrodden. We don't have to be because we have someone living inside us. That paraclete, the Holy Spirit coming alongside to help us in those times. Are you weak? Do you feel spiritually frail? Or if I were to ask you more specifically, has it been a rough week? Sometimes we'd have to say, yep. Because life happens. You know what? Our Lord knows that. There's a great phrase over in one of the Psalms that says, He knows our frame that we're made of dust. Aren't you thankful our Lord knows that? Again, I refer to Hebrews. He knows. We have a high priest, our Lord, our Savior, who knows the feeling of our what? Infirmities. Weaknesses. Does He know when you enter into that prayer closet that you're weak that day? Yes, He does. But as He told His disciples, He said, look, I'm not going to leave you comfortless. I'm going to give you the Holy Spirit who's going to come. And you know what? He has and He resides in our souls if we know Him today. He's there to help. He's there to help. And it gets even better as we go to these last verses. We're not going to finish this out this morning. 28 through 30, again, some of the most wonderful. And yet they have become some of those controversial verses in all of Scripture. I want you to come back tonight to find out what my position on it is, OK? Maybe I can tantalize you with this. Is the pastor Arminian or Calvinist? You're going to have to come back tonight and find out. Will that get you to come back at six o'clock? Maybe that will arouse enough curiosity. But no, look, we're going to find that these are some of the most precious verses in this whole chapter. But as we close today, let me just say this. Look. Again, as we go throughout this week, as you go and you have your prayer time, you enter that prayer closet, so to speak. There are going to be times when you're weak. Things have come your way. You have committed certain sins. And it's going to be hard. But these verses, folks, give us the assurance that there is one to help us in those moments. He tells us that he's going to intercede for us, folks, as a fact, that is the truth. That is so blessed. Let us not be afraid of entering into those moments in those times and entering into the presence of God. Yes, it's an overwhelming thing. When you pray, does it come to your mind, I'm in the presence of God Almighty? That is an overwhelming thought. And perhaps sometimes that makes us shy away from this wonderful privilege that we have. But He's there. The Holy Spirit of God to help us in our weaknesses. Let us pray. Father, we thank You so much for Your Word. We thank You for the fact that You have given us the privilege of a personal relationship. Lord, that we as Your children can enter into Thy presence at any time and at any moment. But Father, we often falter and we fail in taking advantage of one of the greatest privileges that we have. And Father, perhaps there are those this morning who are weak. And Father, it may be a physical weakness. It could be moral. Father, whatever the infirmity is, Lord, we know that the Holy Spirit of God is there to help us and intercede for us. I pray, O Father, that Thou wouldst deal with Thy children today. That You would speak to them through Thy Holy Spirit. and that they may understand and realize that they have this assurance, this guidance by Thy Spirit. And Lord, if they are honest with Thee, I pray again that they would confess their sins. Lord, that they would come to Thee and ask. Lord, that they would know Thy presence. that their times of supplication with Thee would grow more numerous and it would grow sweeter in the days to come. Now, Lord, we may be speaking to some here today who may not know Thee as Savior. Lord, they do not have access nor the privileges that Your children do, but Lord, they can. And Father, they're in the place where they can be pointed toward Thee. And I pray, Lord, that if there be one here whose heart has convicted them that they do not know Thee, I pray that this will be their day of salvation. That they will come to know Thee. And Father, that they will take seriously these moments of invitation. And that they will be honest with themselves and before Thee. And Father, that Thou would draw them to Thyself. And that they would respond to that drawing. So Lord, be with us this invitation time, we pray.