HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US

By Joseph Prince – Posted May 8, 2017

Romans 8:26

Like wise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses.  For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

The Holy Spirit is not inside you to point out your faults or nag at you when you do wrong. God’s Word tells us that He is inside us to help us in our weaknesses. In areas where we are without strength, He is there to help us. When we don’t know what to pray, “the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered”.

Now, don’t read the verse and say, “Well, I don’t know what I should pray for, and since the Holy Spirit makes intercession for me, I will leave the praying to Him.”

If the Holy Spirit, without our participation, makes intercession for us, then every Christian would be living victorious lives automatically! But we know that there are many Christians who don’t seem to be walking in the fullness of God’s blessings. So obviously, Romans 8:26 is not saying that. What is it saying then?

In the first part of the verse, the word “helps” is sunantilambanomai in the original Greek text. It means “to take hold together against”. Now, “together” means that our participation is required. In other words, the Holy Spirit sunantilambanomai or takes hold together with us against the problem.

So if you just sit back and don’t take hold of the problem, the Holy Spirit has nothing to “take hold of” with you. If you don’t pray, He has nothing to pray. If you keep quiet, then even if He wants to pray through you, He can’t. But when you release your prayer in tongues, you are actually allowing Him to pray through you. And He will take hold together with you against the problem, and pray the perfect prayer through you because “He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God”. (Romans 8:27)

And you can be confident that when you ask anything according to the will of God, He hears you. And if you know that He hears you, whatever you ask, you know that you have the petitions that you have asked of Him! (1 John 5:14–15)

Thought For The Day

When you pray in the Holy Spirit, He takes hold together with you against your problem.

How to Start the Day

By Joel Osteen – Posted May 8, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds.
Psalm 149:5, NKJV

TODAY'S WORD:

As you woke up this morning, what was the first thing that went through your mind? Did you wake up with a song of praise on your lips? 

When we start the day in worship, we start the day connected to Almighty God. When we live a lifestyle of praise, it shows that our faith is constantly in Him. We make glorifying God a priority. It’s not secondary, “Oh, if I have time.” No, you’re always talking about God’s goodness. You’re constantly telling your friends how God has blessed you. In your car, you’re singing songs of praise. At the office, under your breath, you’re thanking God for His favor. You get up in the morning and say, “God, I love You today. I praise You today. Thank You for another beautiful day.” Then when you go to bed at night, you bless Him for His faithfulness! 

Friend, when you have the high praises of God coming out of your mouth, the scripture says Almighty God will go to war against your enemies. Praise precedes the victory, so start the day right and live a lifestyle of praise!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, thank You for Your good and precious promises to me! I choose to receive Your goodness by faith and sing a song of praise to You. I commit the day to You and make praising You a priority. Thank You for working on my behalf in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Don’t Wing It

By Joyce Meyer - Posted May 08, 2017

Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered and, [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped], He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him.
—Hebrews 5:8-9

Ever found yourself in a situation where you did not take time to prepare for something at work or at church and you’re expected to do something? Your heart starts hammering, the butterflies in your stomach start flittering, and you quietly think to yourself, I’ll just wing it. You’re not prepared, but you’re hoping you can pull it off anyway and nobody will ever know. 

Even if you do manage to deceive other people, you will know the truth and you won’t feel good about it. Down deep inside you will know that you did not do your best. You might feel relieved that you managed to get through it, but you did it in fear rather than confidence.

Even Jesus was trained and prepared by the suffering He went through. He was equipped for His office as High Priest through His times of preparation. If Jesus needed preparation in order to be equipped for His job, there is no doubt that we need the same thing. Sometimes the bitter experiences we endure are the best teachers we have in life.

Lord, I ask You to use all of my life experiences to shape me as they shaped You. I want to be a person of substance and godliness with something to give to others. Amen.

Hallowed…

By DR. David Jeremiah – Posted May 8, 2017

So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”
Luke 11:2

Recommended Reading: Luke 11:1-4

Most people connect the word hallow with an evening in October when children wear costumes and ask for candy. Halloween actually comes from the phrase “Hallow Evening” or “Holy Evening,” marking the night before All Hallows’ Day. In the Bible the word hallow means “to regard as holy.”

Jesus taught us to approach God in prayer by first acknowledging His holiness. By hallowing the Lord’s name in prayer, we worship Him.

In return, our worship revives our spirits and blesses us. When we acknowledge the holiness of the God to whom we pray, it provides absolute confidence in Him. Because He is holy, He would never trick us, harm us, or lie to us. When we say, “Hallowed be Your name,” it gives us the freedom to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” and “forgive us our debts.” When we pray to a holy God, we are addressing a God whom we can wholly trust.

 Nothing is more essential than that we should understand this name, for it were almost better not to think of God at all than to think of Him wrongly.
Frederic William Farrar