As I seek to please my heavenly Father, I find that I often fall short. Like the apostle Paul, I find that “the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:19). I don’t have the strength, the wisdom or the ability to do everything right. But I know that I have a loving Father who is rich in mercy. Ephesians 2:4 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us.” I also believe that He is still working on me to make me into what he wants me to be. Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” The writer of Hebrews prayed about it this way – Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” I desire for God to work in my life and make me complete to do His will.
I don’t have to depend upon my own strength or ability. All true believers must have the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” I receive help from the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise 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. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” What a promise! I can have help from the Holy Spirit of God in my weaknesses. Many times when I pray I don’t know how to pray or what to pray for. I know the situation that I am praying about is not what I desire, but I do not know what the best solution is or how to express my desire before the Father. This passage teaches that I don’t need to worry about my inadequacy in this area. The Holy Spirit knows my heart; He knows the situation; He knows the will of my Heavenly Father; He will intercede to God on my behalf; He helps me in my weaknesses. I believe that assistance with my prayers is just one example of the Holy Spirit helping in my weaknesses. Let us look at some other ways that He helps us.
Jesus said in John 14:25-26 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” Just as the Holy Spirit taught the apostles and reminded them of the things that Jesus said, I believe that the Holy Spirit teaches us and reminds us of things revealed to us in the Bible.
The Holy Spirit can help us in what we say under trial. Mark 13:11 “But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” Luke 12:11-12 “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Often in our lives we face decisions on what to say, what to do, and where to go. The Holy Spirit provides leading in our lives when we don’t have the answer. Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” The Holy Spirit leads us if we let Him. God gives me wisdom. James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
The Holy Spirit can provide us with inner strength. The Apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesians in Ephesians 3:16 “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.” I believe that it is appropriate for us to pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen us. We can pray for strength when our faith is weak, and we can pray for strength when we are tempted to sin. Any time we need spiritual strength, we can pray for the Holy Spirit to give us that strength. This is an important point. Many try to overcome sin using their own strength, and they often fail. Often we need the strength of the Holy Spirit to overcome sin. Through the Spirit, we can put to death the sinful deeds of the body. Romans 8:12-13 “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” I understand that the Spirit helps us put to death the sinful deeds of the body.
God wants us to depend upon him for strength. The Apostle Paul had a problem. He pleaded with the Lord to remove the problem. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” When we acknowledge our weaknesses and come to Him, He makes us strong.
How wonderful it is that the Holy Spirit of God will help us in our weaknesses! I encourage you to desire to be pleasing to your Father in Heaven. I also encourage you to seek the help of the Holy Spirit in your life.