ICS Daily Devotions
Living in the New Testament
Romans 8:26. 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.
We can be full of faith and confidence that two out of the triune Godhead—Jesus and the Holy Spirit—are interceding for us when we are weak and helpless. Isn’t God so merciful and gracious to make this happen through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, so that we can have the privileges that the Old Testament saints didn’t enjoy? Therefore, we should not compare ourselves with the Old Testament saints given that we live in a different dispensation, and neither should we practise what the Old Testament saints did without considering the work of the cross!
As New Testament believers, the Holy Spirit not only intercedes with groaning and through tongues when we can’t articulate our prayers with words, but also in accordance with the will of God, which is always perfect and good. Therefore, we should allow the Holy Spirit to pray through us freely even if we might be uncomfortable or unaware of what He is praying through us in tongues. God sees us in Christ, He loves us and perfect love casts out all fear. Therefore, we should be encouraged to pray in tongues, because it allows us to work with the Holy Spirit in praying through a situation when we are weak, and it allows the Holy Spirit to help us to pray when God has placed a burden on our hearts even if we don’t know who or what it is about.
God is asking us to partner with Him in ministry by interceding and standing in the gap through praying in tongues. Therefore, God will sometimes place a heaviness in our hearts even when nothing is bothering us in order to prompt us to pray, and when He does that, we should obey by praying in tongues since we may not know who or what to pray for. Of course, we can always ask God to reveal to us whom we are interceding for, but He may or may not do so. Nevertheless, we should keep praying until the heaviness in our hearts is lifted, which may range from a few minutes to half an hour.
In the Old Testament, God was looking for a man to stand in the gap so that He could show mercy to the people or the city, but in the New Testament, the current ministry of Jesus—after His finished work of redemption on the cross—is to intercede for us at the right hand of the Heavenly Father. What a great honour, privilege and blessing that is!
Sermon Series: I Have You Covered
