The Blessings We have been Given in the Holy Spirit

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness. for we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit." (Romans 8)

Mama invited me to join her in studying Romans 8 with her this month through an online study she joined, and I have been enjoying it so much! The assignment I worked through today was to find all the things that the Spirit does for believers to be found in the chapter, and I thought that I'd share the list here, just because I thought it was a wonderful reminder of the blessings we have been given as the children of God :).

The Spirit
-Set us free from sin and death.
-Fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law in and for us.
-Set our minds on the things of the Spirit.
-Gives us life and peace.
-Dwells in us.
-Gives Christ ownership of our life.
-Puts to death the deeds of the flesh.
-Leads us as a Father leads a son.
-Bears witness with the Father that we are His children.
-Gives fruit in the life of the believer.
-Helps us in our weakness.
-Intercedes for us.
-Searches the heart.

This last point reminds me of another passage that I enjoyed another more-in-depth study of this summer, Psalm 139, where David cries out, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me, and know my thoughts! And see if there is any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God," (Romans 8, verse 26-27).


Among all that Christ does through His Spirit in our behalf, I think one of the most precious is that one point, "He intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words". When our hearts are heavy, He is there, pleading for us with a heart full of love to us who are so undeserving. Matthew Henry states that "though we may be losers for Him, we shall not, we cannot, be losers by Him, in the end." He repays all we may suffer, for a time, in this world. Though we may not even know ourselves what it is we need, He sees the most confused or hurting thought behind our cries for help, and comes before the Father to plead for us!