Romans 8:26 (NKJV) 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.
Prayer is not a formula, especially when it comes to intercession. Rather, it is a relationship and partnership with the Holy Spirit, with the Holy Spirit being the senior partner in the relationship, who has graciously brought us alongside Him to pray for someone or a situation.
1 Corinthians 14:14-15 (NKJV) For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
The Holy Spirit will intercede with groanings and through tongues when we are unable to articulate our prayers in the known language. Also, the Holy Spirit will intercede for us in accordance with the will of God, which is always perfect and good. This is the reason why the Apostle Paul encourages us to pray in both the understanding and in the Spirit. When we pray in the known language, we are praying in the understanding, but when we pray in tongues, it is in the Spirit. Therefore, even though we may be uncomfortable or unaware of what is being uttered through us in tongues, we should not despise praying in tongues because it is a way for us to partner with the Holy Spirit to pray through a situation for ourselves when we are weak. We should also allow the Holy Spirit to help us to pray when God places a burden in our hearts, especially when we do not know why, who or what the burden is about.
However, we must always remember that the prayer of intercession must be done out of love and compassion for others. Love for the person and for God helps us to yield to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit working through our love will flow out of our inner being to intercede for the person, and may even reveal certain things to us pertaining to the situation or the person if we are sensitive to Him. Lastly, in order to be a good and honourable vessel of God, we must be humble.
We are actually shielding our loved ones from the fiery darts of the evil one when we stand in the gap between God and the onslaught of the devil, but we can take heart that we are interceding from a position of victory and enforcing the victory of Jesus Christ using His name. Meanwhile, we also need to trust that God will act in the spiritual realm as we wait for the result to be manifested in the physical realm.
Sermon Series: Partnering in Prayer with God through Intercession
与圣灵同工
罗马书 8:26 况且，我们的软弱有圣灵帮助；我们本不晓得当怎样祷告，只是圣灵亲自用说不出来的叹息替我们祷告。
祷告不是一个公式，尤其是在代祷方面。它是一种与圣灵的关系和同工。圣灵是这其中的资深伙伴，祂体恤地带领我们与祂一起为某人或某件事祷告。
哥林多前书14:14-15 我若用方言祷告，是我的灵祷告，但我的悟性没有果效。 这却怎么样呢？我要用灵祷告，也要用悟性祷告；我要用灵歌唱，也要用悟性歌唱。
当我们不能用已知的言语表达的时候，圣灵会用说不出的叹息和方言为我们代祷。圣灵也会按着神的旨意为我们代求– 神的旨意总是纯全良善的。这就是为什么使徒保罗鼓励我们既要用悟性也要以圣灵祷告的原因。 当我们在悟性中祷告时，我们用一种已知的语言祷告。而当我们以方言祷告时，我们是在灵里祷告。因此，即使我们感觉不自在，或者不明白藉着我们的舌头说出的是什么，让我们不要轻视方言祷告，因为这是我们与圣灵合作的一种方式，可以在我们软弱的时候，为自己的处境祷告。当神将负担放在我们心头，尤其是当我们不知道为什么，为谁，或是什么负担的时候， 我们也应该让圣灵来帮助我们祷告。
然而我们必须记住代祷必须出于对他人的爱和同情。对人和神的爱帮助我们降服于圣灵。圣灵通过我们的爱，从我们的内心涌流出来为那人代祷。如果我们对圣灵敏锐的话，圣灵甚至会向我们启示一些与处境或人有关的事情。最后，若要成为一个良善可敬的器皿，我们必须谦卑。
一边是上帝，一边是魔鬼的猖狂进攻，当我们站在其间的破口之处时，我们实际上是在保护我们所爱的人免遭那恶者的攻击。我们能够鼓起勇气，站立在得胜的地位来代祷，并用耶稣基督的名来强制执行祂的胜利。让我们也要相信神会在属灵的领域中行动，而我们则期待那结果将在物质世界中彰显。
讲章系列：通过代祷与神同工
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