PDF Manuscript: Praying with Power - Praying in Weakness
Do your prayers ever feel empty? Do you sometimes find that you are unable to put into words exactly what you need from God? Perhaps it’s a sudden crisis. A moment of desperation. A point in time when you are at the end of yourself. You have no more answers. No more cleverness. All you have is need, and the only words you can muster are, “Oh Lord, help.” I was reminded of this the other day when my son was trying to zip up his hoodie all by himself. He was growing increasingly frustrated that his little fingers were not able to get it started. I offered to do it for him, but he was adamant that he was going to do it. Finally, he looked at me and could only say one word, “Help.”
Well, the world is full of problems that are much larger than stubborn zippers. A season of depression has lasted longer than usual, and you’re beginning to wonder if God even cares. A family member is rushed to the hospital, and you don’t know if they’re going to live. A wayward child has renounced the faith they once professed. In our lowest moments, we may find ourselves without a word—having no idea how to pray. We have no words but, “Oh Lord, help.” And in those moments what we want more than answers to our problems is someone. Someone to walk through the valley of the show of death with us. This is where Romans 8:26-27
The last few weeks we’ve been studying what it means to pray with power. I am convinced that our growth as believers will be in direct proportion to the depth of our prayer lives. I need to pray more. You need to pray more. So we’re looking together at some key texts over these six weeks to shape our understanding of prayer. But more than that, to shape our desire to pray. Our passage this morning does just that. Romans 8:26-27 opens up a neglected insight into the ministry of the Holy Spirit—an insight that is sure to change the way we think about prayer.