April 30, 2024
Our Helper in Prayer
But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore, I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you. John 16:5-15
In the gospel of John, Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the Helper whom He would send to enable and instruct believers. One of the Holy Spirit’s responsibilities is to help us in prayer. He knows about temptations or experiences ahead, so He prompts us to talk to our Father.
It’s important, then, to pay attention anytime you sense a need to pray. In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, we are told not to “quench the Spirit,” as ignoring that divine prodding can lead down paths God never intended for us.
The Holy Spirit sometimes burdens us specifically to pray for someone else. In this way, He offers Christians the opportunity to participate in God’s work. On many occasions, I’ve received calls asking if I was going through a tough time, and invariably, my caller had been praying for me.
This burdening of our heart to pray for ourselves or for others is a special demonstration of God’s love. By calling us to prayer, He can make us sensitive to our surrounding circumstances or prepare us for a trial He knows is coming. Listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and allowing ourselves to be prepared is how we, in turn, display our love for God.
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