A Helper for All Occasions - Part 2

Welcome to the index podcast with Charles Stanley for Tuesday, August 23. Sometimes it's just hard to know how to pray the believers in Jesus have a helper who guides us as we intercede before the Lord. Here's more on the Holy Spirit is our helper for all occasions. People usually trundled the conservation would it help those people who deny that they believe will what they do say so do not think I can handle it then know those folks who just stuff it they just decide to make it work. No mother what they just go on in life, refusing to acknowledge the fact they needed help from anybody but the truth is we all do and sometimes people think it's about a weakness to accept the fact that what I need help at this point it's automotive weakness it's about just being human. And if you think about it. For example, when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane and he was about to be crucified.

The next day in he was undergoing some real heart ache in real pain as he thought about being separated from the father. It's interesting what he said he sent his disciples. He said I'm grieved and distressed. And he says my soul is deeply grieved to the point of death remain here and keep watch with me at that moment in his humanness, he needed their presence. He needed the assistance of their presence with him he needed to feel their presence. He certainly was not weak, yet there are moments in all of our lives when we do need help. For example, you have a flat tire at 4 o'clock in the afternoon on any Atlanta expressway run up against the wall you desperately need help believing are you break your leg you need help. Your heart gets broken. You need help all of us at times in our life need help. The issue is where do we go, what can we do and is there any real help.

And sometimes we see situations that it appears that nobody else in the world to help us then what do we do what I want you to turn if you will to John chapter 14, he says in verse 16.

I will ask the father and he will give you another helper, that he may be with you forever. That is the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not has not seen him, and does not know him but you know him because he abides with you and will be in you body with you now but will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you and so notice what he says now he says I'm going away. I believe he is orphans. I will come to you now. With that in mind, let's think about the ways practical ways in which he comes to your help in mind and a lot some that I want to mention some the things that you not have to deal with every single day of our life and the first one is this the Holy Spirit helps us in our prayer life. Look, if you will. In Romans chapter 8 verse 26 for mom and we certainly all need help in our prayer life. And Paul says in this 26 verse 27 verses of the eighth chapter of Romans. Listen what he says. He says in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness. He's been talking about weaknesses we all have hours he says for we do not know how to pray as we should not notice what happened. He didn't say you Romans know how to pray.

He said we Paul include himself. He said we don't know how to pray as we should. But the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words and he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the spirit is because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Think about this. Why is it that you not oftentimes don't know how to pray or the reason is we don't know the future. We don't know what the future holds.

And so, therefore, no matter how we pray, we have to pray with limited knowledge.

So some things that we would say would certainly we want in life, we may find out later know we don't want those in life with the circumstances as there are some things that we don't want in life. Oh yes, that is what we want in life situations and circumstances in which all of us would have to come to God immediately. That is right up front, not knowing what the will of God is there situations and circumstances. We know that of a doubt we don't have to pray.

If it's not will and often times that phrase if thou if it's not will is dropped on the end of our prayers as if it's a magical term to get it through to God, no. If you know the will of God about something you not to pray that you will do certain things we know to be the will of God to be obedient to him in a given situation is always the will of God. Now here you are with alternative in the process of making a decision about your job and you got to three offers and they all look good God, what is your will. When you first begin the price you don't know the will of God. And so what happens is we we begin to cry out to God, Lord, show me your will.

When he talks. In this passage. If you notice he says the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for the with groanings too deep for words that wants this that is in the Holy Spirit doing the groaning. That's the spirit of God taking our groaning, because what we feel, oftentimes, is so deep and beyond hours. For example, there are times we cry out to God, we don't know what to ask. You will be doing Satan God show me what to do, show me your will is having our spirit is groaning something on the inside of us we desired to know his will. We want to know his will. We long to know his will. We we get desperate about some things in life what's happening. He is taking the groanings of expert in bringing those groanings before the father. And you know what God will answer our prayers listen when you not come to him. God show me your will. I want to know you will listen.

He knows that if he shows as his will for the real say yes or not and so listen this, God does not reveal his will to us for consideration. He reveals his will to. As for obedience, he's Lord. Remember, ruling in writing. Sitting there mediating for us that is interceding for us, not for consideration but for obedience that we would concur with him. Yes, that is your will and that is exactly what I want to do all of us have difficulty praying, but we have the Holy Spirit listen to this, we have the Holy Spirit when we don't know how to pray and their times.

Many times when our heart cries out to God, but it's a broken heart over there is some decision you have to make. Sometimes you don't know how to pray. Sometimes you know how to pray for the people. Someone comes the intelligent little problem their life, they say, would you please pray that God will remove this from my life.

Your first responses.

Yes, I will pray for God to remove that and you begin to pray and you can something happens you get static and you so you begin to ask the Lord. Is it your will to remove that or is it not.

And so then you have the back office.

Okay God, show me how to pray for this person.

What is your will do, you will remove this or do you want to something else over here. We all need the Holy Spirit and he is there to help us. What does he do he not only lifts our prayers to the father but he will clarify for us. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not your own understanding all your ways acknowledge him, he will direct your path.

Listen, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to clarify for you and me the will of God is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the will of God is the work of the Holy Spirit to make it plain to us and to enable us to walk in one of the areas in which we need help is we need help in our prayer life. One of the reasons that people oftentimes just quit praying about things is a lot, and I've heard people say the primitive exam asked the wrong thing. Don't you let that where you one bit nor because the spirit of God is going to bring to the father listen the wrong request will he's asking this got you and I both know that's not right. That's what he says and thought, you know what that never gets there. You just forget that because he knows exactly what our spirit is listen watch this. You and I can sincerely ask for the wrong thing it is that upset God know what happens. You know what he does because he says the spirit knows our spirit, our heart, he intercedes for us asking for the right thing and so what happens the fact that we got somebody helping is in our prayer strengthens our prayers out and so if I come along asking for the wrong thing is what he'll do.

He will impress upon my heart either.

This is not the right thing or he will start let me wear myself out over it until I finally concur with him. That's not your will or know what is your will and so God does work in our pray he implicit he knows how absolutely weak we are. He knows have fleshly role. He knows that we are naturally going to export what we want. I mean, what you expect. We're human rights.

We don't ask for what we want, what we think will satisfies and and gratify the pleasure of meeting her needs and so what is it knowing the future knowing what's best for us. You know what he does.

He takes our prayers. He turns when he sends us what's best for me. Thank God didn't answer my prayer is what I asked what he did.

Yes he did. You know what, he answered the prayer that he knew we would want if we knew what he knew about the present and the future and the consequences that is the awesome wonderful work of the Holy Spirit. So if you're not praying because you're afraid to ask the wrong thing. Keep praying Frank here get you on track. That's one of his first words a second very practical work in the spirit and listen another area in which all of us need help is in understanding the word of God, give me three words listen very carefully.

The first word is revelation revelation is truth that God gives to man. He could not get any other way. Truth listen revelation is truth that God gives the many could not get any other way. Nobody will understand God unless listen.

Apart from the work in the ministry of the Holy Spirit in that person's life. People have searched everything imaginable trying to find a what's the real Haskett the highest good in life is to know the Lord Jesus Christ and know God the father, the highest good in life is the know God through his son Jesus Christ. This book is not just some book.

This book is a treasure is a treasure because it is the revelation of God, of himself is given away to men. What about Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy knows all books, my friend, God is on every single page. God is revealing himself in every single one of those sacrifices God is doing his work. God is on every single page. This is not a history book is not a science book. It is up.

Listen, this is the revelation of God, of himself, how he deals with man how he deals with persons in different search situations and circumstance of life is worth. Revelation second word is illumination. Illumination is what happens when you and I begin to read the Scriptures and what happens the spirit of God opens our minds reveals to us the truth of the passage and all of a sudden we set our I do understand what that means. Now I understand. I've read it and read it and read it. Now understand what you listen to what Scripture says look, if you will in first Corinthians chapter 2 using I will say this because you should say this to your children you should send them that when when you read the Scriptures. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding.

Ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding. That's what illumination is all about. I look at this is about Paul said, beginning in in verse 10 of this chapter he says now for to us God revealed in speaking of truth, he just will a look in verse not talk about things which are has not seen in air is not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him for to us God revealed these things through the spirit of the Holy Spirit for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God but who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is any. Even so, the thoughts of God. No one knows except the spirit of God that we have received not the spirit of the world of the spirit who is from God, so that we may listen. We may know the things freely given to us of God. Now with them. If you will to verse 14 Margaret but a natural man does not accept the things of the spirit of God. The foolish is doing he can understand because they are spiritually discerned.

You cannot expect the Holy Spirit listen to illumine your mind to the buried treasures of the mind of God and at the same time be walking in sin and disobedience to God because he's not going to do it. You may have some surface truth. You may have some for this is why people can live and go to church for years and years and years and have such a poor understanding of the word of God and are rated verse element don't feel like they have a need to read and I think about had an overwhelming sense of this expense amount like I was reading a passive Scripture and all of a sudden it's just like it just came pouring in the my soul feeding my soul just nourishing my heart and I think about. I felt like what I feel not drink warm up big milkshakes every morning and I put enough stuff in an image as anybody. And so when I get there. I immediately feel energized and feel good and down the kneeling and opening the Scriptures reading this passage and thinking With you. Don't make it my souls get refreshments souls get inspired muscles get motivated Third World listen we said. First of all, there is was first word Revelation 2nd word illumination and the third word is inspiration because here's what happens when the spirit of God illumines our minds and hearts and gives us understanding what I'm we get inspired members. We get motivated to do what we will apply to our heart we apply to our life. Something happened that is the work of the Holy Spirit. That is the work of God.

Now, how in the world we go live a Christian life how you live your life in a wicked, sinful bile world and expect to live holy can do it.

That's the reason the Holy Spirit came why did he come one of the reasons he came is this in order to live through us alive. He knew you and I could never live can do it you now not strong enough. It is Christ living his life in and through us through the presence of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now here is the contrast look, if you will, and relationship to five. He says in verse 16 but I say, walk by the spirit that means in submission of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. You will not carry out the desires of the flesh that is you not care at those sinful desires that a natural normal a person's life. If you walk submissive the spirit you won't care those desires are for the flesh. That is how naturalness sets its desire against the Spirit, who lives within us, and the spirit against the flesh, but look at the conflict the tension that goes on. This is why you, for example, you come up and somebody makes you some offer and maybe some financial offer and something about until you say I don't think that's exactly right.

All of a sudden you are. You pull well it be a big profit right now but is not exactly the thing out of the big profit now could do this but no it's what tension any kind of temptation is what is he saying he says for the flesh sets its desires against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh, but these are in opposition one another so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the spirit not under the law is not bound by that. Watch this now the deeds of the flesh, you will know what natural living is like is what is immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatrous source for images, strife, jealous outburst of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, Indian drunkenness, carousing things like these, which are for one you just as I have for once before.

He says those who practice these things not hurt the kingdom of God is that you know a look you want to why the world. Second, whether acting is doing comes naturally. You know what I can do in the better watch this but the fruit of the spirit. Nothing for the believer. For the Christian for the spirit.

For the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now if you had a choice which were those two groups would you choose we all choose a last look, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control is what he say every single one of us knows we get impatient we don't love everybody we not always gentle we not always. Can we not always get everything on self-control and you know what, as long as try in my human effort.

I never will. So the best thing we can do is give up and say God I am a failure at living the Christian life. I need help is what he says you already have it living on the inside of you is the Holy Spirit, and it is his responsibility to produce the review to express through your countenance, your personality, your gifts, your skills, your life, your ministry, your relationships, it is his responsibility to express to review what love, joy Pease patients kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. I think about this week ain't. That's why hastening.

He sent him to live in us that kind of life. Watch this now when does he express those attributes through us when you and I are submitted to the Holy Spirit. That is when we submit ourselves to him.

When we yield ourselves to him when we are committed to his way into his will and saying spirit of the living God express the life of Jesus through me today God about your spirit is expressed through me expressed to be the part of the spirit that you know what, that's exactly what he desires to will be good perfectly.

No we still have humanists is that the real purpose plan of God. Yes. Will he enable us yes listen to become a way of life resentment that is. These characteristics are to be what people see most will they ever see impatience yes.

Will they ever see lack of self-control comes yes but you know what that these are exceptions in a life that would not be in the Bible if they were not the will and purpose and plan, and the provision of Almighty God. And that's one of the reasons the Holy Spirit was sent because he knew he could not live in but he assumes responsibility for living through is and what he desires about his submission of our spirit to let him do it. Thank you for listening to part 211 helper for all occasions to know more about Charles Stanley for intense ministries and test data. Martin podcast is a presentation of intense ministries Atlanta, Georgia