Romans 8:26, commentary and pictures

Human weakness is broad, covering sickness, feebleness of body and mind, temptation, and helplessness to resist evil or form right character, and because people do not know how to pray rightly the Spirit Himself pleads within them with wordless groans beyond utterance, according to the will of God known by Him who searches hearts.
The Spirit authors all genuine prayer, forming it within the petitioner and making it acceptable, by softening the heart to feel its wants, enlightening the mind to see its needs, quickening desire after righteousness, and strengthening wavering faith.
Christ and the Spirit intercede in different places and ways, Christ pleading as Mediator in heaven by presenting His shed blood, while the Spirit pleads and works within believers upon human hearts.
When prayer asks for what is not best, God turns it toward what is truly needed, translating the mistaken request and presenting it through Christ's merits as what should have been asked.
This help is received through thorough consecration, humility, earnest asking and unwavering trust, while worldliness, unbelief, judging, faultfinding, envy and evil speaking shut out the Spirit's working and unity in love opens the way for prayer in power.

Words and Context Explained

Likewise the Spirit helps broad human weakness, including sickness and bodily and mental feebleness, temptation, inability by oneself to resist evil and to form Christian character, the carnal heart's lack of love for Christian graces, and the helplessness of the sinner prostrated without strength to rise. This help belongs to those saved by hope who wait with patience for what they do not see, and works with the healing presence of Christ, who in human nature felt bodily want and weariness and was braced for duty and trial by prayer to the Father. Those needing it can come as they are — sinful, helpless and dependent — and receive grace and the Spirit of Christ without first proving that they are reformed, so they may claim God's blessing now. Christ has provided all-sufficient divine assistance for every temptation that assails the soul by giving the Holy Spirit to help infirmities, to assure hopes and to purify hearts, and when a person puts on the Lord Jesus Christ and individually wears the heavenly livery with no reservations, Christ becomes wisdom and sanctification and righteousness and redemption and a strong helper. It calls to watch unto prayer, to pray, believe and rejoice in the promise of the soon coming of the Master.

The helplessness aided is that of a sinner prostrated in the dust, apparently devoid of will power and without strength to rise, under the power of demons, clinging to pride with a will that leads away from Jesus and speaking Satan's words, though having separated from God and turned from light to darkness and truth to error, God has not separated from him. Jesus piteously draws him by tender cords of love and will receive him with open arms if he lays his pride at Christ's feet and trusts like a little child trusts a father and mother. The Spirit's help then lifts him to stand in God-given manhood in the strength of Christ who saves to the uttermost all who come to Him, makes his purposes firm instead of like ropes of sand, covers the blackest stains of sin with mercy, love and forgiveness under the shadow of the cross, and gives him work to speak words of hope, comfort, love and Christ's forgiveness and pardon to the helpless, wandering and lost.

People do not know what they should pray for as they ought and lack knowledge of how to pray rightly, which leaves fear of asking amiss and need for grace and divine enlightenment to know how to ask for what is needed. The Spirit of God has much to do with acceptable prayer, softening the heart, enlightening the mind so it can discern its own wants, and quickening desires so that the sincere suppliant hungers and thirsts after righteousness. Because of this ignorance the Spirit helps infirmities and intercedes with groanings beyond words, and this intercession is according to God's will. When people ask for what is not in accordance with God's will, their prayer is turned toward the things they truly need and should ask for. In praying for the sick this means not knowing whether the blessing asked is truly best, so healing is to be asked only if it is God's will and is for His glory and the afflicted person's good; otherwise prayer should ask for grace to comfort and God's presence to sustain them in suffering.

The Holy Spirit authors all genuine prayer and intercedes for the praying believer and for all saints whose intercessions agree with the will of God and are never contrary to it. The Spirit is God and knows the mind of God, so those taught of God pray in conformity to His revealed will and in submission to His will where it is not known, making supplication according to the will of God while relying on the Word, especially in prayer for the sick or for other needs where the will of God must be regarded. God, who searches hearts and tries the reins, knows the Spirit's mind because the Spirit asks for human wants and intercedes for the saints according to God's will, and this assures those who feel weak or unworthy that God can help them as they trust Him and pray. God translates mistaken prayer asking for things not in accordance with His will and not best into the very things needed and that should have been asked, and Jesus Christ takes the prayer and offers it to God corrected, so the prayer becomes the things they should have and want.

The groanings which cannot be uttered are wordless, inexpressible groans beyond human utterance and beyond words to express. They include urgent cries stirred for God's salvation and help for an afflicted brother, while shared prayer rested on God's promises and pleaded for his recovery. They include broken cries in anguish and helplessness that express a struggle only God fully understands, agonized supplication when ordinary words are not enough by which the Spirit's prompting leads the yearning soul to wrestle with God and seek special manifestations of His power, and a heart appeal that God hears even when only Satan's words can be spoken. Even when a soul is unable to express its appeal for help, that unspoken cry is heard, as when the demoniac could utter only Satan's words yet his heart's appeal for deliverance was heard, so no wordless cry from a soul in need is ignored. This pleading gives peace with God through the all-powerful saving name of Jesus that dispels darkness, gives light in the Lord, and cheers the heart in the darkest seasons of pilgrimage, giving reason for increased confidence, trust, cheerfulness and hope.

At times Christ's own intercession was made with groanings beyond words, for He lives to make intercession. Those groanings took place in the Garden of Gethsemane when the cup trembled in His hand as He faced taking the sin of the whole corrupt world upon Himself and separation from the Father who hates sin, with the destiny of a lost world in the balance. There blood came from the pores of His skin and moistened the ground while He staggered to His sleeping disciples, battled the powers of darkness in our behalf and on our account, felt the sins of the world laid upon Him under Satan's pressure to expire in suffering and agony, was strengthened by an angel standing by His side, and then took the cup and drank suffering, saying to the Father, Not My will but Thine be done.

How the Spirit Helps Prayer

The Holy Spirit authors all genuine prayer, inspires and indites it, forms it within the petitioner, and makes it acceptable to God. Every sincere prayer is inspired by the Spirit, whose inward work enables people to reach out to God and be taught by Him. Prayer must be offered not only in Christ's name but by the Spirit's inspiration and kindling, and earnest, intense Spirit-breathed prayer carries God's pledge that He is about to answer exceeding abundantly above all that is asked or thought. The Spirit's intercession is for the praying believer and for all saints whose intercessions agree with the will of God and are never contrary to it. Because the Spirit is God and knows the mind of God, those taught of God pray in conformity to His revealed will and in submission to His will where it is not known, making supplication according to the will of God while relying on the Word and believing Christ is given to His disciples.

The Spirit has much to do with acceptable prayer by softening the heart to feel its wants, enlightening the mind to discern its own needs, and quickening desires so the suppliant hungers and thirsts after righteousness. He gives clear views of God's power, wisdom and grace to relieve, stirs confidence in His Word that forbids all wavering, and strengthens wavering faith so that only the prayer of faith is offered. God invites people to pray because He alone can enlighten the mind, soften the heart, clarify truth, strengthen wavering faith, and give understanding. Such work in the humble, contrite petitioner who asks in Christ's name, expects all through His mediation, wants Christ to have the glory of presenting the prayer to the Father, and is willing to receive the blessing through Christ, is what makes prayer acceptable.

When people ask for what is not in accordance with God's will and not best for them, God who searches hearts and knows the Spirit's mind turns the prayer toward the things they truly need and should ask for. He who searches the hearts and tries the reins translates that mistaken prayer into the very things needed and that should have been asked. Jesus Christ takes the prayer and offers it to God corrected, so the prayer becomes the things they should have and want, placed in the golden censer of the Saviour's merits and accepted by the Father. God discerns the sincerity of His adopted children, pities their weakness, and helps and strengthens their infirmities by giving them words to speak, so sincere, humble petitions ascend and surely reach Him, and the one who comes with sanctified desire has access through Christ to the Father. In grave illness the Spirit's presence, comfort and blessing accompanies prayer for the Spirit to guide the petitions.

The Spirit enlightens the mind of the one who depends on the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour and forms within him a prayer of confession and repentance that is acceptable to God. He enables the one who feels weak and unworthy to plead the abundant promises God has given in His Word, for the Word provides the promises and shows the way, and the Spirit gives power to pray those promises in faith without doubt and to walk in the way shown. While Christ intercedes as Mediator by presenting His blood shed from the foundation of the world, the Spirit intercedes by working upon human hearts, drawing out prayers and penitence and praise and thanksgiving, striking the cords of the soul in holy memories and awakening the music of the heart. Clinging to the Lord with all might with firm faith and trust, the believer receives the Word as seed and the Spirit as quickening power to live it.

The Holy Spirit works in believers to will and to do of His good pleasure, controls all spiritual exercises, and supplies the spirit of intercession to plead with God as a man pleads with a friend. Petitions offered in earnest faith reach the mercy seat, and God does not limit answer to one prayer but commands unwearied, persistent pressing of petitions to His throne with the promise to answer. A wandering mind in prayer is to be brought back to the throne until victory is gained by faith, and even when sin, shame, defeat and wandering thoughts make prayer feel useless or impossible, that is the time to pray, confess, believe, keep the mind returning, and by faith expect the Holy Spirit, knowing the Lord sees the desire and gives victory.

The Lord helps infirmities by giving strength to speak and bear testimony for Him, His strength being made perfect in weakness. When too weak to speak He makes courageous and strong and joyful by imparting His Spirit and His life, and that imparted Spirit and life enables imparting the same to others and comforting them with the consolation received. When weakness of body and mind with heaviness, difficulty in breathing, and depression leaves one unable to do justice to the subject and unable in oneself to find appropriate words, the Holy Spirit comes upon the one who looks to the Lord, strengthens to speak, and supplies fitting words, for which God receives the glory.

Spirit Christ and Father

Christ and the Holy Spirit are constantly interceding for people, but in different ways and places. Christ pleads in heaven as Mediator and Advocate, opening His lips in supplication, presenting His blood shed from the foundation of the world, and pouring out petitions for those who profess faith yet live in jealousy, suspicion and disunity that healthy love may be restored. The Spirit does not plead in that heavenly way but pleads within believers and with them upon human hearts, working in them to will and to do of His good pleasure, drawing out prayers and penitence and praise and thanksgiving, striking the cords of the soul in holy memories and awakening the music of the heart, and leading and guiding them and making them sure in counsel so that those whose God is God can safely trust divine leadership rather than false guides and worldly wisdom. The Spirit controls all spiritual exercises and supplies the spirit of intercession to plead with God as a man pleads with a friend, so that a wandering mind in prayer is to be brought back to the throne until victory is gained by faith. When faultfinding, criticizing, envy, jealousy, evil thinking, evil speaking and passing judgment on one another are put away and believers become one with Christ in God, their prayers are offered in the spirit and power of God with an enlarged current of God's love and God is revealed.

The Spirit is God and knows the mind of God, and therefore intercession prompted by the Spirit for the saints is according to the will of God and never contrary to it. Because human weakness leaves people not knowing what to pray for as they ought, especially in prayer for the sick or for other needs, the will of God must be regarded. Those taught of God pray in conformity to His revealed will and in submission to His will where it is not known, making supplication according to the will of God while relying on the Word and believing that Christ is given to His disciples.

The Spirit's intercession with groanings that cannot be spoken reveals God as a sharer in suffering whose infinite heart is pained in sympathy and who feels all human misery, joined to the groaning and travailing of the whole creation. Sin from its very inception has brought pain and grief to the heart of God. Every departure from right, every deed of cruelty, and every failure of humanity to reach His ideal brings grief to Heaven. That unutterable groaning is God's own feeling of all the pain of a world of misery, and it moved Him to give His best Beloved to destroy sin and its results and to put it in human power through cooperation with Him to bring the scene of misery to an end by hastening the gospel.

Christ lives to make intercession, and at times His own intercession was made with groanings beyond words. Those groanings took place in the Garden of Gethsemane when the cup trembled in His hand as He faced taking the sin of the whole corrupt world upon Himself and separation from the Father who hates sin, with the destiny of a lost world in the balance. There blood came from the pores of His skin and moistened the ground while He staggered to His sleeping disciples, battled the powers of darkness in our behalf and on our account, and felt the sins of the world laid upon Him under Satan's pressure to expire in suffering and agony. He was strengthened by an angel standing by His side, and then took the cup and drank suffering, saying to the Father, Not My will but Thine be done.

In a thorough reformation the Spirit puts a spirit of prayer and intercession on every church member to pray for the revelation of the Holy Spirit, cleansing discord and strife and drawing members into close fellowship, harmony and unity with no confusion. The Spirit imbues the whole being and impresses the mind to pray in accordance with the will of God, breaking down barriers separating mind from mind so all speak the same things. The groanings and longings of the Spirit are the expression of the intercession of Christ in behalf of His people according to the will of God, coming from God and returned to Him in silent and audible prayer.

Receiving the Spirit's Help

The help comes when believers give themselves to God body, mind and soul in thorough consecration and humility, with contrition, earnest asking, firm faith and trust without doubt, a mind constantly going out after God, the will put over on the Lord's side, and the Spirit let in with perfect confidence in God behind the promise. The Lord knows human infirmities and embarrassments, and the Comforter draws near so that none, however weak in faith and hope and courage, need despair, but divine assistance combines with human effort with help for every advanced step, especially for the earnest struggling soul compassed with infirmities and surrounded by foes to discourage, drawing the soul into a pure and holy atmosphere. Since people do not know what to pray for as they ought, they must ask earnestly, cling to the Mighty One and hold firm by faith, having an Advocate in heaven, for the Spirit Himself intercedes with groanings that cannot be uttered for the saints according to the will of God, known by Him who searches hearts and knows the mind of the Spirit, and God receives consecrated believers and strengthens them to be laborers together with Him. This is praying in the Holy Spirit, and only the prayer of faith is acceptable, acceptable only through the Spirit's work in the humble, contrite petitioner who asks in Christ's name, expects all through His mediation, wants Christ to have the glory of presenting the prayer to the Father, and is willing to receive the blessing through Christ. The Spirit's help enlightens the mind to see and discern its wants and ignorance, softens the heart to feel them, quickens desires so the suppliant hungers and thirsts after righteousness and after suitable supply, gives clear views of God's power, wisdom and grace to relieve, illumines darkness, informs ignorance, helps in manifold necessities, and stirs confidence in His Word that forbids all wavering.

His part never fails and His promise is sure and steadfast, always waiting at the door and knocking for admittance, and trusting Him takes away self-made yokes and burdens and gives the peace of Christ and perfect rest in the Lord's love, while saying there is no faith dishonors God, makes Him a liar, and shows no confidence in the Spirit's work. If worldliness is allowed to come in, with no desire to pray and no desire to commune with Him who is the source of strength and wisdom, the Spirit will not abide, and those who are unbelieving do not receive the rich endowment of grace that would make them wise unto salvation, patient, forbearing, quick to perceive and appreciate heavenly ministrations, quick to discern Satan's devices, and strong to resist sin, for unbelief and doubt crowded out alone lets Him in, and unbelief keeps God from doing His mighty work. Prayer must be offered not only in Christ's name but by the inspiration and kindling of the Holy Spirit within, whose intercession is that Spirit-inspired praying expressed in groanings which cannot be uttered. When prayer is breathed to God in earnestness and intensity, that very intensity is God's pledge that He is about to answer exceeding abundantly above all that is asked or thought, petitions offered in earnest faith reach the mercy seat, and God does not limit answer to one prayer but commands unwearied, persistent pressing of petitions to His throne with the promise, Pray, and I will answer you.

Passing judgment on one another blocks this working of the Spirit, and when faultfinding, criticizing, envy, jealousy, evil thinking, evil surmising and evil speaking are put away, believers become one with Christ in God, love as brethren, and are bound together. Jesus Christ, the angel of the covenant, is actively interceding with the Father, opening His lips in supplication and pouring out petitions for those who profess faith yet live in jealousy, suspicion and disunity, joined to the Spirit helping human weakness because people do not know what to ask for as they should, pleading for the saints with wordless groans according to God's will, to restore healthy love and healthful heartbeats for one another, prevent division in the work, and bring an enlarged current of God's love. Then prayers will be offered in the spirit and power of God and God will be revealed. Even when sin, shame, defeat and wandering thoughts make prayer feel useless or impossible, that is the time to pray, confess, believe, keep the mind returning to the throne, plead with God as with a friend through the Son given by the Father, and by faith expect the Holy Spirit who controls all spiritual exercises and supplies the spirit of intercession, knowing the Lord sees the desire and gives victory.

Christ also helps ignorance in prayer by framing into words what comprehends every human need in the Lord's Prayer, so that prayer offered in sincerity in those few words covers all needs and is accepted as heart-service to God. It is given as a short sample so disciples know how to pray rightly and need not fear asking amiss, avoiding vain repetitions and self-righteous prayers offered to be seen of men.

Help in Sickness Work Unity

In praying for the sick the ignorance of what to pray for as ought requires that healing be asked only if it accords with God's will and is for His glory and the afflicted person's good, and otherwise prayer should ask for grace to comfort and for God's presence to sustain in suffering. Because human weakness leaves people not knowing what to pray for, especially for the sick or other needs, the will of God must be regarded, since the Holy Spirit authors all genuine prayer and intercedes for the praying believer and for all saints whose intercessions agree with the will of God and are never contrary to it. The Spirit is God and knows the mind of God, so those taught of God pray in conformity to His revealed will and in submission where it is not known, making supplication according to the will of God while relying on the Word. The Spirit stirs urgent cries for God's salvation and help for an afflicted brother while shared prayer rests on God's promises and pleads for recovery, and during earnest prayer for healing and spiritual renewal the Spirit's power guides and inspires the prayers while those praying also receive grace and spiritual blessing. Prayers offered for the sick should be prompted by His Spirit, with the physician living in close communion with the Saviour and depending on the Spirit to guide prayers and words at the bedside.

The Holy Spirit helps the infirmities of gospel workers, including those without collegiate education who are chosen to labor with teachable spirit and dependence on God, by quickening and energizing the mind, directing thoughts, and aiding presentation of truth. When the laborer stands before the people to hold forth the words of life, the Spirit puts the echo of Christ's voice in the worker's voice, brings truth into the inner sanctuary of the soul as a living reality, and enables truth to be presented in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so God speaks to hearts through the consecrated man and the worker becomes truly eloquent in lifting up Jesus, earnest and sincere and beloved by those for whom he labors. Teachers depend on the same help to reveal heavenly things, impress divine truth on minds, and give work spiritual grace, power, earnestness and effectiveness as human agents through whom Christ imparts His light. The Lord helps infirmities by giving strength to bear testimony, His strength made perfect in weakness so that when too weak to speak He makes courageous and strong and joyful by imparting His Spirit and life, and that imparted Spirit and life enables imparting the same to others and comforting them with the consolation received. When weakness of body and mind with heaviness in the head, difficulty in breathing, and depression in heart and brain leaves one unable to do justice to the subject and unable in oneself to find appropriate words, the Holy Spirit comes upon the one who looks to the Lord, strengthens to speak, and supplies fitting words, for which God receives the glory.

God's Spirit pleads for the conversion of souls with groanings that cannot be uttered, and those who call sinners to repentance are to pray earnestly and depend on that work. The Spirit's work strengthens the call to repentance and the pleading with sinners to come to Jesus, and by grace believers are qualified to live useful lives and gather souls to Christ while time is fleeting and golden opportunities are passing, requiring them not to turn aside to waste hours that might be to some soul the hour of repentance and salvation. The Holy Spirit holds an office in the plan of redemption that must be honored and not grieved, and through Christ's mediation its direct influence is imparted to give power to prayer and entreaty in united effort to save souls ready to perish, enabling cooperation with God and honoring Christ's work, while Christians who love Christ with first love plead for the conversion of souls.

Believers are not left without help in the trials and sufferings of Christian service, for the Holy Spirit helps weakness because they do not know how to pray as they ought, interceding in inexpressible groanings according to God's will known by Him who searches hearts. This help is not to be disregarded but depended on in reform to be carried on in every place by church members, with joy and peace coming from belief in the Word, and it supports a life of service and unity with Christ and one another. Jesus Christ as angel of the covenant actively intercedes with the Father, opening His lips in supplication and pouring out petitions for those who profess faith yet live in jealousy, suspicion and disunity, to restore healthy love and heartbeats for one another, prevent division, and bring an enlarged current of God's love. Passing judgment on one another blocks this working, and when faultfinding, criticizing, envy, jealousy, evil thinking, evil surmising and evil speaking are put away and believers become one with Christ in God loving as brethren, their prayers will be offered in the spirit and power of God and God will be revealed. The same intercession enables believers to cast out selfishness, live for the Master, help one another, be united with one another and with Christ in answer to Christ's prayer, test every undertaking by whether it pleases the Saviour and is in harmony with God's will, and bring the Christ-life into daily experience with sacred dignity and faithfulness in everyday duties so the Master is honored, the world sees what Christianity accomplishes, efficiency for service constantly increases, and they are prepared for higher life to come.

The verses assure those who feel weak or unworthy that God can help them as they trust Him and pray, for God who searches the heart knows the Spirit's mind and the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to God's will with groanings beyond words. God is touched with the feelings of human weakness and gives help through the Spirit, assuring troubled believers that the Lord is good and will carry on His work in their behalf unto victory, calling them to put away anxiety and worry and commit the keeping of souls to Him with promise that His peace will flow into mind and heart. This pleading beyond words to express gives peace with God through the all-powerful saving name of Jesus that dispels darkness, gives light in the Lord, and cheers the heart in darkest seasons of pilgrimage, giving reason for increased confidence, trust, cheerfulness and hope. God's help through Christ's atonement supplies moral power to those who cannot save themselves, enabling even the weakest aided by divine grace to overcome, and human inability to resist evil requires coming to Jesus as sinful, helpless and dependent to receive grace and the Spirit of Christ without first proving reformation. The Comforter draws near to help infirmity so none however weak in faith and hope and courage need despair, for Christ knows infirmities and embarrassment met on every hand and works constantly to draw the soul into pure holy atmosphere, providing divine assistance to combine with human effort with help for every advanced step, especially when the earnest struggling soul is compassed with infirmities and surrounded by foes to discourage.

The Holy Spirit helps the infirmities of a sinner prostrated in dust, apparently devoid of will power and without strength to rise, under power of demons, clinging to pride with a will leading away from Jesus and speaking Satan's words, though separated from God and turned from light to darkness and truth to error God has not separated from him. If he lays pride at Christ's feet who owns him and loves with infinite love, and trusts like a little child trusts father and mother, Jesus piteously draws him by tender cords of love and will receive him with open arms to stand in God-given manhood in strength of Christ who saves to the uttermost all who come to Him. Then purposes become firm instead of like ropes of sand, mercy love and forgiveness under shadow of the cross cover blackest stains of sin, and he receives work to speak words of hope, comfort, love and Christ's forgiveness and pardon to the helpless, wandering and lost. The Spirit makes intercession for every sincere wrestler, every sinsick soul struggling to overcome, with Jesus offering Himself and making His words spirit and life, the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, for entire wholehearted surrender that the heart may abide in Jesus and Jesus in the heart and life be hid with Christ in God, which is life and peace and joy unspeakable and full of glory; but if the devil is allowed to control the mind and guide imaginings and the heart stays divided, failure follows and truth is brought into disrepute. The same help enables believers to give God whole heart, soul and entire affections, be wholly on the Lord's side, lay aside every idol, practice self-denial, and make lifelong persevering untiring effort for eternal life, supplying moral power to prize Jesus far above every earthly thing and show it by devotion and determined effort to secure heaven and enter His courts laying spiritual sacrifices upon His altar.

Christ is ready through the Holy Spirit to help weakness, teach and guide, and inspire heavenly thoughts and ideas, cooperating in bringing souls to salvation. The Holy Spirit works in ministry of the word to convince of sin and lead to Christ who transforms nature, and through the Spirit believers commune with God and receive help in weakness when they pray.