ORCHESTRATED BY THE SPIRIT

Rom.8:26-28 – In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the 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. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

I have been pondering this passage over the last few weeks in light of the prayer emphasis the Lord has brought into our church as well as the prophetic events unfolding in Israel. Things are heating up and a surge of expectancy is building in our hearts. Today I want to talk about the famous “all things work together for good” part of this passage. Apparently prayer, specifically praying in the Spirit, is connected to this promise. So this amazing, all encompassing promise, that everything is going to work out for our good is for those who love God. Those who love God apparently yield to the flow of the Spirit where the Lord does His work. Here is how the Cornerstone Biblical Commentary says it.

“But the Spirit does more than simply pray for us. The role of the Spirit in our lives, ultimately, is to transform us into the likeness of Christ himself. That is why we can be absolutely confident that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God” —one of the most encouraging promises in the entire New Testament. By means of his Spirit, God himself is at work in our lives, using everything that happens to accomplish his purposes for us, turning everything into our good. (Note, however, that this promise is specifically for believers, for “those who love God and are called according to his purpose”—not for everyone. There is no glib assurance here that things in life generally turn out well for everyone.)”

This is quite amazing to me, the Lord is orchestrating everything in our lives and for the advancing of His kingdom through the supernatural prayers that are prayed by those yielded to the Holy Spirit in prayer. He prays through us with groans and cries literally orchestrating His kingdom plans through these prayers. As Wesley famously said, “the Lord rules the world through the prayers of His people”. Even more amazingly He is the One who is praying these prayers through us.