Chapter 7: The Holy Spirit Our Helper    

John. 14:14-18: “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. 15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.  16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever —17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” 

In this scripture the Greek word translated Counselor is parakletos. The Greek word has been variously translated. It can be translated Counselor, Comforter, Helper, or Advocate (one who pleads another’s case). It was often used to refer to the attorney for the defense. In this lesson I want to focus on Holy Spirit as Helper, as One Who assists us in the work God has called us to do. He said, “I will not leave you as orphans.” An orphan is a person who has no one to take care of him, no one to help. Parakletos literally means one called alongside in order to help. 

REVIEW:  In previous lessons we have looked at the scriptural teaching on the Holy Spirit from several aspects. We saw 1) that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be “Another” like Himself to complete in the Church the work He began on earth. 2) He is, in a sense, the executor of all that the Father and the Son are doing on earth. 3) We saw that the Father and the Son dwell in our spirits through the Holy Spirit. It is through the Spirit’s indwelling that our bodies are temples of God. The Father and Jesus are in heaven; the Holy Spirit is on earth; yet both the Father and the Son live in us through the Spirit. 4) We saw in the last lesson how the indwelling Holy Spirit is a foretaste of the glory to come and a down payment on our inheritance. 

In this lesson we will focus on the Holy Spirit as Helper. In Romans 8:26, Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit assists us in prayer: 

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” 

We will look into this more deeply in this lesson. But first I want to call attention to the meaning of the words ‘Helper.’ A helper is someone who assists others in their work. He doesn’t do the work instead of another; he helps the other in his work.In the same way God has not promised to work in our stead, but to work with us, and in us as we work.  In the last chapter of the Gospel of Mark, after Jesus gave the Great Commission. Along with the promise that miraculous signs would attend them as they went preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, Mark tells us this. 

"So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, confirming the word with accompanying signs" (Mark 16:19, 20).  So we see that God worked with them as they worked; the signs accompanied them as they went. That is always the way God works today: He works in and through His people. 

In Act 10:36-38 we read the following:  

 “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached —38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” 

God was with Jesus, and the power He displayed was from the Father, through the Spirit. Jesus never worked a miracle until He was filled with the Holy Spirit. After His Baptism and Temptation Jesus returned to Galilee “in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). The Spirit worked in Jesus because He “went around doing good,” but He was only effective because “God was with Him.” 

Let’s look at one other verse of Scripture that shows the important truth that WE CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT GOD; AND GOD WILL NOT DO IT WITHOUT US. 

Phil. 2:12-13: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed —not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” 

This is one of my favorite scriptures.  It presents a paradox.  First it tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. We must do it, or it will not be done. Then it tells us that we can only do so because God is working in us to have both the desire and the ability to work.  In other words, we cannot do it without God, and God will not do it without us. 

There are sayings in Christian circles that I don’t think are quite scriptural.  You have maybe heard people say, “Let go and let God,” and “stop trying and start trusting.” But I think we have to try and trust. I don’t find any promise in the Word that God will do it in our place, only that He will make our efforts effective. 

Notice how the Apostle Paul describes his work, in Colossians chapter 1, verses 28 and 29:  "Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.  To this end I also labor, striving according to His working, which works in me mightily."

We have two Persons of the Trinity interceding for us.  First, Jesus Christ intercedes at the right hand of the Father.  

In Romans 8:34 we are told, "It is Christ who died, and furthermore who is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us." 

Jesus is always at the right hand of the Father as our Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate. "Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25). I John 2:1 says, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.  But if anyone does sin, we have one who speaks for us (parakletos) to the Father in our defense.” We have our own heavenly attorney, who speaks on our behalf whenever the Devil accuses us before God.

And we have “Another Helper” Who lives in us making intercession with us WHEN WE PRAY. 

Rom. 8:26-27:  “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”

But we have to distinguish between the characteristic work of Christ and the work of the Spirit. For one thing, Jesus is the outward expression of the Father while the Holy Spirit reveals God to us inwardly. Secondly, in the work that Christ did for us, we are largely passive; but in the work the Holy Spirit does in us we are actively involved. Christ intercedes for us in heaven apart from our knowledge or cooperation (Romans 8:34). The Holy Spirit intercedes for us in us, in our spirits and souls.  

Ro. 8:26-27:  “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” 

 In my opinion the Holy Spirit intercedes for us only when we pray. Christ “ever lives to make intercession for us” at the right hand of God.  But the Spirit helps our infirmity, assists our prayers, makes articulate in heaven our wordless groans and sighs. To help means just that, to assist, not to do something instead of someone else. It doesn’t indicate that the Holy Spirit prays instead of us, as Christ does in heaven.  How often I have simply cried out to the Father, “Oh God!”  Or “have mercy, Lord.”  I believe that when we utter such direct and unformed prayers the Spirit in us “helps our infirmity” and causes those prayers to reach God filled out according to the intentions of our heart.  Our inadequate prayers are taken by the Spirit and made effectual before God’s throne. 

Christ ever lives to intercede for us, always, whether we pray or not.  But the Holy Spirit assists our prayers. He is our Helper. The Holy Spirit helps our defective prayers to become effective prayers.  But the one defect He cannot make up is prayerlessness. If we do not pray, He does not pray. 

That is the meaning of the expression “praying In the Spirit.” Paul said, in Ephesians 6:18, “pray in the Holy Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” 

There seem to be three ways that we can pray in the Spirit—with known words, with unknown words, and with no words. 

With Known Words:  Most praying is in known words, of course, and prayer “in the Spirit” seems to refer to prayer that is guided, assisted and (perhaps) energized by the Holy Spirit. Paul says that “as many as are led by the Spirit these are children of God.”  But we may not expect God to lead us unless we are already obeying what He has already revealed. I believe one way we pray in the Spirit is to pray according to His revealed will, His written Word. But we may also expect Him to show us what and how to pray with understanding. Jeanette and I have found it a useful practice to go to God and ask HIM what we should pray for, and then to wait before Him. Paul says, “I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind, or understanding.” 

With no words:  Paul says, “The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”  Which one of us has not sent sighs and groans to heaven when our spirits are heavy?  Well, He who searches the heart knows what those sighs and groans mean, and He translates them into effective prayers. In verse 23 Paul says:  “We ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons...” 

We read of prayer as travail, as laboring to get answers to prayers.  I have read of intercessors who groan barely articulate prayers. Paul said to the Galatian church, “I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). 

With Unknown Words:  The other way that we can pray in the Spirit (spirit) is in an unknown language given by the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues has always been controversial; even in Paul’s day the practice was controversial, and it still is.  The reason for that is that some say that no one speaks in tongues today, and other say that we can’t have the Holy Spirit unless we speak in tongues. Both of these views are false. 

Some in the Corinthian church, who had the ability to pray in tongues, in their misplaced zeal to participate in the meetings, spoke in tongues in the assembly when there was no one to interpret. Tongues are meant mainly for private prayer; the gift was given to the church chiefly for purposes of private devotion; rarely was the gift used (and then only with interpretation) as a teaching, revelation, or prophecy. 

1 Cor. 14:6: “Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?” 

1 Cor. 14:1-3: “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue [Or an unknown language] does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. [Or by the Spirit]  3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.”  

The one who speaks in an unknown language prays by the Holy Spirit, but he does not know what he prays. He speaks mysteries to God. 

1 Cor. 14:14-19:  “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?  17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church [the gathered assembly] I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.” 

So you see, Paul is not disparaging speaking in tongues, but the abuse of the gift in the assembly. He spoke in tongues more than all of them, but in his private prayer.  When a person speaks in a tongue, that person may be “giving thanks well enough,” “praising God,” “speaking mysteries in the Spirit,” “speaking to God and not to man,” “edifying himself or herself.” Paul spoke in tongues often, but not in public meetings.

 I follow Paul’s example. I only pray in tongues in my private times of worship and prayer. 

SUMMARY: 

--The Holy Spirit is a Helper, called alongside, to assist us, primarily in our prayer. 

--As a Helper, He only helps: He does nothing instead of us. Though we cannot do anything effective without the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will do nothing apart from our effort. To me this is a necessary first principle. 

--He helps us in our prayers as we Pray In The Spirit. We can pray in the Spirit with known words as the Spirit guides and empowers us; with unknown words as we speak in an unknown language given by the Spirit; and with groans and sighs that cannot be articulated.  Amen. God bless you.

Go to chapter 8: The Coming of the Holy Spirit: The Promise of the Father    Back to Spirit of Truth