Imagine receiving a very special gift, one that could really help you in a number of situations, but you never really used it. You opened the gift up, but then you set it aside, and never took advantage of those benefits. That wouldn’t be too smart of you, would it? The most intelligent thing to do would be to find out exactly what that gift could do to help you, and then use it whenever you could. If you’re a Christian, you have been blessed with a special gift from God the moment you were saved. This is a gift that He gave us to help us through our life. However, so many Christians are just like the person who was given a gift meant to help them, but then just set it aside and never benefited from the blessings. Our Scripture for today highlights several benefits we have from the Holy Spirit. Do we know of these benefits, and are we acknowledging them and receiving the blessings?
As our Scripture from Paul’s letter to the Romans opens, we read that those who have the Spirit of God, (that means all who have accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior), are now the sons of God (vs. 14). Paul reminds us through many verses in Romans and other letters he wrote, that we have been adopted by the Lord God, and are His special children. That is one benefit or blessing that we have access to from the Holy Spirit. Before we were saved, we were under bondage to sin and Satan. However, now we are no longer cringing and fearful slaves. Instead, we are the Master’s children. We share in all of His great treasures as co-heirs with Jesus (vs. 17).
In a loving and accepting family, the children are not afraid of their father. They don’t cower in fear when he enters a room. Instead, they run to him, with shouts of “Daddy! Daddy!”, ready to jump into his open arms. The children know that they are loved! This is how the Bible describes the relationship that the Holy Spirit brings us with God the Father (vs. 15). That is another benefit from the gift of the Holy Spirit. We can call Him Abba, a word used in Middle Eastern languages to refer to one’s father. It didn’t mean just the formal term “father”, but an even more intimate and loving one of “daddy”. The Holy Spirit gives us reassurance that we are God’s children (vs. 16), and as His children, we know that we can come to Him whenever we want or need to. He is never too busy or disinterested in us. God will never turn us away.
Paul also informs us in this passage that though we are joint-heirs with our Big Brother Jesus, there is a price for being identified with Him. Along with the treasures we have with Jesus, we will also face suffering (vs. 17). Though no one enjoys suffering, however, as children of God, being indwelt with the Holy Spirit, we can turn to God in prayer at any time. Sometimes, if the need is so great and the trials so heavy and strong, all we might be able to do is to groan within ourselves. The pain, the heartache or grief can be so strong that we can’t even come up with words to pray with.
Here is where the Holy Spirit, which has been given to us, steps in and prays for us (vs. 22-27). In certain serious circumstances, whether for ourselves or for others, we might not know exactly what to say in our prayers. The Holy Spirit does, though. He knows what is in our hearts, and as part of the Holy Trinity, He knows what the will and mind of God is. Thus He is able to pray for us most effectively. This is a benefit we have from the gift of the Holy Spirit When we don’t know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for us. No words are necessary, because the Father understands and agrees with what the Holy Spirit thinks and prays.
This work of the Holy Spirit on our behalf parallels the High Priestly work of intercession by the Lord Jesus on behalf of believers (Hebrews 7:27). When we don’t know what or how to pray, we have the Holy Spirit inside of us making intercession for us, and we have our Big Brother Jesus, standing in as our High Priest, also interceding for us. As our loving Father, God is always there to hear our prayers and cries to Him, as well as those of both the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit putting into words what we just can’t say on our own.
Are these blessings from the Holy Spirit ones that you know and take advantage of in your daily Christian walk? Do you know that through the Holy Spirit that you are God’s child, and come running to Him like a child to his beloved Daddy? Or do you mistakenly cower in fear, thinking He is a harsh Father? And when you want to pray, but just don’t know what to say, as the burden is too big, do you just give up and forget about it, or do you allow the Holy Spirit to pray on your behalf? Don’t miss out on the blessings that the gift of the Holy Spirit has for you!
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