Victory Through Prayer.

Steve Gentry

[0:05] We’ll go ahead and have a seat. [0:06] Welcome to Village Church. [0:07] If this is your first time here, my name’s Steve. [0:09] I’m one of the pastors here at Village Church. [0:11] And as always, I am thankful and grateful to see each and every one of you. [0:14] If you have a Bible, go ahead and open it to Romans chapter 8.

[0:17] We’re going to be starting in verse 26 this morning. [0:20] But as we’ve been going through this series, the thread that goes through Romans 8 is this [0:31] We are not a people who just kind of live by a hope that is defined by wishful thinking. [0:42] Because I think that is some of the things that people who don’t understand Christianity [0:47] believe that we just have all this wishful thinking that God is going to make everything [0:51] work out great for us in the end.

[0:53] But rather we are a people that have an objective hope through the finished work of Jesus. [0:59] Because we believe that He paid the penalty for our sins on the cross and then He rose [1:03] from the dead to give victory through His resurrection. [1:07] And we base and we drill down into everything in our lives, whatever comes into our lives [1:13] and whatever goes out of our lives, based on that concrete reality. [1:19] And we’ve seen through this series that we have victory over condemnation, that we have

[1:23] victory over sin, that we have victory through the power of the Spirit in our lives, and [1:27] we have victory through the hope of how God is going to work everything to His glory in [1:34] the end. [1:35] But I think sometimes we struggle because we look at verses 18 through 25 like we did [1:40] last week. [1:41] We see that this world is cursed with sin, but by God’s grace we have a hope that in

[1:46] the future He will redeem every aspect and He will deliver His kingdom into this world. [1:52] And so we live with an understandable and a reasonable hope for the future with a struggle [2:00] to apply that hope right here and right now through how we actually live our daily lives. [2:07] And I think the apostle kind of assumed that struggle. [2:11] Because in verses 26 and following, He begins a pattern through Romans 8 in which He actually [2:18] starts to build the foundation for how to trust God, not just for tomorrow, not just

[2:25] for years from now, but we trust God right here, right now, when we actually form practices [2:33] in our lives that build a trust and build a life that is pleasing to God. [2:41] And the example that He’s specifically going to use is the example of prayer. [2:46] And prayer is this amazing force that God brings into our lives. [2:51] It’s this tool that He uses to bring about His will into this world and into our lives. [2:58] And He’s going to show us this morning that the actions and the activities and the environments

[3:03] that we enter into in this life actually serve as the way in which God is going to bring [3:11] about His will. [3:13] He is responsible. [3:14] He is the one with the power. [3:16] He is the one working everything to good. [3:20] But He works through this present world and our present lives, through our actions and

[3:25] our activities, and He combines them to be used to bring about His will. [3:30] Here’s what He says in verse 26 about us. [3:34] He says, Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. [3:38] For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes [3:44] for us with groanings too deep for words. [3:47] And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes

[3:53] for the saints according to the will of God. [3:56] And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good for those who [4:02] are called according to His purpose. [4:06] Verse 28 is significant. [4:07] We’re going to be talking about verse 28 this week as well as next week. [4:12] But it is significant in the sense that I believe verse 28 is the hinge upon which

[4:17] all of Romans 8 swings upon. [4:19] And it’s vital for us to understand that the power that God is instilling in us and in [4:24] this world through the Gospel is one in which He is working all things to good. [4:30] But it begins right here and right now. [4:33] Prayer, then, number one, is the ultimate expression of victory. [4:39] Prayer is the ultimate expression of victory.

[4:44] There really are only two types of people where prayer is concerned. [4:48] And both of them really end up with the same struggle, but in a different way. [4:52] You have type A people. [4:54] They’re a driven person. [4:55] They’re the person that’s always either A, trying to be in charge or always is in charge. [5:00] And you’re driven.

[5:02] You’re trying to get things done. [5:03] And you’re trying to prove to this world you are strong enough. [5:06] You can make it. [5:07] You are enough. [5:10] There’s also the type of person that is following that person. [5:13] And you are convinced that you are not enough.

[5:17] You understand that it is easier if you just get a job where somebody else is in charge. [5:23] And it will usually take care of everything that you have in your life. [5:25] But if it’s one thing that’s been proven in your life, it’s that you are not a type A [5:29] person. [5:30] And you are not that driven. [5:31] And you’re mostly apathetic about everything that goes on in life.

[5:35] And both of those people struggle with prayer for similar reasons. [5:40] The outcome is the same. [5:42] A type A driven type of person struggles with prayer because prayer is a posture of dependence [5:48] and you don’t want to be dependent upon anything. [5:50] You want to be independent. [5:52] You want to be strong.

[5:53] You want to prove yourself. [5:55] But Jesus is telling us right there. [5:57] He’s saying you are weak and you need God to work in your life. [6:02] And weakness is something that you’ve been ridding yourself of all along. [6:06] I mean, you’ve read Extreme Ownership and you listen to the Jocko podcast, buddy. [6:10] You are strong enough.

[6:11] You don’t get up at 430 a.m. [6:13] You never go to bed.

[6:18] But the other type of person is a type of person that sees the text where it says the [6:23] Spirit wants to help you in your weakness. [6:25] And you’re like, see, exactly. [6:26] I’m weak. [6:27] What’s the point?

[6:29] God will do as will and I just won’t really be a big part of it. [6:32] Now, I want heaven in the end, so I’m going to trust Jesus. [6:35] But if I’m weak, then I’m not really going to accomplish much. [6:38] And the outcome of both of those things is exactly the same. [6:41] Prayerlessness.

[6:44] In the past 25 years where I’ve been seeking to be a disciple maker, there’s one commonality [6:51] that I’ve experienced with every single person, no matter what their personality type, no [6:56] matter what their, you know, disc profile, no matter what their anagram, no matter what [7:00] a test says about them. [7:02] Every single person I’ve ever been in a disciple relationship with, dozens and dozens of people, [7:07] they struggle to pray.

[7:09] They struggle with the very environment that God says is going to give them the most power. [7:18] And for the person that’s driven, the reason that you struggle with prayer is because prayer [7:24] reminds you that you don’t have what it takes.

[7:29] And for the person that’s not driven, prayer is a struggle because it serves as a constant [7:33] reminder. [7:34] You don’t have what it takes.

[7:38] But that’s by design. [7:40] That’s not a bug where prayer is concerned. [7:43] I mean, the text begins with God telling us likewise, the same way that God has to work [7:49] this world to bring it to his glory because it is cursed by sin. [7:54] Therefore this world is not the way it was designed to be. [7:56] It’s always a little bit less.

[7:58] It’s filled with pain. [7:59] It’s filled with suffering. [8:00] Just the way the Holy Spirit has to work in this world. [8:03] You need the Holy Spirit because of your weakness. [8:08] And we often read that as some type of insult from God. [8:13] But that is the most liberating thing that God could tell you because he’s telling you

[8:17] that you don’t have to measure up. [8:21] It doesn’t shock God that you’re weak. [8:25] And so often so many people are afraid they’re going to be found out. [8:28] They’re going to be afraid. [8:29] They’re afraid that people are going to realize that you’re not all that you claim to be. [8:32] They’re going to realize that while the exterior may look strong on the inside, you’re struggling

[8:35] just like everybody else is. [8:37] Here’s the key. [8:38] That’s not a shock to God.

[8:42] He doesn’t come with saying, likewise, some of you are going to be a little weak, but [8:46] good news. [8:47] God’s going to give you just enough of his Holy Spirit to be as strong as everyone else. [8:52] That’s not what the text says. [8:54] The text gives a blanket statement. [8:56] It says no matter what you think about yourself, God knows the truth.

[8:59] You aren’t as strong as God. [9:02] You aren’t perfect. [9:04] You aren’t living in every way by the design that God has given you into your life. [9:09] And he wants you to understand that you are not alone in the struggle. [9:13] He wants you to understand that the Spirit is there to help you in your weakness. [9:17] And so then you look at that and you’re like, wow, that’s a liberating statement.

[9:21] And then God insults you. [9:24] He says you don’t know how to pray.

[9:27] He says likewise, the Spirit strengthens you where you’re weak and you’re stupid.

[9:37] You don’t even know how to talk.

[9:41] And you read that and you begin to understand why the spiritual disciplines or those actions [9:48] and environments that God calls us into where we’re going to become more faithful followers [9:53] of Jesus, that’s all the spiritual discipline is, is the spiritual disciplines exist so [9:58] that you can become the person that you are not yet. [10:03] He wants you to understand that those environments exist not to show how talented you are, not [10:10] to show how great you are, but to show the truth of who you are and who God knows you

[10:18] are. [10:19] Prayer serves as this great equalizer where following Jesus is concerned because it is [10:26] designed to be an environment where you reach the end of your rope the quickest. [10:33] Because prayer is a posture of dependence. [10:36] Prayer is a posture of humiliation. [10:39] Prayer is meant to humble you.

[10:42] I don’t know what your prayer life is like, but so often my mind drifts. [10:47] I start praying and I’ll rise. [10:49] I’m a pretty early riser just by design. [10:53] And I’ll get up early in the morning and I’ll be like, you know, I’m going to spend some [10:56] time in prayer. [10:57] And within 30 seconds, I’m wondering, man, is the coffee ready?

[11:03] Man, oh, my got a little rumbly in my tumbly. [11:05] Are the pancakes ready?

[11:09] Oh, oh my goodness. [11:09] Did I remember to set the DVR for that show I wanted to watch last night? [11:14] Oh, man, is the third episode of Mandalorian out yet? [11:17] Let me, I need to check that real quick.

[11:21] Did I remember to cancel Netflix? [11:22] Who cares about that anymore?

[11:27] And my mind will drift because when I pray, I remove myself from the chaos of this world. [11:34] I remove myself from all of the surrounding noise and I get alone. [11:39] And it seems like when I get alone, that’s when my brain turns on and it’s going at [11:44] breakneck speed with 32 different concerns. [11:49] And the end result is the same. [11:50] I started praying and now I’m balancing my checkbooks on reason.

[11:56] Prayer is the struggle. [11:57] Prayer is the most unnatural thing that you can do. [12:02] And the one thing I know when I start a sermon on prayer is that every single person in [12:07] the audience is struggling to pray. [12:10] None of you are pros. [12:13] Yeah, sure.

[12:13] You might be impressive if you’ve been in church for any extended period of time, you [12:17] can prove your prayers to other people. [12:21] Oh, most holy eloquent father.

[12:25] You know all the lingo. [12:26] You might even be throwing a few things in there that don’t make sense, but everybody’s [12:31] like that’s a new one. [12:32] He’s good. [12:34] But then you said it and you moved on. [12:36] But if they had actually paid attention, it’s like the word eloquent, what does that

[12:39] mean? [12:40] I don’t think that applies. [12:42] I don’t think so. [12:44] You don’t realize that in prayer it’s actually serving not to show how good, how godly, [12:51] how holy, how awesome you are. [12:54] Prayer serves to show how incomplete you are.

[12:59] Prayer serves to show just how much God you need. [13:04] Prayer serves to show how much of his strength you don’t have, but how much of his strength [13:10] he has to offer you. [13:11] Prayer is the great equalizer and if you want to know the condition of your spiritual [13:17] life, spend five minutes in prayer. [13:21] Where does your mind go?

[13:24] See, that’s the truth of what our focus is. [13:26] That’s the truth of who we are. [13:28] Because prayer is not natural. [13:30] No matter what you say, nobody comes into the Christian life and then says, oh prayer, [13:34] I’ve got that down pat. [13:35] I’ve been used to entering into rooms by myself and talking to people who aren’t there.

[13:41] We refer those people to professional counselors around here, just so you know. [13:48] Oh no, prayer, I’m totally used to getting together with two or three other people and [13:53] looking down at the table and speaking to a person that’s not sitting with us. [13:57] I’m totally used to doing that. [13:58] No, you’re not. [13:59] Nobody is.

[14:01] And so when you begin to follow Jesus, you’re entering into environments and atmospheres [14:06] that you are not used to entering into. [14:09] And it reveals to you what’s really going on in your life, but God wants you to understand [14:15] that he knows you’re going to struggle and he wants you to struggle. [14:22] Prayer is hard. [14:26] Understand that just because you’re struggling in prayer doesn’t mean everybody else isn’t

[14:30] struggling. [14:31] I struggle to pray because it’s unnatural. [14:37] But prayer is the key to the life that God desires for every one of us to live. [14:44] Because it’s in prayer that I can truly experience what it’s like at ground level for the spirit [14:50] to overcome my weakness. [14:52] In John 14, 26, Jesus says this about the power of the spirit.

[14:58] First, he calls him the helper. [15:01] I don’t care who you are, you need help. [15:04] All of us need help. [15:06] No one is going to follow Jesus under their own strength if you’re trying to understand [15:11] that that is actually a fruit of unbelief rather than a fruit of belief. [15:16] He says, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will

[15:21] teach you all things and bring to remembrance all that I have said to you. [15:26] See, the Holy Spirit is this powerful being whose mission is to continually draw us to [15:35] Jesus. [15:36] And I think right there is where we struggle sometimes because we have the mentality sometimes [15:42] that at the moment of coming to faith in Jesus, when we were regenerated by the spirit, we [15:47] were born again according to scripture.

[15:50] We just think, well, that’s where he did it. [15:52] That’s where he did all of the work. [15:54] That’s where I got all of the spirit that I need and I’m just going now. [15:59] And Jesus wants you to understand, no, you need God’s help. [16:06] You’re going to have this temptation to go a different direction than God is going and [16:10] the Holy Spirit is going to keep drawing you back.

[16:13] Have you ever wondered why when you disobey God, you feel, you know, bad?

[16:20] It’s the Holy Spirit. [16:23] Why when you don’t do the things that you know God wants you to do, you feel incomplete?

[16:32] That’s the Holy Spirit.

[16:35] The fearful thing is not those feelings. [16:37] The fearful thing is when you feel nothing because that shows a lack of the Holy Spirit [16:42] in your life. [16:44] So because so many people, they’re used to living life doing what they feel and not doing [16:50] what you don’t feel like doing. [16:53] And in those very moments, Jesus is informing us that when you are going life based on

[17:00] how you feel, then you are not experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit. [17:06] In Philippians chapter 2 13, here’s what Paul says. [17:09] He says, it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. [17:14] He says every moment of obedience, that’s the power of God. [17:18] That’s the Holy Spirit. [17:19] Every moment when you are pleasing to God, understand that that is the work of God in

[17:25] your life. [17:26] And prayer being difficult should come as no surprise because every command of God in [17:32] the scripture is something that you are incapable of doing at the level that God wants you to [17:38] do it. [17:39] Ever heard the saying, God’s not going to give you more than you can handle? [17:43] That’s wrong.

[17:45] It’s not true. [17:45] If you’ve said it, you probably meant the best. [17:47] It’s OK. [17:48] Just never say it again. [17:49] All right. [17:50] Because it’s untrue.

[17:52] Every narrative that you read in scripture from Adam and Eve all the way to the book [17:57] of Revelation, God is calling people to do things that is too much for them. [18:02] They’re totally incapable of. [18:04] And so often in scripture they even say, God, I can’t do this.

[18:10] But God will never call you to do something that he will not also empower you to do. [18:19] God never looked at any of you and said, here’s what I want from you. [18:23] Good luck, kid. [18:24] You’re on your own. [18:26] But I think sometimes that’s how we feel. [18:30] But the scripture is leading us to a different idea about God.

[18:33] He is a God that will often ask what we think we are incapable of. [18:39] But in every moment of prayer, even, where he says, you need to pray, and you’re like, [18:44] I don’t feel like it. [18:45] He says, you need to pray. [18:47] I don’t have the words to do it. [18:49] And he says, you need to pray.

[18:50] But the good news is you’re not praying under your own power. [18:54] You have his power.

[18:57] Every moment that you go to scripture to read it, the Holy Spirit is explaining to you what it means.

[19:06] Every moment where you don’t feel like getting up 30 minutes earlier to pray, but you do it anyway, [19:14] that is the exact environment where the Holy Spirit works the best. [19:20] Every moment where you don’t feel like serving. [19:24] Every moment where you don’t feel like getting in the Word. [19:28] Every moment you don’t feel like going to church and being with the people of God. [19:32] Every moment that you don’t feel like going to community group.

[19:35] Every moment you don’t feel like going to discipleship group. [19:38] And you do it anyway. [19:40] You are entering into an environment where you have come to the end of your ability, [19:45] but you have just begun to tap into God’s ability and God’s power. [19:51] When you base your life on what God has called you to, rather than on how you feel, [19:58] you have entered into the realm of the supernatural, where God is going to work

[20:03] because he’s not interested in your capability. [20:06] He’s only interested in his capability.

[20:10] So often on Sunday mornings, I’ll be sitting right over there, no matter what service it is, [20:17] and I’ll be thinking through and I’ll be praying for you. [20:20] And I’ll realize that there are people in this crowd [20:23] that they’re looking to be inspired for what they’re headed into this week. [20:26] Some of them not even knowing what you’re heading into. [20:29] There are people in this crowd that know they’re saying,

[20:31] man, I’ve come here, my cup is empty. [20:34] I hope Steve has a word for me and I hope he’s going to fill my cup.

[20:39] You’re coming in and you’re looking for inspiration. [20:41] You’re looking for conviction. [20:43] You’re thinking, I will repent of sin if God will say the right thing through Steve this morning.

[20:51] So often I’m sitting over there and I’m realizing, whoa, yep, I got nothing.

[20:58] I’ll feel like my cup’s empty. [21:01] I’ll say, who’s going to fill my cup? [21:03] And I’ll spend like 10 seconds feeling sorry for myself over here.

[21:08] And I don’t feel like walking up on this stage.

[21:14] But I say, Nate’s not going to do it.

[21:19] No.

[21:23] Now I’ll be sitting there and I’ll say, God, [21:25] and I pray almost the same thing every Sunday morning.

[21:29] I say, God, I pray I’m not up there under just my strength. [21:35] Spirit, I need you. [21:37] And for 10 years, every Sunday, I take a walk up the steps that are different this week than they were last week. [21:46] But I’ll take a walk up the steps and by the time I’m up here, I just speak and the word comes out.

[21:58] You see, friends, when you come to the end of your ability, God is saying, [22:03] watch how I keep working. [22:07] You see, friends, prayer has nothing to do with your eloquence of speech. [22:11] Prayer has nothing to do with all that you know about the Bible. [22:15] Prayer has nothing to do with how smart, how good, how committed you are. [22:21] Prayer is just you coming and realizing, God, I need you.

[22:29] That is the posture that the Spirit will work. [22:35] You see, friends, prayer taps into the power of the Holy Spirit in ways that you are not strong enough to do. [22:43] Number two, this morning, because the Spirit knows what to do when you don’t. [22:48] The Spirit knows what to do when you don’t. [22:51] I rarely know what to do, but I always have to make decisions.

[22:58] A few years ago, we wanted to get a different house.

[23:03] And we had three kids and we needed a little extra space for them. [23:07] And so we’re looking for houses. [23:08] And I mean, we looked at so many. [23:10] I mean, have you done that? [23:12] It’s exhausting because you think it’s going to feel like house hunters, but mostly it just feels like work. [23:17] All right.

[23:18] And you’re just looking at all these houses and some of them are X amount of dollars. [23:21] Some of them are less amount of dollars. [23:23] Some of them are in the middle amount of dollars. [23:24] This one doesn’t need any work. [23:26] This one, I need a contractor’s license for this one. [23:30] And you’ve got all these decisions and you don’t know what to do.

[23:34] I’m a father. [23:35] Each of my children are different. [23:37] It’s so frustrating. [23:39] Why can’t they just be the same? [23:41] It’d be so much easier, but they have different personalities. [23:44] They have different things that are fun to them.

[23:46] They have different aptitudes and different subjects. [23:49] They have different movies that they want to watch at this point in time and not at that point in time. [23:54] I like Cheez-Its this week, but how dare you buy Cheez-Its next week? [23:59] I have to eat a lot of Cheez-Its.

[24:04] But I have a thousand different decisions every day about different things and different desires [24:09] and different wants and different food habits. [24:13] I’m a husband and she just won’t tell me what she wants.

[24:18] So I’ve got to make decisions there. [24:19] Husbands, by the way, if she won’t tell you what she wants for dinner, [24:22] just turn the car in the direction of those golden arches [24:25] and you’ll either have a great meal because McDonald’s is always delicious [24:28] or she’ll tell you what she wants for dinner. [24:30] Those are the two options.

[24:32] That’s just my secret in life. [24:35] I don’t feel bad. [24:36] McDonald’s is my favorite restaurant. [24:38] I’ve been eating it for 39 years and it tastes the same today as it did 39 years ago. [24:43] Hallelujah.

[24:47] Bless God.

[24:50] But decisions are difficult and we all have to make decisions. [24:55] And so often I realize my limitations when I have three good decisions [25:01] and I only get to choose one and I need to choose the best one. [25:07] But you see, friends, when you live this human life, you enter into so many different areas [25:13] where you look at a passage like this and it just makes sense. [25:16] When Paul looks at us in verse 26 and he says, we do not know how to pray as we ought.

[25:23] And you’re like, yeah, true. [25:27] But you realize that the word ought at the end of that, [25:31] it’s vital for you to understand because it brings with it this notion that you should. [25:37] And that shows you your weakness. [25:40] You should know how to pray, but you don’t know how to pray. [25:43] And that’s frustrating until you realize that God has given his life into yours

[25:48] so that you will know how to pray. [25:51] But you can’t do it alone. [25:53] And so the Father gives into your life the Holy Spirit. [25:56] And here’s what the text says. [25:57] Look at verse 27. [25:59] He says, excuse me, look back at verse 26.

[26:01] He says, we do not know what to pray for as we ought, [26:04] but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. [26:10] There are two realities about prayer. [26:13] In that section, the first one is that God demands prayer.

[26:19] God has called you into prayer. [26:22] There is no Christian life that doesn’t involve prayer. [26:26] I want you to understand that. [26:28] So if you are living a life of prayerlessness, [26:32] you have no hope to tap into the potential that God has for your life. [26:36] The Christian life requires prayer, and you can’t live the Christian life without it.

[26:42] I need you to know that. [26:44] But God demands prayer, but then empowers you to pray. [26:49] He reveals to you, you don’t know how to pray. [26:52] And the good news is the Spirit is interceding for you. [26:57] Therefore, when you enter into an attitude of prayer, [27:01] when you enter into an environment of prayer,

[27:05] God is helping you. [27:07] God is speaking through you. [27:09] God is praying through you. [27:12] And I think some of you need to understand that there is no such thing as bad prayer. [27:21] It’s all good because it all ultimately communicates. [27:24] You need God to work.

[27:27] And that is where God wants you all the time. [27:30] God wants you expressing that. [27:32] You will pray some foolish things, [27:35] but there’s no such thing as a foolish prayer.

[27:40] If you’re weak, you’re going to pray for the wrong stuff. [27:43] I’ve been following Jesus since I was 12 years old. [27:45] I came to Jesus younger in life. [27:47] My parents were Christians, and my parents led me to faith in Christ. [27:51] And it’s been a grace to me. [27:52] But when I was in high school, the things I prayed for were really dumb.

[27:58] When I was 16, I prayed for a Corvette. [28:03] But I got a Ford Aerostar minivan. [28:05] And some of y’all don’t even know what that is. [28:07] They don’t even make it anymore.

[28:11] At 39, I’m grateful that I didn’t get the Corvette. [28:15] I don’t know what would have happened to me. [28:18] But I prayed for some foolish things. [28:22] But I’m not afraid of praying for foolish things. [28:24] I pray for all sorts of things that God says no to. [28:27] You need to pray about every single thing in your life.

[28:32] There is no limitation to the things that God is interested in [28:36] that are going on in your life. [28:39] God wants you to bring all of them before him. [28:41] Because when you pray, you put yourself in that posture of dependence [28:46] to where you look to God and you say, God, I need what you want to happen in my life. [28:54] I pray for money.

[28:55] I pray for healing. [28:56] I pray for wisdom. [28:58] I pray for provision. [28:59] I pray for everything. [29:01] I pray that God would be working in my life, in any and all circumstances of my life. [29:10] Because every word that I pray, the Holy Spirit inhabits.

[29:15] I pray for things he says yes to. [29:18] I pray for things he says wait. [29:20] I pray for things he says no to. [29:22] And the Holy Spirit was with me in every single one of those things.

[29:27] But it gets better. [29:28] The gospel is always a little better than you think. [29:31] God doesn’t just pray through me. [29:35] The Holy Spirit also prays for me. [29:38] That’s the second thing you see in that passage.

[29:42] God prays for me. [29:45] And that’s the most fascinating thing about this text. [29:47] And it’s always just been an amazing reality that I can’t quite wrap my mind around. [29:51] Because it’s something that the text itself says that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. [29:57] Sometimes with groanings that are too deep for words.

[30:03] There are multiple times every week. [30:07] And I’m not ashamed to tell you this. [30:09] That the burden is too great.

[30:12] That I think the calling is too much. [30:15] I think what God wants from me is more than I can handle. [30:18] And there are sometimes in those moments where the burden gets great and I’ll enter [30:22] into an environment of prayer and I’ll be by myself. [30:25] And I’ll be praying and I’ll get just burdened about something. [30:28] And I will just say, God, I don’t even know what to ask you for.

[30:36] This is above my pay grade. [30:39] The need that I have in this specific situation. [30:41] Or the need that my wife has. [30:43] Or the need that my children have. [30:44] Or the need that this church member has. [30:47] It’s so great, God.

[30:49] I don’t even know what to ask you for right now. [30:51] I don’t even know how to tell you that I want you to work because I don’t know.

[31:00] And in that moment, I just very simply, this happens multiple times a week, [31:03] I just say, Holy Spirit, pray for me. [31:05] And I’ll sit in silence.

[31:09] If you know how to say every single thing that you need from God,

[31:18] your prayer life isn’t that deep. [31:21] And your burden isn’t that great.

[31:26] In those moments, I don’t know how it works. [31:31] I don’t know how the Holy Spirit intercedes for me with groanings too deep for words. [31:38] I just know that there are times when I need God to work and that’s the limit of my knowledge.

[31:47] And I just trust. [31:49] Spirit, pray. [31:51] And I will sit in absolute silence.

[31:55] And just think on the Spirit. [31:59] And then I move on.

[32:03] The Holy Spirit of God, the eternal God, the Spirit, [32:09] has been gifted into my life by Jesus Christ Himself. [32:14] And He looks to me and He says, in those moments where you are confused, [32:20] in those moments where you don’t know what to do, [32:23] in those moments where you don’t know where to turn, [32:27] in those moments when you’re like me and you pride yourself in having all of the answers,

[32:32] and you have to admit, God, I don’t have all the answers. [32:36] I don’t know what to do. [32:38] As a matter of fact, my knowledge is so weak in this moment, [32:42] I don’t even know what to ask for.

[32:47] The eternal Spirit of God looks to me and He says, I’ll take over.

[32:55] And that’s the limit of my understanding on this subject.

[32:59] But it is the greatest grace I experience multiple times a week. [33:06] And I’m so thankful for the Spirit’s prayers. [33:10] I’m so comforted for the Spirit’s prayers. [33:13] Why?

[33:15] Here’s what 1 Corinthians 2-11 says. [33:18] He says, for who knows a person’s thoughts except the Spirit of that person which is in him. [33:25] He must have understood the dynamic between a husband and wife. [33:29] That I just sit there and I’m like, what are you thinking right now? [33:32] I, I, what?

[33:35] And it goes on. [33:37] So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God, here it is, except the Spirit of God. [33:44] What you need to understand is that your prayer life should be deep enough [33:48] to where you admit you don’t always know what you need. [33:51] Your prayer life should be deep enough to where you admit you don’t always know what to ask for. [33:56] Your prayer life should be deep enough where you admit God knows things that I don’t know.

[34:03] But in that moment, we should be humble enough. [34:06] We should be dependent enough. [34:08] We should be God centered enough where we look and we just say, by God’s grace, Jesus [34:15] told the Father, send the Spirit. [34:18] The Spirit came. [34:20] The Spirit has filled me.

[34:21] The Spirit is indwelling me. [34:23] And the Holy Spirit that is in my life has never been confused about what God the Father is thinking. [34:31] He has never been mistaken about what God the Son is doing. [34:37] He knows every thought that the Father has. [34:41] The Father knows every thought that the Spirit has and their purpose and their mission for me [34:47] is exactly the same.

[34:49] And so when I go in prayer, I pray in a Spirit that knows what God wants. [34:56] And that’s why verse 27, here’s where he goes. [34:58] He says, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to what? [35:03] The will of God. [35:06] The Spirit not only empowers me to pray, the Spirit knows what the answer to everything [35:12] I pray for is.

[35:14] And he is actively working in my life to point me in that direction.

[35:20] There’s no greater comfort than that in my life. [35:23] There’s no greater joy in my life than knowing that God is in me and God is working and [35:29] God knows me and he knows himself and he knows his will and he’s moving me in that direction.

[35:38] The Spirit of God has the mind of God and that makes it a supernatural endeavor. [35:45] He intercedes for us. [35:48] Towards number three this morning, prayer aligns you with God’s good purpose. [35:53] Prayer aligns you with God’s good purpose. [35:56] And I think that’s a struggle. [35:58] And I think for many of us, that’s a problem.

[36:01] Maybe it’s not the problem, but it is a problem. [36:05] It’s verse 28 says this, and we know that for those who love God, [36:10] all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose. [36:15] The foundation upon which prayer rests is the sovereignty of God. [36:22] That is the posture of Romans 8. [36:25] Everything that Romans 8 is built upon is first an assumption of the sovereignty of God,

[36:32] but then a direct statement in verse 28 and following that God is sovereign, [36:38] but he’s not just sovereign. [36:41] He is sovereign towards a distinct purpose. [36:46] And he tells us in this passage that that purpose that he is working everything in my life [36:53] towards is not just his purpose, but it is a good purpose. [36:59] And I think right there is the tension of what I think my life is for

[37:05] and what God knows my life is for begin to have some turmoil because trusting and submitting [37:13] to verse 28 in light of verses 26 and 27 demands more trust in God than many of you think that [37:23] you are capable of. [37:25] But here’s why you need to submit to that. [37:27] There are two qualifiers in this text. [37:30] He says that all things work together for good first for those who love God.

[37:36] Second for those who are the called according to his purposes. [37:40] And those are qualifications. [37:42] So everything in verse 28 every ounce of victory is qualified by do you love God and are you called [37:51] according to his purpose and what he’s saying there is are you a Christian? [37:56] Non-Christians if you are in here and you do not have faith in Jesus Christ, [38:00] I’m glad you’re here.

[38:02] But the bad news for you this morning is that you can’t apply verse 28 to your life. [38:08] You can’t. [38:10] You have no foundation upon which to rest the purpose of your life. [38:16] All that you are promised is what you have if you’re not a Christian. [38:22] The only purpose that you are promised if you are not a Christian [38:27] is what’s right in front of your face.

[38:29] And there is no promise on your life that all of it is going to combine for your ultimate good. [38:38] You do not have that promise but you can have it through Jesus.

[38:44] But for the Christian in here, what you must understand about what verse 28 is saying about [38:51] your prayer is that it is giving purpose to prayer. [38:54] And it is saying that when you enter into the environments of life where you don’t even feel [39:00] like being there, you know you are weak but you’re trusting the Spirit to empower you, [39:04] to strengthen you, and to direct you, you are entering into a place in which God is going to [39:10] point you in a specific direction and the only way that you’re going to go the direction that

[39:15] God wants you to go oftentimes in life is if you number one trust his good and number two [39:22] love him for who he is.

[39:26] And the problem with some of you is that you trust God with the future from Romans 8, 18 through 25 [39:35] but you struggle to trust God with the present of Romans 8, 26, and 27. [39:41] That you want heaven and you say Jesus will get me heaven, [39:45] he will secure my future, no hell because no one wants that.

[39:54] But right here, right now, the only thing that I’m sure of is what’s right in front of me. [40:03] And so I need the comfort of this world, I need the wisdom of this world, I need the direction of [40:09] this world, and I need everything that this world has to offer me and I’ll just put enough Jesus on [40:15] top of that to convince myself no hell. That’s not what Paul’s talking about here. [40:22] Paul is saying that if you want the strength of the Holy Spirit, you have to submit to God [40:27] for absolutely everything that he has because it is better than what you have for yourself

[40:33] in every single circumstance. But the problem is you don’t trust that God’s good is as good as [40:40] your good. And so many people have experienced so many relationships in which people will look [40:47] at the life that they have and they will be afraid that God is going to alter the direction [40:54] that they want in life because if you reach a certain place in life, you probably have a [40:59] direction that you want your life to go in. You probably have a direction that your life is on. [41:05] Career, you have family, you have a mortgage, you have children, you have all of these different

[41:11] variables in your life and you’re looking at it and there is the wisdom of this world and you are [41:16] afraid that God is going to bring into question whether you should live by the wisdom of this [41:22] world or whether he’s going to call you to do something that you think is crazy.

[41:28] But God’s promise is the same. And the reality is that if everything in this life is cherished by [41:36] you, number one, you don’t love God. And number two, you are God in your life. In Romans chapter [41:50] two, Paul builds this idea in Romans eight about the good of God on verse four. He says, [41:56] do you presume on the riches of God’s kindness and forbearance and patience, [42:02] not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

[42:10] So many of us struggle with thinking the will of God for our lives is better than our own will [42:15] because we are building into our lives a habit of only changing course when we’re afraid of God. [42:26] You think, okay, I repent when I feel like God’s going to judge me. [42:31] I repent when I think God is going to bring something unpleasant into my life because of my [42:35] sin. I repent because I’m afraid that at some point God is going to pour his fiery wrath on my [42:42] life because I didn’t get up and read the Bible this morning. And that is how you dictate your

[42:49] own discipleship. And the apostle Paul comes in and he says, yes, God will judge sin. And yes, [42:56] if you don’t repent and cling to Jesus, he’s going to judge your sin. But your life of repentance [43:02] is not meant to simply be predicated on a fear of his judgment. Your life of repenting from sin [43:09] is to be predicated on the reality that, yes, you deserve God’s fiery wrath. Yes, [43:14] you deserve God’s judgment. But instead on the cross, he poured every ounce of his wrath for you [43:21] on his son. Jesus paid the penalty for your sin. And then he rose from the dead three days later

[43:28] to give you a new life. And when you look at all that God has done for you in Jesus and you look [43:36] at the power that he has sown into your life through the Holy Spirit, you look to a God who [43:41] has proven his love for you and you look back to that God and you say, God, I love you. I can’t [43:47] imagine a God who would be more kind. I can’t imagine a God who would do more for me. And you [43:52] look at the life that you’ve designed, you look at the direction that you are in and you hold it [43:57] all in an open hand and you say, God, you are so good that if you want to take anything out of

[44:04] this plan and replace it with part of your plan instead, you’re good. Therefore, I know it’s good.

[44:13] Anything you want, God, my life’s in an open hand. Do you want me to change my career? I’ll do it. [44:21] It’ll be hard. But not my will, God, your will because you’re good. Therefore, I know it will [44:27] be good and it will deliver more joy into my life than I ever knew I was capable of.

[44:34] And I’ll tell you, he might do that. It could. At any given moment, God through the Spirit may [44:40] look into your life and say, I don’t want this career out of you. I want that career out of you. [44:45] I don’t want this lifestyle from you. I want that lifestyle from you. I don’t want you to live here. [44:49] I want you to live there. But friends, it rarely starts with that. I’ve only in a few occasions [44:56] seen God start working in those ways in someone’s life. It works by you waking up in the morning [45:03] and saying being in God’s Word is better than not being in God’s Word. Being in prayer is better

[45:10] than not being in prayer. Gathering with the people of God is better than not gathering with [45:15] the people of God. Serving people is better than not serving people. Loving people is better than [45:23] loving people. Forgiving people is better than not forgiving people. And in all of those seemingly [45:30] small things that might be transformational for your life, you build a pattern of just trusting [45:39] the good God that saved you. And then when he looks to you and he says, here’s a big change, [45:47] you just look back and you say, add them in with all the small ones

[45:51] because your good is always better than my good. Romans 8 28 assumes that God is good because of [46:04] Jesus. And it assumes that you love him enough to trust his goodness. And it assumes that you want [46:13] to follow him because the direction he’s on is always better than any other direction. [46:21] Friends, when you trust God, he will build you a life that is always headed towards more good. [46:31] The path will be difficult. The decisions will be tough. The pain will be real. [46:38] But the end will always every time be good. Do you trust him? Do you love him? Are you called by him?

[46:53] Then everything will work for good. So just keep following him. Every Sunday we reflect [47:01] on the payment that was given so that we could have God’s good rather than God’s wrath. [47:08] The tables in the back and the tables in the front, the bread on the plates represents the [47:13] broken body of Christ. The cup represents his shed blood. And if you’re in here and you are a [47:19] follower of Jesus, then these tables will be open for you in a moment. You don’t have to be a member [47:23] here to partake in communion. If Jesus has saved you, he has removed the barrier for this meal.

[47:30] But when you eat and drink, you proclaim to everyone in here, I am a follower of Jesus. [47:36] Therefore, if you’re not a follower of Jesus, I don’t want you to lie to us this morning. [47:41] But what I do want you to do is I want you to understand that I think God has brought you here [47:46] because he wants you to be a follower of Jesus. And in just a moment, when other people are [47:51] partaking in communion, maybe you want to slip out into the foyer where there will be a leader [47:55] of the church there and they’ll answer questions you might have. They’ll explain the gospel. If

[48:00] you want them to, they’ll just pray with you if that’s all that you need today. But friend, [48:05] I want you to understand that God will save you right here and right now. If you will simply [48:13] trust the cross of Jesus Christ, Jesus died on the cross so that you could be forgiven [48:21] of every place that you fall short in life, every sin you’ve ever committed against God forgiven [48:27] because Jesus paid the price. And then he rose from the dead three days later to give you a new [48:33] life. And if you will simply, in your seat, right now, pray, God, I’m a sinner and God, I need Jesus

[48:45] to save me. Here’s the deal. If you pray that and you mean it, he’ll save you. He’ll never abandon [48:55] you. And he will deliver eternal life into your life today. But if you do that, understand [49:04] that you’re going to need his help to follow him through life. [49:08] And that’s why he’s going to give you the Holy Spirit. And that’s also why he’s going to give [49:12] you his church. We are here to be and make disciples. So if you are a follower of Jesus [49:19] Christ, when you’re ready, come eat, drink, proclaim your faith in Jesus.