Our Helper in Prayer
John 16:5-15
As Jesus neared the time of His death, He frequently referred to the Helper He would be sending. The Holy Spirit was promised to enable and instruct believers. He is often called the Comforter – Parakletos in Greek – the one who comes to stand by us and assist in whatever God calls us to do.
One of the most significant responsibilities of the Holy Spirit is to be our Helper in prayer. The burden we feel to pray comes from Him. He knows about temptations lurking ahead or harsh experiences that may befall us, so He prompts us to talk to our Father. When you sense a need to pray, the last thing you should do is ignore it. First Thessalonians 5:19 tells us, “Do not quench the Spirit;” in other words, to ignore that divine prodding is a sin.
Often the Holy Spirit offers the opportunity to participate in God’s work by burdening us to pray for someone else. Many times I have received calls asking me if I was going through a tough time. Invariably, my caller has been praying for me at the behest of the Holy Spirit.
This burdening of our hearts to pray for ourselves or others is a special demonstration of God’s love. By calling us to prayer, He can begin the delicate work of sensitizing us to our surrounding circumstances or preparing us for a battle that He knows is coming. Listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and allowing ourselves to be prepared is how we display our love in return.
Daily Devotions with Dr. Charles Stanlley, InTouch Ministries