The Holy Spirit Will Empower You to Pray

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.  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.

Romans 8:26, 27 (NIV)

 Props:  bowling ball and pins  

            When we go bowling our goal is to knock all of the pins down.  What are some things that help us do that? (Throwing the ball with strength, holding your wrist straight, lining up with the arrows, using “Buddy Bumpers” when necessary)  We must do our part and the other instruments (arrows, bumpers) will do their part. 

            When we pray, our main goal is to reach God.  But sometimes, no matter how hard we’re trying, our prayers end up in the “gutter.”  In other words, sometimes our prayers don’t reach God because we don’t pray the things that God wants us to.  We can get “off track” in our prayers without even realizing it, by praying selfish prayers or asking for things that aren’t for our best or the best of others.  The job of the Holy Spirit is to keep us “on track” so that our prayers will reach God.  The Spirit will always pray the things that God wants.  So we need to “line up” our prayers with God’s Word, just like I line up my ball with the arrows when I go bowling.  But we also need to allow the Holy Spirit to pray for us and through us.  He will act like the “Buddy Bumpers” for our prayers.  He will make sure that our prayers line up with God’s will and that they will reach God. 

            We can be our best with God’s Holy Spirit.  He will make our prayer life powerful.