The Groaning Ministry of the Holy Spirit

God the Holy Spirit has a very unique ministry to us. It is to pray for us by groaning to God the Father.

INTRODUCTION

Our historic Christian belief is that there is one God, and that he is three Persons:

God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit.

They are not three different gods. There is only One God, but three Persons. We use the historic word “Trinity.”

In a few Bible verses, we find that One Person of the Trinity prays to another Person of the Trinity. God the Holy Spirit prays to God the Father.

THREE EQUAL PERSONS

Even though the Holy Spirit prays to the Father, that does not mean that the Holy Spirit is “less than” the Father.

They’re not in a hierarchical relationship. One is not subordinate to another. They’re equals.

The Holy Spirit interceding for us is one of the many ways that God ministers to us.

INTERCEDES

When the Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit interceding for us, the Greek word for “interceding” is huperentugchanó.

It occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It is a very special and unique ministry of the Holy Spirit on our behalf.

We’re accustomed to our family and friends interceding for us. But this intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit is totally unique.

GROANINGS

When the Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit groaning for us, Greek word is stenagmos.

It means groaning or sighing, especially brought on by circumstances that generate great pressure.

The King James Version puts it this way: “groanings which cannot be uttered.”

These groanings are one of the many ways that the Holy Spirit helps us.

WHAT ARE THESE GROANINGS?

The Holy Spirit is our Helper, interceding for us by means of inexpressible groanings. But what are these groanings?

Many people see it like this: a situation has come up, and you don’t know what to pray for. The Holy Spirit prompts you to groan. Instead of praying with words, you yourself pray with groans.

You are the groaner.

That interpretation is wonderful, except for one little thing: the Bible says it’s the Holy Spirit that does the groaning, not us.

The Holy Spirit groans, in inexpressible ways, in “groanings which cannot be uttered” (KJV).

We call this the “Groaning Ministry” of the Holy Spirit.

BIBLE VERSES

Psalm 102:8. I lie awake and moan, like a lone sparrow on the roof. (NAB translation)

John 11:38. Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

John 14:16. I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever:

John 14:17. the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.

Romans 8:26. In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.