her part. Often we are in the same predicament spiritually. Burdens and cares distress us and it is then our hearts cry out for help. The Holy Spirit helps in a sphere where others are absolutely powerless. He enters into the inner-precincts of our lives where others cannot pos sibly follow. When they may whis per into our ears, seeking to give external stimulation, He dwells within to garrison and fortify us in our most vulnerable areas. The Holy Spirit is referred to 262 times in the New Testament. Only three books (Philemon and II & III John) do not mention Him. This shows the important role He occu pies in the plan of Cod for us. As you think of your problems and needs, put over against them this wonderful truth, "the Spirit also helpeth." We know the Holy Spirit helps us in our prayer lives as be lievers. This is the immediate ap plication of the text (Romans 8:26). If there is any place where our ignorance begins to show up, it is certainly in the field of interces sion. Weymouth translates it, "We do not know what prayers to offer, nor in what way to offer them." The disciples asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray." We have no rec ord of them ever asking Him to teach them to preach or to wit ness. Prayer is where our infirmity or weakness stands out most con spicuously. Prayer is the method Cod has ordained for the prosecu tion of His work in the world. In the Sermon on the Mount we have the earliest and simplest teaching about this subject. The Saviour de clared, "Ask and ye shall receive." Someone has aptly said, "Cod puts His blessings down low so that they are easily obtainable." The degree of desire will deter
mine the earnestness of our asking. The problem is that so much of our petitioning is inherently selfish (James 4:1-3). Because our asking is often infiltrated with inferior de sires. For this reason our receiving is always jeopardized. The help of the Spirit is needed to purify and direct our petitions. Certain individuals here and there throughout the ages have obtained great heights of effective ness through prayer. I think of men like Dr. E. M. Bounds who has written many of the most penetrat ing and helpful books on the sub ject. The testimony of Cod's mir aculous answers became synono- mous with the ministry of George Mueller, the one who ran the or phanage in Bristol, England. Yet, the same Holy Spirit's help is avail able for each of us as well, no matter how weak or strong we may now be. Spiritual insight and discernment are among the most precious priv ileges of every child of God (Ephe sians 1:17, 18; Philippians 1:9-10; Colossians 1:9). The Apostle Paul knew that this is a very vital ele ment in Christian experience. Too many people are being perplexed and confused by listening to "wan dering minstrels" who sing strange songs. Some professing believers are very restless going from church to church like tramps, tasting this sermon and that one, trying to find something new to tickle their fan cy. In these crises days we need solid, stalwart men and women of faith who really know what they believe and are effectively witness ing for Christ. Such a consistent life of purpose comes through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. D. L. Moody penned in the front of his
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