GENUINE HOLY SPIRIT GROANING PRODUCES GOOD FRUIT

  “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For  we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered.”—Romans 8:26

 

The Scripture tells us that Jesus was friends with Lazarus and his sister, Mary and Martha.  In fact, Jesus spent times with them in their home and eating with them.  However, Jesus was in another town when word reached Him that Lazarus was sick and that his sister’s wanted Him to come and see their brother.  When Jesus arrived Mary came out to meet him, she fell down at his feet crying and saying that her brother would not have died if He had been there.  Then we read a most amazing statement, “Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled” (John 11:33 emphasis added).  The word “groaned” as translated here expresses that Jesus was deeply moved, but not necessarily with sorrow.  It was more of a groan of anger at Satan who had caused all the grief and sorrow that He was seeing around Him.  Jesus came to,  “…destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14), and He was grieved to see the pain His enemy had inflicted on those He loved.

 

This is the type of groaning that the Holy Spirit does for us that Paul wrote about in Romans 8:26.  It is not just the Holy Spirit sympathizing with us, but it is the Holy Spirit doing battle for us when we do not know how to pray.  In the case of Lazarus, the Holy Spirit used Jesus to do battle against death and for Lazarus to be released from the grave.

 

Everyone who has the Holy Spirit in them either has, or will have this experience.  The groaning of the Holy Spirit is not just grief but righteous anger and resistance against Satan’s devices in our lives.  Many times Christians do not discern this because they think that they are just grieved over their situation, but the Holy Spirit is moving them into intercession with Him against their common enemy, Satan.

 

Although the groaning of the Holy Spirit inside of you is not uttered, you can react to it with audible groans or physical movement of some kind, like someone who is grieving.  There is nothing wrong with this as long as you do not confuse your reaction with the Holy Spirit’s action.  Notice in Romans 8:26 that you are responding to the Holy Spirit’s silent groaning inside of you.  “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered”. 

 

The genuine groaning in the Spirit is priceless and always produces good fruit in your life, so when this happens, just flow with the Holy Spirit. 

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for the Holy Spirit in my life.  Together Lord, we are doing big business with you—kingdom business, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

BROKENNESS IN OUR LIFE PRODUCES THE TRUE POWER

 “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ So Peter went out and wept bitterly.’”—Luke 22:62

 

Sometimes we are so sure that we are too strong to be broken that we do not understand the purpose that brokenness can serve in our lives.  Peter, one of Jesus’ first disciples, was such a man.  He was so sure of himself that even when Jesus told all of the disciples that they would stumble Peter said, “…even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.  Jesus said to him, ‘assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!’ And so said all the disciples” (Matthew 26:33-35). 

 

Scripture records that Peter did deny Jesus three times and yet through the brokenness that occurred in his life God was able to use his genuine repentance in a most powerful way.  God used this man who had denied His Son to preach the first sermon after Pentecost.  Peter was the disciple that received the revelation that salvation was not just for the Jews, but it included the Gentile world too.  God continues to use individual’s that have experienced true brokenness in their lives.

 

The Power of Brokenness is never Weakness.  It is coming to the end of one’s self-life.  Jesus said that the broken man is truly a blessed man, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).  Through brokenness we comprehend that we are finite people in tremendous need of a Savior.  A person will surrender herself or himself to the Redeemer only when she or he grasps the reality that she or he deserves divine judgment for sin and that the only hope is Christ’s mercy.  The life of brokenness begins when the individual is quick to repent.  Sin is not swept under the carpet, nor are excuses given; such as, time heals all things.  No, the broken soul rushes into the presence of God and cries out to Him saying, Lord, I have sinned.

The Power of Brokenness produces true Humility.  Until our pride is broken we will not humble ourselves before God or men.  Brokenness and humility are the results of a deep consciousness of personal guilt before God over sin, seeing our overwhelming need of a Savior, and then clinging to Christ as a result.  People who are in a right relationship with their Creator will grow in brokenness and humility until their dying day. “He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the LORD require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah. 6:8).  Humility and brokenness are inseparably interwoven so as to bring a person to surrender, repentance and victory.

The Power of Brokenness causes true revival.  Revival is birthed through humble and broken saints who yearn to see the glory of God.  In many nations of the world, Christians are suffering tremendous persecution.  God is using the persecution to ignite revival.  Because the Christians have lost virtually everything, they have no other hope than to desperately seek God’s face. 

 

Where there is pride, there is no confession of sin and no forgiveness.  When you are broken, you have no pride.  When you are broken you are willing to ‘give in,’ you do not find your identity in always being right.

 
Brokenness heals relationships, pride and unforgiveness destroys them.  The splintered American church will find healing and anointing when brokenness defines her character.

Matthew 14:19 shows us a wonderful example of brokenness, “Then he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.”   Until God breaks your will, He will never use you. You will remain only a nice loaf of bread.  The power of brokenness let’s us lay down our lives for people who are not perfect, but need the love of God in their lives.

 

Prayer—Father I repent of pride in my life.  Holy Spirit will You please shine Your light onto any areas of my heart where I harbor pride?  And I ask You Father to forgive me.  Lord will You please help me to walk in true humility in my life?  Father show me the people who need to know Your love and I ask You to use me in demonstrating Your love to them, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.