Posted: 07/15/2010 at 2:46pm | IP Logged

In Romans 8:22-23 and 26 there are 3 interesting characteristics of groaning. Paul specifically addresses each one as to its importance, and I find myself agreeing as to its value to the believer as well as to the corporate body.

Romans 8: 22-23-

²² For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. ²³ And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Luke 21:28;

26 Likewise the Spirit also help our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered.

Matt 20:22; Jas 4:3;

²⁷ And he that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

If we are spiritually tuned we can hear the very groaning of all creation. The wars, rebellion, anger, frustration, the grief, the endless search for meaning are all expressions of creation groaning. Its hope is dim but it still longs for deliverance. This groaning will only increase in the days to come, until it gives way to an expression of birthing like the labor pains of a mother giving birth. Some of us are hearing this and desire to participate in creations deliverance.

Paul called it the adoption, the redemption of our body. Seemingly it may appear to be beyond our grasp, but it is the longing of our spirit man. Our bodies, sometimes filled with a groaning that often become a difficult task in the natural, but, then we engage in a travail generated by the Holy Spirit and he like a midwife assists us as we enter into a  hope, for our full deliverance.

Adoption means son-placement:

vs 23- waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

G5206 (Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries)

G5206 huiothesia (hwee-oth-es-ee'-ah) n.

1. the placing as a son

2. (concretely) adoption

3. (figuratively) Christian sonship in respect to God

[from a presumed compound of G5207 and a derivative of G5087]

KJV: adoption (of children, of sons)

Root(s): G5207, G5087

[?]

Redemption means, the release from a bondage by payment of a ransom. There yet seems to be this longing for a further working of sanctification in us. It is like a travail of birth. Our glory is that our ransom has been paid. Jesus paid it...

Colossians 2:

¹³ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Eph 2:1;

¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

¹⁵ And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Gen 3:15; Matt 12:29; Luke 11:22; John 12:31; John 16:11;

3) The groaning of the Holy Spirit:

He does this within us, not in some place far from us. We are learning to participate with Him in His groaning with a burden of intercession that embraces; infirmity, ones need to overcome sin, poverty, ignorance, and hopelessness. We bring the infirmity, or whatever is the weighty burden of our souls, in before the very 'throne of God's grace'. God's hand moves powerfully- we are then praying through.

Now we are being prepared to go through one of the darkest nights, more troublesome than any of us have ever known. Yet, the Holy Spirit is ready to go into it with us. This will release a powerful time, the world has not yet seen, it will be a manifestation of the SON OF GOD (perhaps we might consider that in this we may have missed this truth, the word manifestation is the same word as in Galatians 1: where Paul said he received a revelation;

Galatians 1: 12, & 15, 16-

For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To "reveal" his Son in me,

Perhaps we would give heed to the fact that the disclosure that the whole world awaits is more of Christ coming forth in us, than we coming forth in Him.

Colossians 1:26-28-

It is not in the Lord's purposes that we will be asked to endure the things that we see coming about all alone, (sidebar hint: in order for there to be a witness there has to be two, the Holy Spirit always witnesses to truth, for He is the Spirit of Truth) so the Holy Spirit broods over the deep in order to bring forth His light out of darkness, learn that principle now, beloved.

All creation groaning, we having the firstfruits of the Spirit groaning, and the Holy Spirit groaning in us. Likened to travail, like the pains of birth, because of this seed of hope.

There are believers that the Holy Spirit is preparing who are to the best of my ability in saying, are being apprehended by a purpose that is beyond them fulfilling it themselves, if you will.

They are beginning to identify with the Holy Spirit as He is producing a further working of travail rising up from within our very being.

If you choose to go forward and you desire to, there needs to be a birthing by the Holy Spirit which transcends  praying with our understanding. He is ready to bring us to a place where we cry out for this union within our own spirit.

From this station He is ready to fashion prayers that can't be grasped by our finite human understanding, nor for that matter our enemy's as well. (If I pray in an unknown tongue, howbeit I speak mystery's unto the Lord).

I believe the engaging is being directed by the Holy Spirit in order to prepare us for the things that seek to disrupt what God intends for our lives. Things like discouragement, anger, resentment, fear, worry, guilt, and so on, drain us from any physical, mental, moral, or even sometimes spiritual strength.

We are learning that He doesn't want to be a casual visitor, He wants to be a permanent occupant in us, when we ask Him to remain within us as a daily sacrifice, He will join with us and strengthen us to be victorious against any spiritual invader, and bring us into conquests, for in all things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. Romans 8:37

Romans 8:26-

Likewise the Spirit helps our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought...

but the Spirit Himself, makes intercession for us with groaning that cannot be uttered.

Greek word for intercession:

G5241 (Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries)

G5241 huperentugchano (hoop-er-en-toong-khan'-o)

1. to intercede in behalf of

[from G5228 and G1793]

KJV: make intercession for

Huge Greek word which means to go to someone in behalf of another, for consultation, for petition. It gives reference to one who may not be able to approach himself to a monarch, so one is appointed to address so eminent a One, so what Paul is saying is this is a work of the Holy Spirit from within our own beings.

Yet, there remains an interesting verse in Romans 8:

Now we are seeing that the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus, Himself represent us according to the way ordained for us by God. The Holy Spirit from the aspect of the very breath of God breathed into Adam, He remains ready to enter us and to bring us into the path ordained for us by God, Jesus said, receive you the Holy Spirit and He then breathed on them.

When I received the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, I received His value system:

Ephesians 1:

⁷ In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Acts 20:28; Col 1:14; Heb 9:12; 1Pet 1:18

also in verse 11:

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will: Rom 8:17;

^{predestinated-}

^{G4309 (Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries)}

G4309 proorizo (proh-or-id'-zo) v.

1. to limit in advance

2. (figuratively) predetermine

[from G4253 and G3724]

KJV: determine before, ordain, predestinate

Root(s): G4253, G3724

This gives reference to one who has been marked out beforehand, to design with a definite and prior intention...this verse is clear; we are not predestinated to heaven or hell; we are predestinated unto the adoption of children-huiothesian- It means placement in a household as a mature son, ready to receive the inheritance of the family:

• by Jesus Christ:

• ^{to adoption as children (sons, in the making)}

^{Our Heavenly Father has placed so great a value on our worth to Him, and to His kingdom, that our minds reach their limit before we can grasp just how much He does indeed value us. That's the reason His loving offer comes first to our heart. When our mind seeks to fathom the depth of His grace, its left still reaching without ever knowing the grace for which it reaches.}

^{Romans 10:10-}

^{For with the heart man believes...}

^{So we as it were while our hearts pursue how much we perceive that the price has been paid for our redemption, given by God's grace, through the blood of His Son. Here lies the value God has place in us.}

^{The 9 fold Promise of the Lord Jesus regarding the Holy Spirit:}

^{1) The Abiding Comforter- John 14:16- and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.}

^{2) The Spirit of Truth- John 14:17- Even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive...but you know Him, for He shall be with you and in you.}

^{3) The Teacher- John 14:17- He shall teach you all things...}

^{4) The Reminder- John 14:26b- and bring all things to your remembrance}

^{5) The Witness- John 15:26- even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, He shall testify of Me:}

^{6) The Reprover- John 16:8- and when He is come, he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgement}

^{7) The Guide of Truth- John 16:13- when He shall come He shall guide you into all truth...}

^{8) The Revealer of things to come-John 16:13- He shall not speak of Himself; and He will show you things to come}

^{9) The One who glorifies Jesus- John 16:14,15- He shall glorify Me; for He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.}

^{9 Powerful Works of the Spirit revealed:}

^{1) Divine Enabler: He will enable us to live above the Law- Romans 8:1,3,4}

^{2) Life -giver- He will give renewed life to our bodies- Romans 8:11}

^{3) One who conquers carnality from within us- Romans 8:13}

^{4) The Governing Force of our lives- Romans 8:14}

^{5) The Spirit of Adoption- Romans 8:15}

^{6) One who bears witness with our spirit- Romans 8:16}

^{7) Instigator of Travail- ( He will release in us the longing for our full redemption) Romans 8:23}

^{8) The Helper of Our infirmities- He will help us overcome our infirmities- Romans 8:26}

^{9) One who intercedes for us until we come into what He has for us- Romans 8:27}

^{It is this kind of intercession that will release us unto the full and perfect will of God.}

^{Isaiah 26:12, 13- Lord, you will ordain peace for us: for You have wrought all our works in us. O Lord our God, other lords besides you have had dominion over us: but by You only will we make mention of Your Name.}

^{In the Song of Solomon chapter 5 there is an interesting perspective in where we might see this from another angle.}

^{Chapter 5:}

^{2 I sleep, but my heart wakes: it is the voice of my beloved that knocks, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.}

^{3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?}

^{4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.}

^{5 I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.}

^{6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. Song 3:1;}

^{7 The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.}

^{8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. Song 3:5;}

^{We are facing many challenges in this hour, decisions are being placed before us, in order to allow the working of the Holy Spirit to build within a very significant house of devotion, in order to bring forth a place of ministry. It is revealed here in the Scriptures. We might say we are in part this woman and many perhaps represent these aspects in a corporate body.}

^{The woman here has come to a place of rest or lackadaisical attitude, a place of security, comfort, carefree, and yet her lover seeks to draw her away into the night.}

^{It is interesting how she knows its her lover but she has come to the place of self satisfaction , seemingly she has washed her feet (in the Word), crawled into bed with all the promises of the Book are mine, but wait there is something missing. She has become comfortable in her own eyes.}

^{So her lover reaches into her comfort to let her know He was there and when she knows it is Him, (see how the Holy Spirit is a gentleman), she arises to see He only has left an aroma of the fragrance of His presence to come away with her beloved.}

^{Now comes the challenge to rise up and go find her lover, did she miss the day of her visitation, what of the night, the dew of the morning has not yet dissipated with the rising of the sun (Son).}

^{Alas, the watchmen find her and misunderstand her attire, but wait, they don't know she seeks her love, and they took her veil from her. (her covering)}

^{Now she is left with only one place to journey...}

^{(Song 6:1 [KJV])}

Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.

(Song 6:2 [KJV])

My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

(Song 6:3 [KJV])

I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.

^{Now, where did the Lord go? He went to the garden to inspect the spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather among the lilies.}

^{Now learn a truth, a nugget out from the heart of the Lord...}

^{John 21:}

^{1The first day of the week comes Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark...}

^{11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,}

^{Matt 28:1; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4;}

^{12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.}

^{Matt 28:9; Mark 16:9;}

^{15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.}

^{When Mary comes to the place where they have laid the Master she cannot find him. She also comes with burial spices as to the custom...Sound familiar?}

^{Mary is a type of believers today, lost in the night, wanting to find this one whom her soul longs for, but, there is just one problem.}

^{Mary comes from a word that means bitter one or rebellious! Oh but see the grace of God here for us all. She rises early just like the woman in the Song of Solomon, looking for the One who had the bitterness of myrrh upon His hands, the sting of death that He tasted for us all, that He might destroy the one even the devil who had the power of death over us all (Hebrews 2:14).}

^{Now supposing Him to be the gardener:}

^{Colossians 1:16- For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in the earth...}

^{John 20:15-17-}

^{Because she thought he was the gardener, she said to him, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him. 16 Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned and said to him in Aramaic, Rabboni(which means Teacher). 17 Jesus replied, Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.}

^{It is interesting in Scripture how the Lord here is mistaken for the gardener, this second Adam as Paul states, a life-giving spirit; I sort of imagine that He was quite comfortable in this environment. Perhaps he was singing while working among some tender plants.}

^{Thinking back to the Lord walking through the garden way back in Eden, singing a song of the vineyards I believe...that is why the Lord created a garden. He has an inkling for plants, seed-time and harvest, we are planted in the likeness of death (travail) that we might come forth in the likeness of His glory.}

^{1 Corinthians 15:42-49-}

^{After all, He is the lily of the valley!}

^{The Lord Jesus was probably quite comfortable as He worked in the garden by the tomb. Isn't it amazing how the Lord takes us from this place of groaning with our very soul? We desire to be clothed with His Glory and we shall Paul said in Galatians a similar verse that can sum it all up I suppose...}

^{Galatians 4:19-}

^{My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,}

^{Is it not the eternal message written in the pages of our eternal Lord who knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end?}

^Mp