Romans was written by Paul in approximately 57 AD in what was believed to be Corinth. It is the sixth book of the New Testament and is the longest and and said to be the most doctrinally significant letter the Apostle Paul ever wrote. That's why it's no surprise that there are ELEVEN lessons that can be found in Romans chapter 8 alone! Join me as I walk through each of these lessons and why they are important to us:
The Holy Spirit Strengthens Us in Our Weakness
Romans 8:26 : And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
The Holy Spirit strengthens us in our weakness. This is amazing because we all have weaknesses! The enemy would like us to believe that because of those weaknesses we are unable to do certain things. However, the bible clearly teaches us that God strengthens us in our weaknesses through the Holy Spirit who is with us all of the time. The Holy Spirit is even there to assist us in prayer! When the Devil tells you that you don’t pray right or long enough or in a way that is pleasing to God, he is LYING to you. This verse debunks that theory when it says that the Holy Spirit comes to help us pray when we do not know how to do so. Often times, the Lord will put things on our heart that He hopes we will be bold enough to ask Him for and, yet the enemy comes behind and says we do not deserve the things on our heart. The Holy Spirit helps us offer our prayers worthily (this is also why we pray in the name of Jesus Christ).
The Holy Spirit Teaches Us to Pray Accurately
Romans 8:26 : And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
The Holy Spirit also helps us learn to pray accurately, so we can rest in the understanding that when we are in prayer, He is praying through us. What’s the point of praying if you constantly doubt that you are praying right? The Holy Spirit can even read our groanings and translate that into a perfect prayer to God.
The Holy Spirit Prays PERFECT Prayers For and Through Us
Romans 8:27: And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
Every time we start to pray, we need to say “Father, in Jesus’ name, I come to you through the Holy Spirit, I’m trusting the Holy Spirit is aiding me and fixing my prayers up as they get to Your ears, for I know I alone cannot pray perfectly.”
All Things Work Out for Our Good as We Pray, Love God, and Want God’s Will
Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
God understands that prayer is a labor and a commitment sometimes but no matter what happens to us, or how bad our situation gets, if we will continue to pray, love God, and want His will, He will take it and God will make it all work out for good.
We are Destined to be like Christ
Romans 8:29 : For God knew his people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Jesus didn’t want to be the only one to live a resurrection life. He wanted to be the first born of many others who believed in Him and also wanted to live out that resurrection life in their everyday life. Predestined does not mean that it is automatically going to happen. It basically means that that is God’s will from the very beginning and if we will cooperate with that, then we will see that happen in our lives. In eternity past God predestined and made His mind up about the lives He wants us to live and then He called us to be justified as if we had never sinned so that we would be able to live the righteous and joyful life He set out for us and He has already in eternity future glorified us if we will stick with Him. We have been destined to not be a mess all of our lives and to not be overwhelmed by the circumstances of our lives, but to have an abundant and glorious life through Him. We are predestined to be molded into the very image of Jesus Christ, which is just AWESOME!
God is for Us!
Romans 8:31: What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
God is for us! The enemy cannot win when God has your back. We should not be bothered and hurt by the enemy because we CAN do ALL things through God.
Do Not Fear, God Will Provide EVERYTHING We Need!
Romans 8:32: Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else?
If God did not even withhold His own Son, then what else should we even be worried about? He can give us deliverance in all things. He did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. Fear will present itself to you, but when it does, you need to say “no, wait a minute, God is for me, He has already predetermined that I will live a resurrection life, and He did not withhold His only Son so He will not withhold anything else that I really need!"
God Justifies Us, He Never Condemns Us!
Romans 8:33: Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God Himself has given us right standing with Himself.
God justifies us. We have such a problem with guilt and condemnation, it weighs us down. Whereas true conviction by the Holy Spirit lets us know we did something wrong, but it lifts us up out of it. When condemnation comes from Satan (and sometimes he doesn’t even have to work too hard to condemn us), it burdens us. This does not come from God! Guilt is a lie from the Devil. Make sure to take time to receive God’s forgiveness when you repent.
GOD. LOVES. YOU! Don’t Ever Be Separated by that Love of God, as Nothing Can Ever
Romans 8:35: Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
Its so important that we do not let anything separate us from the love of Jesus, because knowing that you are loved makes you STRONG. Knowing that you’re loved gives you confidence and you hold your head up in it. God LOVES you and seeks an intimate relationship with you. Even in disappointment, hurt, and rejection, keep this in mind!
We are More than Conquerors through Christ Who Loved Us!
Romans 8:36-37: (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
We are more than conquerors through Christ. People who do not understand faith and trusting God, if they are looking onto our lives, it can look to them like we are sheep being led to the slaughter; because you are submissively waiting for God to deliver you. But in the midst of all those things, your life is always better knowing Jesus because before you ever get the problem, you already know that in the end you will win!
Be Deeply Rooted in the Love of God
Romans 8:38-39: And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Be deeply rooted in the love of God! A tree that has deep roots is not blown away in the storm. We should be deeply rooted and grounded in God’s love.
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Are you looking for a good reading plan and just don't know where to start? Join me in reading all about the Bible's teachings on Thanksgiving throughout the whole month of November! Check out our November reading plan below and don't forget to stop by our Instagram Live (@whitneygibbsministries) each evening to discuss the day's readings!
