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  OUR HELPER IN PRAYER
  by Charles Stanley
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Summary: The Holy Spirit is our Helper in prayer, prompting us to pray
in times of need and offering opportunities to participate in God's
work.

Topics: "Holy Spirit", "Effective Prayer"
Scripture References: John 16:7, Romans 8:26, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:19

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DESCRIPTION
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Charles Stanley emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit as the Helper
promised by Jesus, who stands by believers, assists in prayer, and
guides them in God's work. The burden to pray comes from the Holy
Spirit, who sensitizes us to upcoming challenges and prompts us to
communicate with our Father. Ignoring this divine prompting is
considered a sin, as it quenches the Spirit's work in our lives.
Responding to the Holy Spirit's call to pray for others is a
demonstration of God's love and a way for believers to participate in
His work.

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CONTENT
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John 16:5-15

As Jesus neared the time of His death, He frequently referred to the
Helper He would be sending. The Holy Spirit was promised to enable and
instruct believers. Often called the Comforter, or Parakletos in Greek,
He is the one who comes to stand by us and assist in whatever God calls
us to do.

One of the Holy Spirit's most significant responsibilities is to be our
Helper in prayer. The burden we feel to pray comes from Him. He knows
about temptations lurking ahead or harsh experiences that may befall us,
so He prompts us to talk to our Father. When you sense a need to pray,
the last thing you should do is ignore it. In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, we
are told not to "quench the Spirit"; in other words, to ignore that
divine prodding is actually a sin.

By burdening us to pray for someone else, the Holy Spirit frequently
offers Christians the opportunity to participate in God's work. On many
occasions, I have received calls asking if I was going through a tough
time. Invariably, my caller had been praying for me at the behest of the
Holy Spirit.

This burdening of our hearts to pray for ourselves or for others is a
special demonstration of God's love. By calling us to prayer, He can
begin the delicate work of sensitizing us to our surrounding
circumstances or preparing us for a battle that He knows is coming.
Listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and allowing ourselves to
be prepared is how we display our love in return.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/charles-stanley/our-helper-in-prayer/
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