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2 Corinthians 1:8-11
The Apostle Paul has instructed the congregation of the church at Corinth of how God is the Comforter and will comfort them in times of suffering. He now tells them of his own suffering while in Asia, even to the point of being fearful of death (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). But being at the point of death in suffering is not the point that Paul wants the Corinthians to realize, but that in suffering to the point of death, that God saved him from death. Paul states in 2 Corinthians 1:9-10 (NKJV), “9Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,” and also a very important part of this understanding is to inform them that their prayers were part of the deliverance from their sufferings that constitutes thanks to God that is not from an individual but from many.
This is a promise of God’s grace to us in delivering us from suffering.
This is an example of how our prayers for one another work together for the good of all – in Christ.
When we pray for one another, we pray as best we can that God will understand the importance of our prayers, knowing that we are reaching out to God for the needs of one another. But the Bible teaches us that we need help with our prayers through God’s Holy Spirit that lives within each of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Romans 8:26-28, “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 groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” But we must also understand that this passage does not mean that God’s Holy Spirit intercedes for us in whatever we pray for, but that God’s Holy Spirit intercedes for us, “according to the will of God” (Romans 8:28). This is why we sometimes do not seem to get the answers to our prayers as we desire; because it is not our will that God answers our prayers, but His will that is true and best for us as we put our faith and trust in Him.
Dear LORD,
We have all come to You in prayer with our own needs and with the needs of our families and loved ones. Please help us to understand that Your Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our prayers to You in the good will of Your great plan for our lives, and that as we pray to You, we also need to understand that our prayers are answered by the sincerity of our relationship with You in Christ and the salvation that He provides for us through His death and resurrection. Please help us to believe in You LORD, and put our faith in Jesus so that our prayers will be interceded for us through Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name I pray, amen.