PRAYER
“The Two Advocates”
“Be filled with the RUACH/Spirit - A command”

I.          THE TWO ADVOCATES

A.        Only one place in the Bible are we given insight into the work of the Ruach HaKodesh/ Holy Spirit as an  intercessor.

1.         Romans 8:26,27 (KJV)

a.         NIV -- (v. 26)  “In the same way, the Ruach/Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Ruach/Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

b.         AMP -- (v.26)  “So too the Ruach/Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Ruach/Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.”

2.         Introduced by Yeshua -- Yochanan (John) 14:16

a.         “comforter” - 3875 - parakletos (par-ak’-lay-tos) an advocate intercessor, consoler: - advocate, comforter

b.         “paraclete” - its primitive meaning ‘one called to the side of’ (It was used in a court of justice to denote a legal assistant, counsel for the defense, an advocate)

c.         Yochanan (John) 14:26 -- another comforter - Now Yeshua will assume a different role.

B.        The other advocate - Yeshua

1.         Romans 8:34 -- Yeshua intercedes for us.  He represents us in the court of Heaven.

2.         1 Yochanan (1 John) 2:1 -- “advocate” - same word as “paraclete”

II.         THE TWO ADVOCATES -- THEIR MINISTRY

A.        Both are intercessors for us.

1.         Example:

“Suppose a man decides to settle some dispute by litigation.  His case may be good, but he knows nothing of court procedure or how to carry his case by debate and argument.  He is incapable of presenting the facts so as to convince the judge, so he calls to his aid a barrister (lawyer) who accepts the man as his client and conducts his case on his behalf.  So do these two advocates, though in different ways.” See AMP Yochanan (John) 15:26

B.        How are they different?

1.         Mashiach

a. Romans 8:34-Mashiach intercedes at the right hand of YHWH.

b.         He is our advocate with the Father -- Hebrews 7:25 (1 Yochanan (1 John) 2:1)

2.         Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit

a.         Romans 8:27 -- Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit intercedes in the hearts of men.

3.         Mashiach’s intercession is apart from us.

4.         The Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit’s is within us.

5.         Yeshua  - neither hindered nor helped

6.         Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit very different

a.         We may frustrate His intercession in us by our cooperation or the lack of it.

b.    Though Yeshua does not require us for His intercession, the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit does for His.   Spectators or Participators?

*7.       We are the OBJECT of Mashaich’s praying.

*8.       We are the VEHICLE of the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit’s praying.

III.       JOINT PARTNERSHIP -- HIS AND OURS

A.        The Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit prays on our behalf by enabling us to pray, helping us in our weakness.

1.         There appears no suggestion in Scripture that the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit ever intercedes except through the believer.

B.        The Ruach HaKodesh/ Holy Spirit needs us to accomplish His intercessory ministry and we certainly need Him to accomplish ours.