“In total surrender to the Holy Spirit, prayer becomes a divine partnership.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 10, 2025
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26
C.S. Lewis describes the process of prayer as a work of God. It’s all initiated, sustained, and answered by the Lord. He puts in our hearts the desire to pray, the Spirit gives us the words to pray, and our heavenly Father answers our prayers, all the while Jesus is interceding for us with fervent prayers. Lewis describes the divinely orchestrated prayer process, “An ordinary simple Christian kneels down to say his prayers. He is trying to get into touch with God. But if he is a Christian he knows that what is prompting him to pray is also God: God, so to speak, inside him. But he also knows that all his real knowledge of God comes through Christ, the Man who was God—that Christ is standing beside him, helping him to pray, praying for him. You see what is happening. God is the thing to which he is praying—the goal he is trying to reach. God is also the thing inside him which is pushing him on—the motive power. God is also the road or bridge along which he is being pushed to that goal.” Rest knowing your prayers are in heaven’s hands.
When Scripture says, “the Spirit intercedes for us,” it means that God Himself prays on our behalf when we cannot find the words or the strength. Romans 8:26-27 reveals that when we are weak, confused, or unsure how to pray, the Holy Spirit steps in, translating the wordless groans of our hearts into prayers aligned with God’s heart. The Spirit doesn’t merely assist our prayers; He initiates and shapes them from within. He searches our motives, interprets our emotions, and presents our needs flawlessly before the Father. Even in our deepest silence or confusion, God is praying for us. We are never alone in prayer. As the Spirit carries what we cannot articulate and brings our prayers to completion in ways we could never manage on our own—Spirit-powered.
What happens when your prayers are Spirit-powered? There is a letting go of what you don’t know. You are at peace knowing, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16, NLT. God will answer the appropriate prayers at the right time. There is also divine protection that occurs. Spirit-powered prayers shield you from yourself. Wisdom does not expect to receive everything it asks for, as the saying goes, “Be careful what you ask for.” So true. In my flawed state, I may ask for something I’m not ready for, or a friend is not prepared for; thankfully, the Spirit intercepts our unhealthy prayers and replaces them with God’s best. Prayers are not meant to be perfect; the Spirit offers protection.
Surrender is the first step to praying in the Spirit, trusting completely that the Lord knows what’s best. Resist the urge to sound eloquent; instead, bring all your feelings of inadequacy, fear, and confusion to your prayer time. It’s often when your prayers feel weakest that the Spirit can make them strong. Surrender opens the door for the Spirit to pray through you. When you stop striving and simply show up: raw, honest, and willing, you create space for God’s power to work in your weakness. The Spirit isn’t looking for polished phrases; He is looking for a yielded heart. Trust that when your words falter, His never do. In total surrender, prayer is a divine partnership.
“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18).
Prayer
Holy Spirit, I surrender my words, my will, and my worries to You. Pray through me with power beyond my understanding. Shape my heart to desire what You desire. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Application
How do you know that you are surrendering to the Holy Spirit in your prayers?
Related Reading
Zechariah 12:10; 1 Corinthians 2:11; Galatians 4:6; Jude 20
Worship Resource
Hillsong United feat. Lauren Daigle: I Surrender
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