Jesus ascended to become our defender, who lives to pray for us. At Pentecost, Jesus poured out the Spirit, who also intercedes for us. Our prayers to the Father are confirmed by the testimony of two divine witnesses, the heavenly witness of the Son and the earthly witness of the Spirit.

The Son is the Word, but the Spirit who searches the deep things of God and the deep things of man communicates when words fail. Paul says, the Spirit intercedes with “groanings too deep for words.”

When iniquities overtake you so that you cannot see; when your sins are more than the hairs of your head; when terrors surround you; when the Lord removes lover and friend and leaves you in darkness; when so sad thou canst not sadder cry; when tears are your food day and night – you can still groan wordlessly.

Your groans and tears are the tears and groans of the Spirit. Pray in the Spirit, and the Father will say as He said to Hezekiah, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. You shall not die but live.”