“And in like manner the Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness; for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” What does the phrase “in like manner” mean? Why does Paul say this? It is difficult to understand this phrase. I believe that it has an all-inclusive meaning. “In like manner” includes all the points of the foregoing verses—expecting, eagerness, groaning, endurance, hope, and so forth. The phrase “in like manner” relates to all of these points. While we are groaning, the Holy Spirit also is groaning. While we are expecting, He is expecting. While we are hoping and enduring, He is hoping and enduring. Whatever we are, He is also the same. “In like manner” the Spirit joins in to help us. What a comfort this is! While we are groaning, watching, and expecting, He is also groaning, watching, and expecting. He is just the same as we are. If we are weak, He apparently is weak also, although actually He is not. He sympathizes with our weakness. He appears to be weak for the sake of our weakness that He might participate in it. When we loudly pray, “O, Father,” He also prays loudly. He also prays softly when we pray softly. We may say, “O Father, I’m so pitiful. Have mercy upon me.” When we pray in this way, He also prays for us “in like manner.” In whatever way we pray, He also prays. In whatever way we are, He also is. If we pray quickly, rejoicingly, and shoutingly, He also prays in this manner. Our manner is His manner. Do not think that the Holy Spirit is so different from us that when we receive the Holy Spirit we will be extraordinary people. This is not the thought contained in Romans 8. Romans 8 reveals that the Holy Spirit is in our manner. Sisters, are you disappointed? Some sisters say, “We cannot shout. We cannot pray loudly as the brothers do. Because of this, it seems that we have been neglected.” Be comforted, sisters. The Spirit prays in your manner. In whatever manner you are, He also is. Praise the Lord!
Paul also says that the Spirit joins in to help us. He participates in our weakness in order to help us. The Spirit does not ask us to join in with Him; He joins in with us. The Spirit does not say, “Come up to the highest standard to join Me.” None of us can do this. Thus, the Spirit joins in in our manner. If your manner is quick, He will also be quick. If you are slow, He will be slow. Try to pray. Whether you pray strongly or weakly, loudly or softly, it does not matter to Him. If you pray, He will pray in you “in like manner.” “In like manner” He will join in to help you.
If a man is crippled and I want to help him walk, I have to take his manner. Likewise, if I want to approach a little boy, I must do it in his way. I should not say, “Little boy, I am a big giant who has come to help you.” If I do this, the boy will look at me and say, “I do not want you. You are too different from me.” If I want to help the little boy, I must shorten myself and squeeze myself into being a little boy and say, “May I play with you?” If I say this, the little boy will be happy and respond, “Good! Let’s play together.” This means that I join in to help him in his manner.
Sometimes the older brothers in the church life are too big, too high. Although they try to help the saints, they do not help them in the saints’ manner. On the day of resurrection, the Lord Jesus came to two disciples who were on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-33). The Lord joined them absolutely in their manner. While they were talking, the Lord Jesus pretended not to know anything. He seemed to ask, “What are you talking about?” The two disciples rebuked Him, “Don’t you know the things that have come to pass in these days?” The Lord said, “What things?” They said, “The man Jesus of Nazareth, a prophet mighty in deed and word, has been condemned to death and crucified.” The Lord Jesus neither rebuked them nor revealed Himself to them. He kept Himself in their manner, walking with them until they came near to the village. They asked Him to abide with them and He did. As they were seated in the room, the Lord took bread and broke it. Only then were their eyes opened to see that it was the Lord. When they realized that He was the Lord, He disappeared.
In the church life the older brothers and sisters need to help the younger ones in their manner. They need to join in to help in their weaknesses. None of us is so strong. We all are groaning, expecting, and saying, “O Lord, when?” Day by day we are suffering. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit is present, joining in to help us in our manner.