In 8:26 and 27 we have the interceding of the Spirit. Often the Spirit intercedes with sighs or groanings, especially when we are about to do something displeasing to the Lord. The purpose of the Spirit’s intercession is that we would be conformed to the image of Christ. For this reason, verse 27 says that the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to God. When we do something that does not help to conform us to the image of Christ, the Spirit groans within us. Because of the Spirit’s groaning, the Christian life is not always a life of joy, for we are inwardly troubled when we do certain things. The people in the world may participate in a particular form of worldly entertainment and be happy about it. But if we share in that form of entertainment, we shall feel deeply troubled within. The Spirit groans concerning anything we do that does not correspond to the divine essence, that is, to holiness, or that does not help to conform us to the image of Christ.
Verse 28 says that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to the purpose. The “all things” in this verse are related to the interceding of the Spirit in verses 26 and 27. Because the Spirit intercedes, so many things work together for good on our behalf. For example, suppose you spend your money in a loose way and do not use it properly for the Lord’s interest. This will cause the Spirit to intercede with groanings. Eventually, the Father will answer the Spirit’s intercession by causing you to have a shortage of money. This financial difficulty will help to conform you to the image of the Son of God. The time to declare that all things work together for good is not when we are enjoying material benefits, but when our situation is difficult. God did not regenerate us so that we might enjoy the world. He regenerated us so that we might become His sons. In order for us to reach the full sonship, we need the Spirit’s interceding.
Next we have the renewing of the Spirit. It is by this renewing of the Spirit that we have the newness of life in 6:4. We all should walk in this newness.
In 7:6 Paul said that “we should serve as slaves in newness of spirit and not in oldness of letter.” Today we serve God in the newness of spirit.
Furthermore, the genuine resurrection power is in the Spirit. When we are in spirit, we are in resurrection.
Finally, sanctification takes place in the spirit.
It does not matter very much whether we understand all these items or not. As long as we are in the Spirit, we have the reality of them all. For example, you may not know what ingredients are in the food you eat, but by eating you take in all the ingredients. What is important is not that we know the recipe, but that we eat the food. Again I say, our need today is not for more teachings; it is for the application and enjoyment of the all-inclusive Spirit. Teachings cannot make us spiritual or humble. We become spiritual and truly humble only by contacting the Spirit through the exercise of our spirit.