The provided transcript evidence does not directly explain the Holy Spirit's intercession with groanings; Les teaches related truths about believers' groanings and prayer with understanding.
In the available clips, Les focuses on the groaning of creation and of believers waiting for the redemption of the body. He also teaches that prayer with the Spirit means praying with understanding. The specific phrase 'the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings' is not explained in these transcripts.
Romans 8:26 — This is the verse the question asks about, where Paul says the Spirit makes intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:22-23 says, 'For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.' Romans 8:26-27 adds, 'Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.'
Les teaches from Romans 8 that the whole creation is groaning under the curse, and believers—who have the firstfruits of the Spirit—also groan within themselves, waiting for the adoption, which he identifies as the redemption of the body. He emphasizes that even though we have salvation and the new birth, we have not got it all yet; our soul and spirit are redeemed, but our body is not. On the subject of prayer, Les teaches from 1 Corinthians 14 that praying 'with the Spirit' means praying from the innermost being with understanding, and that praying in an unknown tongue makes the understanding unfruitful. The provided clips do not contain a direct explanation of the Holy Spirit's intercession with groanings.
In Romans 8, the groaning is tied to the creation being under the curse. Les points out that creation 'groaneth and travaileth in pain together'; believers also groan within themselves, waiting for the adoption, that is, the redemption of the body. He stresses that our soul and spirit are redeemed now, but our body is not yet, so we wait for something more.
Les emphasizes that Scripture does not tell us God expects believers to pray in a language they don't understand. He explains Paul's 'I will pray with the Spirit' as praying from the innermost being with understanding. If a person prays in an unknown tongue, the understanding is unfruitful; even in a group setting, no one knows when the prayer is finished.
The provided transcripts do not make that connection. Les's comments about groanings center on the believer's longing for the body's redemption, while his comments about tongues consistently say prayer should be with understanding. The specific phrase 'groanings which cannot be uttered' from Romans 8:26 is not taught in these clips.
Romans 8:24-29 — Does God Choose You or Do You Choose Him?
everything had come from a single source of light. And I said to myself, that's God! God is light! This guy was so close, and yet I'll bet he was a rank unbeliever, but he was so close to the truth that everything had come from one source of light, and had just expanded out from that, so consequently he says, I can see the day when everything could go back like putting genie in the bottle, everyth…
Prayer with Spirit and Understanding
Les teaches that praying with the Spirit must be with understanding; he finds no scriptural indication that God expects people to pray in a language they don't know.
Creation and Believers Groan
Les reads Romans 8:22-23 to show that creation groans and believers with the firstfruits of the Spirit groan within themselves, waiting for the redemption of the body.
Crucified With Christ: What It Means to Be a New Creation (Romans 6 & Galatians 2)
Others, it may not take as long, but the Holy Spirit has to somehow precipitate an activity within the heart, the soul of the individual. Now turn back with me, if you will, to Romans chapter 8. Now I don't know if the Lord will tarry long enough, and I don't know whether we'll be staying on the air long enough to ever get to the book of Romans, but if we were to teach the book of Romans verse by …
Praying in an Unknown Tongue
Les quotes 1 Corinthians 14:14 to show that if a person prays in an unknown tongue, their understanding is unfruitful.
Waiting for the Redemption of Our Body
Les explains that even with salvation and the new birth, believers still groan because the redemption of the body has not yet happened.
Creation and Believers Groaning for Adoption
Les again notes the whole creation groaning and believers groaning, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of the body.
Unknown Tongue and Understanding Prayer
Les teaches that speaking in an unknown tongue prevents those around you from knowing when you have finished, underscoring the need for understandable prayer.
Romans 8:22: For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
This verse describes the creation's groaning, which Les references when teaching about the current state of the world.
Romans 8:23: And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
This verse shows that believers also groan, waiting for the redemption of the body, a point Les emphasizes in his teaching.
Romans 8:26: Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
This is the verse the question asks about, where Paul mentions the Spirit's intercession with groanings.
Romans 8:27: And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
This verse explains that the Spirit's intercession is according to the will of God.
1 Corinthians 14:14: For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
Les quotes this verse to teach that praying in an unknown tongue leaves the understanding unfruitful.
1 Corinthians 14:15: What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Les uses this verse to show that prayer should be with understanding, not merely in an unknown tongue.
Paul says the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together, and believers who have the firstfruits of the Spirit also groan within themselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of the body. Les references these verses in his teaching.
The provided transcript evidence does not directly address that question. Les teaches about believers' groanings and about prayer with understanding, but he does not explain the Spirit's intercessory groanings in the available clips.
Les teaches that 'I will pray with the Spirit' means praying from the innermost being with understanding. He does not see scriptural support for praying in an unknown tongue, because that leaves the understanding unfruitful.
Watch the Teaching: Romans 8:24-29 — Does God Choose You or Do You Choose Him?