Barbie Loflin

I had never heard anything like it. I tried to breathe, but the groaning of the woman was shaking my spirit unlike it had ever been shaken. I could not breathe, but instead gulped in air like a woman drowning. Tears coursed down my cheeks as I watched her, people gathered around her, but it was as if they could not touch her… not for fear, but for reverent understanding.  She was in the grip of God. An intercession of soul was taking place, and we were stunned by the depth and breadth of what was taking place in the spirit realm right in front of our eyes.

“God”, I asked, “what is happening?” I asked because it was an automatic response, though my spirit had already born witness to the truth of what was taking place. Still, He spoke to my heart in confirmation, “She is in deep intercession, My Spirit interceding with groans and utterance… for she does not know how to pray.” The Holy Spirit of God was making intercession for a heart that could not find the words to voice its pain. She was broken, and only God could give utterance to her pain.

The intercession of groaning was planted in my spirit in that moment.

Many years later, I still shake on the inside when I think about that moment.

I was changed in that moment, for I knew God had shown me a tool I had not known existed before then. I had heard all of the teaching and even knew the scriptures, but my working knowledge of the scripture at that point had stopped with the praying in tongues. I thought that as a good Pentecostal girl tongues was all that I needed. My private prayer language… just me and God. But you see, God knew that a day would come in my life when I would come before Him with great need and no words to utter… so He prepared me in advance, and showed me that when I needed Him desperately, He would move through me and release my cries through groanings.

Now, this place of groaning has become a place of breakthrough for me. You may never need it, but I definitely have. When I feel a pulling in the spirit and the heaviness of intercession begins to draw me, I inevitably find myself in this place. It is a hard, but it is a good. It is a place of deep spiritual communion, and I also believe it is a place of spiritual birthing. And for me, they have been the clarion cry ushering in many transitional seasons.

Scripture tells us that there were times when the prophets would call for the wailing women to make the difference in the situation. I believe it is such a time. I believe there is much wordless intercession to be made … and He is looking for those who are willing to use this tool of groaning.

Even if you never use it… at least you now know it exists.

If you want to research it, please read Romans 8. If you want to allow God to show you firsthand, there is only one way…