Romans 8:27

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The identification of the Holy Spirit in this verse indicates personality, from the consideration of his having a "mind," and also unity with God from the consideration of his access to the Father and the absolute harmony of his actions with "the will of God." Particularly, it should be noted that the Spirit's intercession is not for all, but for the saints, the latter word emphasizing that the help of the Holy Spirit is available only for them that already have the Spirit within. God is represented here as searching people's hearts; and, as Godet noted, "God is often called in the Old Testament the searcher of hearts."[48] People may not inquire exactly into the "how" of such things, nor as to the precise manner in which such marvelous activities on behalf of the redeemed soul are actually accomplished. That it was from the beginning, in God's purpose, designed that the Holy Spirit would intercede for the saved, was pointed out thus by Locke:

"The Spirit" promised in the time of the gospel, is called "the Spirit of supplications" in Zechariah 12:10.[49]

[48] F. Godet, op. cit., p. 321.

[49] John Locke, op. cit., p. 334.