PRAYER FROM THE SPIRIT OF GOD
On my walk home from grade school, I would sing songs in a made-up
language. Later in life, I realized this was singing in tongues. Often when
children get born again, they exhibit the freedom to yield to the Holy Spirit
by speaking or singing in their new God-given language. Did you have a secret
language you spoke or sang songs with when you were young? Can you do it now?
Of course you can. And the more, the better. When people in the New Testament
times got born again, they also were inspired to speak or sing in a different
language than they normally spoke in. The Bible says speaking with tongues is
an outward sign of the miracle God did in us when He sent his spiritual seed to
live in us and gave us everlasting life with Him.
There’s been a lot of misunderstanding about speaking in tongues.
People think a spirit takes over, and it’s like in the movies where a person’s
eyes roll back in their head, they get possessed, and then they speak in a
different language and are totally unaware of it. But it’s just the opposite.
The person speaking or praying in tongues is in complete control of their
actions. The Spirit from within gives the words, but the person does the
speaking. We can start or stop anytime, just like speaking in our native
language.
In the Old Testament times, the Spirit of God was “on” a person.
In Jesus’ time on earth, the Spirit of God was “with” them. Jesus told His
disciples that after He went back to the Father in Heaven, they would have the
Spirit of God “in” them. Then He told them how they could build up that seed of
His Spirit within, to become more spiritually mature.
“And he [Jesus] said unto them, ‘Go ye into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name
shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues” (Mark 16:15-16).
Jesus told them they would speak in new tongues. Why would they
need that? Well, Jerusalem and that part of the world wasn’t in a peaceful
place, much like the world is not in a peaceful place now. The believers then,
and now too, need to build up the spiritual part of our lives as much as we
can, to be able to be strong, more loving, more powerful, peaceful, and
trusting. We need to be spiritually sharp on the inside, to be able to handle
the things happening on the outside.
In wanting my faith to grow, I was recently urged by the Lord to
add Jude 20 to the set of scriptures Jane and I say out loud on our way to my
work: “Building
yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit.” That’s
praying in tongues.
The devil is getting a lot bolder with his attacks, but we can get
stronger spiritually by speaking in tongues. “He that speaketh in an unknown
tongue edifieth himself” (1 Cor. 14:4). The Greek word for “edifieth” means “to
be a house-builder, build up, embolden.”
There are going to be problems with people and circumstances where
we’ll want to see solutions, but we don’t really know what we should pray for.
Romans 8:26-27 tells us: “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.”
The Greek translation reads: “The Holy Spirit maketh intercession
for us in groanings that cannot be uttered in articulate speech.” Articulate speech
refers to our known languages. We just don’t know what God knows, but the Holy
Spirit within us does. The Holy Spirit gives us the words in another language
so that we can pray the perfect will of God for any person or any situation.
Children easily learn to speak in tongues, and in this instance,
it’s great if we can let ourselves be more like children. Just ask the Lord to
give you your spiritual language, then you breathe in, believe to receive your
words, and start to speak them out. That’s how Jesus taught his disciples to
speak with new tongues. Jesus told the
disciples to breathe in, then speak out the words the Holy Spirit gives. They
will be a different language than you already know, so don’t think it’s weird
just because it sounds odd to you.
If you need more documentation, read the book of
Acts and see how often it comes up. Regular people all over the book of Acts
spoke in tongues.
The more you speak, the more comfortable you will
be. Once you start speaking in tongues out loud, you can start speaking in
tongues in your head, just like you would talk to yourself silently. This way,
you can speak in tongues while you’re at work or the gym or just going about
your regular daily routines, without people wondering about what the heck
you’re doing.
There are many other great benefits to speaking
in tongues that you can read about in the book of Acts and the Epistles. And of
course, as you do speak with tongues, you’ll experience yourself growing
spiritually as well, in your daily life.
We can be better equipped as ambassadors for our Lord when we do
what Jesus instructed: “They shall speak with new tongues.” He said: “Out
of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:39). So let’s let it
flow.
Note: I learned about speaking in tongues in a Bible class I took
almost 50 years ago. But I’d be interested in how any of you individuals or
leaders have led people into speaking or singing in tongues in more recent
times. It’s such a valuable tool!
Love, Carolyn
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