What are people saying when they pray in tongues?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: What are people saying when they pray in tongues?

The Bible reveals five main things that happen when believers pray in tongues:

1. They are speaking directly to God. 1 Corinthians 14:2, "For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit." Tongues is an intimate and direct line of communication with God.

2. They are declaring God's wonders. Acts 2:11, "We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Far from being nonsense, when we pray in tongues we are actually declaring the wonders and mysteries and majesty of God. How could that possibly be a bad thing?

3. They are praising God. Acts 10:46, "For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God." Even if we don't understand what we are saying when we speak in tongues, we are praising God in the Spirit (1 Cor. 14:16).

4. They are edifying themselves. 1 Cor. 14:4, "He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church." Praying in tongues is like a spiritual workout—it builds you up and makes you stronger spiritually.

5. The Holy Spirit is praying through them, declaring God's will. Romans 8:26-27, "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express...because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Praying in the Spirit will bring revelation and insight into God's will for your life.

If you do not believe in the gift of tongues or have had a bad experience with the charismatic movement, I encourage you to study the Scriptures with an open mind. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth about tongues to you.

If you desire the gift of tongues, pray for it in faith until you receive it. Jesus said in Luke 11:13, "How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" Sometimes we have to ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, and knock and keep on knocking until we receive our answer to prayer.

If you already have the gift of tongues, use it every day. In 1 Cor. 14:18, Paul boasted about how often he prayed in tongues: "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you." Tongues is a real language, and as with any language, you have to use it in order to increase your fluency and vocabulary.

Are there excesses and abuse with the use of the gift of tongues? Yes, of course, and they need to be corrected, but don't throw out the baby with the bath water by rejecting the gift of tongues altogether. Let us take the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 14:39 to heart: "Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues"

MAY THE IMMEASURABLE BLESSING OF GOD ABIDE WITH YOU IN JESUS NAME. AMEN

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