DAY 6 – PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT

Praying in the spirit, or as it’s commonly known, speaking in tongues is a topic we all come to with our own unique lens and experiences, both weird and wonderful, but what actually is it?

The New Testament talks about several occasions where the disciples and believers received the gift of tongues. It first came upon the disciples through a move of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2). It then came upon believers – both Jew and Gentile - as the disciples prayed for them and laid hands upon them. It was a language people couldn’t understand but there was something beautiful and powerful about it!

Tongues is a language given to us by the Holy Spirit through which our spirit communicates with God alone. It is a prayer language, a spirit language, a direct connection from our Spirit to God. Everybody’s spirit language sounds a little different – just as we are all unique in God’s Kingdom.

Paul tells us in Corinthians that when we pray in tongues, our mind is unfruitful because it cannot understand what is being said and so our mind gives way to our Spirit. It is one of the many spiritual gifts we can receive and is a powerful language only God can understand. How incredible is that! Some people receive it in an instant, and some practice their language and find that it is developed over time.

Tongues often work in tandem with prophecy. While praying in tongues builds our individual spirit up and is our spirit speaking to and worshipping God, prophecy builds the body of Christ up and is where we can share the impressions, thoughts and images that God drops in our Spirit in our personal prayer times. It's important that we do not elevate one gift over another, nor use speaking in tongues as a sign of spiritual elitism. Paul warned the Corinthians of this too! Be eager to connect with God through this amazing prayer language so that he can then speak through you in wisdom, prophecy and encouragement when you are together with other believers.

Journal:

• Do you have the gift of speaking in tongues? If you do, write down what your experience of receiving it was. Consider how Paul encourages us to use this gift. Are you aligned with this wisdom in how you use tongues?
• If you haven’t received the gift of tongues, ask God to come and baptise you with the Holy Spirit. Talk with a Pastor or mentor about this step!