Pray in the Holy Spirit

There are a couple of songs that are played on this radio station where I hear the ministers inviting people to pray in the Spirit, pray in their heavenly language, speak in tongues. 

There are many more songs that also play on this radio station where the ministers themselves have a moment where tongues take over.

This is a controversial topic among many religions, but I’m so glad that we don’t preach religion here. Amen?! 

So although you don’t hear me speaking in tongues, you would hear preachers or prayer warriors come on here speaking in tongues. Some of you, in your worship and praise time, you speak in tongues, while others don’t.

In my journey to understand what God requires of me, it has led me to do a study on this subject. For indeed, we ought to know.

This exhortation today is not about whether I believe in speaking in tongues, because I believe in the Bible and there were instances in the Bible where people spoke in tongues. Amen?!

Interestingly enough, I couldn’t find where in the Old Testament people spoke in tongues. 

But certainly, we can refer to the Tower of Babel incident in Genesis 11:1-9 to suggest that that’s where speaking in tongues may have originated. 

For the Bible says, that at the time, the whole earth spoke in one language and used the same words or vocabulary. 

But then when some people decided to build a tower to reach heaven, God said nah! I told them to do one thing and they’re doing what they feel like. So to prevent further rebellion, the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descended from heaven and confused and mixed up the language of the people, so that they couldn’t understand what the other was saying.

So with that, people scattered across the earth, speaking in their different languages. 

Then there is Isaiah 28:11 - “Indeed, the Lord will teach this people [in a more humiliating way] By [men with] stammering lips and a foreign tongue,”

What is the context of that verse? 

As I understand it, this is part of a prophecy of judgment against Israel. God was speaking of stammering lips and another tongue, which suggests that the land would be invaded by foreigners, the Assyrians, who spoke another language, not familiar to the Israelites. 

We can also look at Isaiah 29:4 “Then you [Jerusalem] will be brought low, You will speak from the earth, And from the dust where you lie face down Your muffled words will come. Your voice will also be like that of a spirit from the earth [like one produced by a medium], And your speech will whisper and squeak from the dust.”

Again we are looking at part of a prophecy concerning Jerusalem, where, as a result of the people's spiritual blindness and rebellion against God, they would be humbled to the point where they wouldn’t be able to properly communicate.

But I dare say these scriptures would be like grasping at straws, so to speak, in terms of linking incidents in the Old and the New Testament as it relates to speaking in tongues.

We can agree, or disagree, that the concept of speaking in tongues, and in fact, what it is in the New Testament, is quite different to what was hinted at in the Old Testament. 

May I emphasise, that this exhortation is not about questioning anyone who speaks in tongues. Rather the study is aimed at helping me to understand and perhaps helping someone else to understand the validity and significance of it…or not.

When it comes to speaking in tongues, I would ask questions like: is it correct for someone to ask others to speak in tongues? Isn’t speaking in tongues something that comes as the Holy Spirit gives utterance? Why do people even question how people speak in tongues if they themselves don’t speak in tongues and don’t have an understanding of this gift? How is it that some people speak in tongues and others don’t?

So we go to the New Testament as we also examine whether praying in the Spirit is the same as speaking in tongues.

Ephesians chapter 6 verse 18 says “With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people.”

This was the Apostle Paul reaffirming that prayer is an important part of spiritual warfare. And in this war, we would absolutely need the guidance, empowerment, and leading of the Holy Spirit. We would need to be aligned with the Holy Spirit, listening and focusing and responding one on one to His prompting.

Now how this looks for me can be different to how it looks for you. Correct ?

Perhaps the most referred to event in the Bible where people prayed in tongues is at Pentecost in Acts chapter 2:1-4. Let’s read.

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place, and suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were being distributed [among them], and they rested on each one of them [as each person received the Holy Spirit]. And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately].”

The King James Version says as the Spirit gives utterance. The Passion Translation says as you are filled, equipped, inspired and empowered. Meaning you can pray in the Spirit.

So it’s not someone deciding one day that I’m going to speak in tongues or pray in the Spirit. Or it’s not someone telling you to speak in tongues or pray in the Spirit and it just happens. You have to be enabled by the Holy Spirit Himself. Amen?!

The other thing is, the Bible says when people speak in tongues, it must be understood. Everyone will not understand, but sometimes people should understand. That is explained in Acts 2:6-11.

I believe what is important, Family, is the sanctity of the gift, that it is not made a mockery or used in any pretentious way. Rather, the speaking in tongues should be a manifestation of the Holy Spirit's power and presence in our lives!

Ok, so if you don’t speak in tongues, does it mean that you’re not inspired by the Holy Spirit?

Let’s not give our opinions. Let’s go to the Word of God.

In Joel 2:28-29, we are told, “It shall come about after this That I shall pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. “Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”

Here was God promising everyone His Holy Spirit, whether you are male or female, young or old, rich or poor. It was a promise of restoration and blessing upon repentance. 

You come to Jesus in repentance, whether through fasting, praying, weeping…just come to Jesus. And in that moment of genuine repentance, a turning away from sin and then doing what’s right, God says He will drive away what is plaguing you, restore what was lost and pour out His Holy Spirit on you, on me, on everyone.

In that moment, some people will speak in tongues, some will dream dreams and see visions, and some will prophesy. We see this being fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost and we see it manifesting in some people before our very eyes today.

We can also look at some other scriptures, like Romans 8:26-27 “In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will.

Jude 1:20 “But you, beloved, build yourselves up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit,”

Family, we are in fact encouraged to pray in the Holy Spirit, pray fervently, sincerely, with all of our heart, in order to strengthen our faith in God.  It is something that must come from our personal relationship with God.

So in our moments of weakness, when we want to help a brother or a sister, when we are brought to our knees just having a moment with Jesus, 1 Corinthians 14:15 tells us "So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding." 

I pray today that each of us will come to that stage of repentance and restoration, and experience that spiritual renewal and empowerment we all need through the Holy Spirit. 

The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God’s love and mercy, repentance and forgiveness, salvation, hope, redemption, restoration, and eternal life, must be lived and it must be preached. 

So if preachers use speaking in tongues to help to spread the Gospel to people of different languages and cultures, praise the Lord Jesus.

If preachers use prophecy to demonstrate the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the church, let the church say amen.

If it be dreams and visions, may the work of God go on in Jesus Name.

But each and everyone of us, whether we pray in tongues, dream dreams, see visions or prophesy, must come to that point in our spiritual lives where we are sincere in our walk with God. God is not mocked.

It is not, I don’t think, for anyone to command you to receive the Holy Spirit. God Himself offers us the Holy Spirit.

We thank God for preachers and teachers who help to enlighten us about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that we could have come out of darkness into His marvellous light. And we trust that as we are enabled, that we will see it as our duty to do the same for others.

And together we will allow the Lord God Almighty to pour out His Holy Spirit on each and everyone of us as we dwell in His presence awaiting His return. 

aub - 14May24

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