Background: 5 years ago I experienced praying/speaking in tongues. My roommate and I left that church for a few reasons but because we left it made me question if that was really of God therefore I stopped doing it and pushed it under the rug remembering it every now and then but not doing anything about it wanting so badly not to do anything that’s not of the Lord.
Last year in Colombia I was challenged to look into it more because the truth is that it really is biblical. Speaking in tongues is real and it is a gift…Paul even tells the church in Corinth not to forbid speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 14:39) however I still was hesitant. It wasn’t until month 3 of the world race in Bolivia when my squad leader had asked me if I’ve experienced the Holy Spirit in prophesying, speaking in tongues, etc. I told her about my experience 5 years ago and how I just want to live a biblically sound life that brings GLORY to God above anything else.
She encouraged me to pray about it more, look into it, and study it in the Bible. She believed that God would honor my desire to not do anything that’s not of Him and make it clear because He wants us to live in a way that honors and glorifies Him.
As she was telling me this I felt His Spirit inside of my jumping up and down screaming, “yes yes yes yes!!!” About ready to explode! After she left the room I couldn’t help but start singing in tongues with joy while continuing to sand the walls in the bathroom. It was so refreshing.
After that day I really wanted to press into what this spiritual gift means. Since this (now in month 9) I have concluded there are two forms.
1. Private (alone prayer time with the Holy Spirit)
2. Public (speaking out loud with an interpreter)
Since Bolivia (month 3) I’ve been praying for boldness and allowing God to use me HOWEVER He wants no matter how silly or ridiculous it looks.
In Nicaragua (month 8) another team experienced the Holy Spirit in crazy ways by speaking in tongues and one of the girls realized she had the gift to interpret. Here’s the blog to read more about it: And just when I thought this race was a dud, she received the gift of interpreting tongues
At debrief in Nicaragua the whole 45 squad got together. The head honcho of the World Race, Bill Swan, came down and gave a talk on spiritual warfare because a few people on our squad were going through some pretty heavy struggles and spiritual battles. One day a squad mate, Sabrina, started feeling very anxious during his talk so he’s like alright if you’re okay with it come up to the front and we’ll pray for you.
She went up to the front and couldn’t stop crying. At this point I felt the Lord calling me up to pray over her and pray in tongues. I kept resisting asking the Lord if this is really what He wanted me to do or if it was just my own selfish desire and pride. I knew I wouldn’t have the boldness to go up there especially if there wasn’t an interpreter because I only want to live biblically and praying/speaking in tongues in front of people I wanted to do it in a biblical way. After that thought, she then called Sandra up knowing that she could interpret tongues. I figured Sabrina would start praying in tongues because I know she has that gift but she didn’t! I felt even a stronger pull to go up there and pray over Sabrina. Finally I couldn’t resist the call anymore and got up and walked up to the front. I said that I feel the Lord was telling me to pray over Sabrina but that I’ve never done it in tongues in front of people before. She said I could so I started praying in tongues…part in tongues and part in English and then back to tongues for several minutes. I was crying during this whole time and just kept allowing my mouth to keep moving and Sabrina started crying. Then Sandra started crying because she could understand the words coming out of my mouth and spoke to Sabrina what she heard!!!!
It was such a surreal moment! Sandra’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit) could interpret the very words that were coming from my Spirit (the same Holy Spirit) praying over her. Sandra was telling her what she was hearing through the Holy Spirit’s words coming out of my mouth!!!
After some moments Sabrina’s Spirit was calmed and didn’t feel anxious anymore.
I couldn’t believe what I had just experienced. Some of you reading this right now may be really skeptical. I don’t blame you. I tend to weigh on the side of skepticism just because I want to live as biblical according to His Word as I can. However, I cannot deny what I experienced.
Another quick story about the power of prayer and instant healing: At the Woman’s conference here in Honduras there was a lady from the states who I had just met and was speaking that night. She had felt anxious all day and a spirit of oppression over her (for the previous two days as well) with a throbbing headache feeling like she would have no way to even get up in front of people and speak because it was so intense. I asked if I could pray for her. I prayed a simple prayer over her for the Lord to calm her spirit so that He may speak through her whatever He wants to say tonight and that he would heal her headache. After my prayer I saw she was crying praising the Lord! She said right in the middle of my prayer her headache instantly went away and the Spirit of oppression had lifted and left!! PRAISE GOD!!!
My encouragement to you is to be open to the Works of the Lord without putting his ability and how He works in a box.
It’s good to discern but not in such a way that you’re putting God in a box from what you know and have experienced and aren’t open to new things.
