The Holy Spirit: What is Praying In Tongues?

I have made it no secret that I pray in tongues.  It’s almost odd for
me to write it out because several years ago I would have never thought
that I would be “that girl”.  I truly believed that this stuff was
reserved for overzealous Pentecostals and ecstatic heebie jeebie
inducers on TBN.

Although I was prayed for by people who were really eager to impart the
gift into me, nothing seemed to happen.   It wasn’t until the 10th month of the WR  that God’s presence fell on me, and the
mysteries of His Spirit came flooding out of my mouth and into creation
around me.

I remember after I first received the gift of praying in tongues I
wanted to share the news with everybody!  We climbed off a bus in El Salvador about midnight and I was so hopped up on the Spirit I could barely sleep!  Sean and Jessie shared my excitement and let me bounce around for a bit!

In yesterday’s post I addressed the fact that speaking in tongues often
accompanies baptism in the Holy Spirit.  Afterwards some speak in
tongues regularly, others do not.  Sometimes it’s proven itself to be a
one-time thing, which I think is fine, but I also know people who strongly believe that all Christians should always pray in tongues, particularly after a Holy Spirit baptism.

So what is praying in tongues?  I think that there’s a difference between praying in tongues and speaking in tongues. 

When I pray in tongues it’s strictly between God and I.  I don’t
normally pray in tongues for someone and expect him or her to
understand me.  Sometimes when I do pray in tongues over an individual,
I ask them first if it’s okay that I do so and that there probably
won’t be an interpretation.  I pray in the Spirit because I believe
like Paul says, in doing so, I speak not to men but to God.  The Lord
knows what my spirit is groaning, although I may not always (Rm. 8.26).

As far as speaking in tongues go, I believe it is oftentimes meant for the corporate body of Christ to hear and in doing so it must be followed by an interpretation
(1 Cor. 14.9, 13).  I have been present in a room when someone has
begun speaking in tongues and almost immediately someone stood up and
began giving an interpretation.  While it appeared to be an unknown
language, my friend was the one giving the interpretation!  He thought
it was cool because he said he understood them!  To me it was evidence
of the Holy Spirit at work.  And the best part was that the
interpretation brought edification to the entire body.

Praying in tongues merely edifies the spirit of the man praying.  So
why is it important?  As believers, we’re called to build the body of
Christ up.  I am, as an individual believer, an important piece within
the body of Christ.  If I pray in the spirit and in turn edify (build
up) myself, I am then also building up the body of Christ, equipping
myself in such a way as to equip others. 

And while I don’t necessarily have scriptural evidence to support what I am about to say, I believe it to be true from my experience.

Oftentimes when I prayer walk I pray in tongues, but usually under my
breath as to avoid awkward glances from strangers, but I’m praying in
the Spirit nonetheless.  One day as I was praying I had a pretty cool
mental picture of flowers blooming and attaching themselves to things
around me – signs, trees, fence posts… everything.  As the words I
was praying poured from my lips, so new life was blossoming everywhere
I walked.  Of course I couldn’t see it physically, but I could feel it.

And, thus, is what I’ve learned and experienced about praying in
tongues.  Feel free to add anything else in the comments section below
or email me with more questions.  I would love to answer them.

Tomorrow – the Holy Spirit: What is Prophecy?