CONCERNING PRAYERS PART FOUR: WHAT WE SAY IN PRAYERS; TONGUES AND KNOWN LANGUAGES
Man ought always to pray and not to faint. Prayer is an awesome responsibility that every believer must never fail in. So far, we have seen that there is nothing like unanswered prayers. There is no record in the Bible of anyone praying about anything without getting the answer. The Bible is the basis of all we believe and live by as men in Christ. Many times, what people call unanswered prayers is their inability to receive answers not God’s inability to give. It could also be that they could not mingle with their answers to prayers by following the instructions from prayers. We have looked at all these from part one to three in this series. Please click here to read them if you have not. Part one, Part two and part three.
In this part of the series, our emphasis is on what we say in prayers. We know that prayer is very important for a believer. Hence, we must learn what to say in prayers. What is the role of speaking in tongues in prayers? What do we say in known language even in prayers ?
PRAYING IN TONGUES
People have heard different arguments on the subject matter of tongues. The Bible is the basis of our belief. We cannot use people’s experience to define our belief about tongues. The truth is that speaking in tongues is an ability in every believer. It is not excluded to any set. The devil has tried to blindfold people from it so they will not enjoy its benefit.
To start with, Isaiah prophesied tongues as an act of God.
Isaiah 28
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Here the importance of tongue is Pointed out. It is a refreshing. It brings rests. Let’s look at the words of Jesus on tongues.
Mark 16
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Jesus told His disciples to go preach . He also told them that anyone that believes their message get saved. This person has some signs/symptoms. One of them is that he speaks with tongues. It is called new in that it is not a language spoken before . Notice, tongues is a sign that SHOULD FOLLOW EVERY BELIEVER. It is not excluded to the apostles. It is for every believer. But you said Jesus never spoke in tongues ? Yes , because he didn’t need it. The same Jesus told us to do so.
Did the apostles speak in tongues ? Yes. Paul said “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all” 1 cor. 14:18. He was talking to the whole church. He speaks in tongues more than all of them.
1corinthians 14
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
Notice, Paul’s desire was that everyone speaks in tongues. Not for some. He also desire that they interpret so others can be blessed. Notice, tongues is spoken directly to God. But when it is a message to the church it has to be interpreted which equals prophecy. We can see in verse 26 that all have a tongues. Not some . So, the whole church of Corinth could speak in tongues. Paul was teaching them how to do it orderly . He never said they should not speak in tongues.
Another dilemma is to believe that tongues is intelligible. That means when we speak in tongues we understand what we are saying. This is not true according to the scriptures.
1 Corinthians 14
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
We see that when we speak in tongues our mind is unfruitful. Tongues makes sense to our spirit not to our mind. So, tongues is not a known language.
What then happened in Acts 2? Did the disciples speak in tongues as a known language? Let’s look at that .
Acts 2
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
First, understand that the people gathered were all Jews in diaspora. The feast of the Pentecost is a feast for Jews. This alone counters the belief that they spoke different languages. Look at verse 5, they were gathered Jews from every nation. So whatever interpretation they heard must be a Jewish language. What of the places mentioned from verse 9? They are places that the Jews came from. Places like strangers in Rome, proselytes talks about where they came from. They were all Jews. The same way people travel to their home town for Christmas celebrations. Now, what then happened in Acts 2? The book of acts is a historic account. Luke was writing an eye witness account. Notice when Peter defended the disciples, he calls what is happening PROPHECY. Paul in explaining the place of edifying the church in 1 Corinthians 14 tells us that tongues and interpretation equals prophecy. So what happened in Acts two was that they started praying in tongues from 6am (verse 1 at the dawn of the day) till 9am The third hour for Jews and they interpreted it which the people heard them giving thanks to God. This is why Peter called it prophecy which Paul later taught as tongues and interpretation. Luke couldn’t have explained it because he was writing a historic account not an epistle.
WHAT THEN IS THE IMPORTANCE OF TONGUES even in prayers ?
1 Corinthians 14
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
We don’t speak in tongues to men but to God. This is because in speaking in tongues, we speak mysteries (secrets) in the spirit. It is secret to men not to our spirit or God. Pay attention to verse 4. When you speak in tongues you edify yourself. What does it means to edify ? It means to build, construct or (figuratively) confirm, to edify, to embolden. The same Greek word was used as emboldened in 1cor.8:10, build in Matthew 26:61 and other places. So when you pray in tongues, you build yourself same way to build a house. How often should you then speak in tongues ? To the extent you want to be built. Tongues is the trigger for any other gift of the spirit. You can use tongues to prophesy, to get word of knowledge, to discern spirit and every other manifestation of the spirit. When you prophesy you build up another person but when you speak in tongues you edify yourself.
Jude 20: 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
How often should we pray in the spirit to build ourselves ? Always. Every time. Ephesians 6: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Notice we are to pray always in the spirit.
But man of God, must I speak in tongues in the church ? The question is do you want to edify yourself in the church ? Simple! But Paul said we should not speak in tongues in the church ? No, he never said so. Let’s look at the verse.
1corinthians 14
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. note
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
Notice, Paul said keep quiet in the church in the same vein he said speak to God and to yourselves. So, what was he saying ? When it comes to ministering one to another , when one speaks in tongues let him interpret so the other person can be blessed and edified. Pay attention to verse 28 which says SPEAK in TONGUES TO GOD AND TO YOURSELF even in the church. That is, you can speak in tongues to God directly and there would be no need for an interpretation. Paul never said don’t speak in tongues at all in the church. He never said so. It is you reading your meaning into the Bible. He only said when the tongues is to another person as a message, it must be interpreted so the person can be blessed.
WHAT THEN DO WE SAY IN PRAYERS?
1 Corinthians 14
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Notice the ALSO is praying with understanding. The major prayer language for the new man is tongues. If I say I will eat rice and eat plantain also, it means the major food I will eat is rice. So, how to pray is pray in tongues then declare what you are praying about in known language so your mind can be focused on it. Praying is so much a spiritual activity that it involves the mind. Many times, you do not know how to pray and what to pray. Then, we must be given to praying in tongues. It is what we say in prayers. You must understand that your mind is highly limited in knowledge but your spirit knows all things. ALLOW your spirit pray through you by speaking in tongues. Paul said I WILL PRAY WITH MY SPIRIT. So the willingness is of man. You are the one that speaks in tongues not God. When we pray in tongues, we make TREMENDOUS POWER available. We can then channel this power to any aspect. We can use tongues for revelation to know anything. You pray in tongues until your eyes are open. Tongues is a major aspect of our prayers as new creations. New tongues is the language of new creations.
HOW THEN DO I START SPEAKING ? If you have not spoken in tongues before and you have Jesus in your life, you can choose to yield to the spirit now. Don’t forget it is man that speaks in tongues not God. Jesus said, THEY SHALL SPEAK in tongues in Mark 16. He didn’t say I will speak in tongues and open their mouth. In Acts 2, THEY BEGAN TO SPEAK. It was they who spoke in tongues not God.
Acts 19
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied
Paul met some brethren in Ephesus. He led them to Jesus and laid hands and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Impartation can stir up the things of the spirit. If you want to speak in tongues now, first realise YOU HAVE THE ABILITY by the spirit in you. Then realise it is you that will speak the tongues in that you believed you have the ability. Then DESIRE TO SPEAK knowing that you have the ability already. You can speak now. By the power of the spirit I Declare that you BE FILLED WITH THE HOLYGHOST speaking in tongues now in the name of Jesus. Repeat this words, SHOUT THESE WORDS above your mind; I have the spirit , NOW I CAN SPEAK IN TONGUES. Hallelujah, so open your mouth now and speak. You are a believer.
In summary, so far in this series, we have looked at THE WHY, THE WHAT, THE WHEN AND THE HOW OF PRAYERS. We pray because our lives depend on it. We pray the word. We pray Every time. We pray in tongues and understanding also. We pray our identity in Christ. We do not lie in prayers. Example , when a believer is praying, every spirit of failure against his life die, that is a lie. If he keeps praying that , he is empowering the devil. He will soon start seeing evidences of the prayers. Many persons are in bondage because of the kind of prayers they prayed. This is why we must not be disobedient . WE PRAY MORE IN TONGUES, we then pray in known language. We pray to know and do the will of God. We pray our desires and get answers. TURN EVERY OF YOUR DESIRE, WISH, WORRY TO PRAYERS knowing that nothing there is nothing like unanswered prayers. So, we pray for everything at every time. We like talking to God. He is our father. Glory to Jesus for this awesome privilege and responsibility of prayers. Prayer is hard work . But it is worth it knowing the awesome benefits of prayers. The best part is that WE ARE SPIRIT ENABLED. God has helped us and always help us to pray by the spirit in us. No excuse. PRAY.
I declare that your strength to pray will never fail you. In the name of Jesus , a revolution has taken place now in your prayer life. It will continue to increase. You are rising, increasing as a prayer army in prayers. Amen.
BY EMEKE MODESTY OBIAZIKWOR
www.emekemodesty.com