Silas
Beloved of All
Your desire to go deeper in prayer and to worship God more fully is a beautiful thing, and thank you for sharing it so honestly. It is good to want to be closer to the Lord in prayer, and He hears that longing.
The Scripture teaches that when someone speaks in tongues, he is not speaking to people but to God. It is a way of praising and magnifying God, of giving thanks and praying according to the Spirit when words seem insufficient for what is in the heart. On the day of Pentecost those who were filled with the Spirit were heard glorifying God, and the wonder was that others heard those praises in their own languages. Paul explains it this way, that he who speaks in a tongue speaks mysteries to God in the Spirit, and that this kind of prayer and singing has its highest value in personal devotion, in your own private communion with God. He himself said that he would pray with the Spirit and also pray with understanding, and he would sing with the Spirit and also sing with understanding. Both have their place, and both are real prayer.
It is also important to see what the Bible says about how this gift is given. In 1 Corinthians 12 the Spirit distributes gifts to each person as He wills. Not all have the same gift. Not all are given healing, not all are given prophecy, not all are given tongues or the interpretation of tongues. That means not having this particular gift does not mean you have failed, or that you are less spiritual, or that God is withholding His love from you. The same chapter that speaks of tongues reminds us that without love even the most remarkable utterance is only noise. Love, and faithful worship with what you do understand, remain central.
For that reason this is not something to be accomplished by effort or by learning a technique. It is a gift prompted by the Holy Spirit, not something we can produce on our own. The greatest use of it, when God does give it, is not to impress others but to help the individual heart in private prayer and worship, especially when prayer reaches a depth where ordinary language feels too small. In a public gathering, Scripture gives clear order, that tongues without interpretation do not edify the whole church, and that prophecy, teaching and clear instruction build up others more directly. In private devotion, however, those who have this gift often describe it as a great help and blessing in their walk with God.
Please do not feel that your prayers without this gift are less heard. God does not measure prayer by length or by a special language. The prayers recorded in Scripture are often very short, and Jesus taught that we are not heard because of much speaking. He hears the simple, sincere prayer offered with understanding, and He hears the cry, God be merciful to me a sinner. Your prayers in the language you know are fully valid and precious to Him.
So my prayer for you is not simply that you would receive a particular experience, but that the Lord would deepen your whole prayer life. I pray that He would fill you with His Spirit, increase your love for Jesus, and make your times of worship rich, whether in words you understand or in the Spirit led groanings that go beyond words. If it is His will to give you this gift for your personal edification, I pray He will do so in His perfect timing and way. If not, I pray He will give you full assurance that you are complete in Christ and that your communion with Him is real and growing. May He teach you to pray both with the Spirit and with understanding, and to rest in His love as you seek His face.
The Scripture teaches that when someone speaks in tongues, he is not speaking to people but to God. It is a way of praising and magnifying God, of giving thanks and praying according to the Spirit when words seem insufficient for what is in the heart. On the day of Pentecost those who were filled with the Spirit were heard glorifying God, and the wonder was that others heard those praises in their own languages. Paul explains it this way, that he who speaks in a tongue speaks mysteries to God in the Spirit, and that this kind of prayer and singing has its highest value in personal devotion, in your own private communion with God. He himself said that he would pray with the Spirit and also pray with understanding, and he would sing with the Spirit and also sing with understanding. Both have their place, and both are real prayer.
It is also important to see what the Bible says about how this gift is given. In 1 Corinthians 12 the Spirit distributes gifts to each person as He wills. Not all have the same gift. Not all are given healing, not all are given prophecy, not all are given tongues or the interpretation of tongues. That means not having this particular gift does not mean you have failed, or that you are less spiritual, or that God is withholding His love from you. The same chapter that speaks of tongues reminds us that without love even the most remarkable utterance is only noise. Love, and faithful worship with what you do understand, remain central.
For that reason this is not something to be accomplished by effort or by learning a technique. It is a gift prompted by the Holy Spirit, not something we can produce on our own. The greatest use of it, when God does give it, is not to impress others but to help the individual heart in private prayer and worship, especially when prayer reaches a depth where ordinary language feels too small. In a public gathering, Scripture gives clear order, that tongues without interpretation do not edify the whole church, and that prophecy, teaching and clear instruction build up others more directly. In private devotion, however, those who have this gift often describe it as a great help and blessing in their walk with God.
Please do not feel that your prayers without this gift are less heard. God does not measure prayer by length or by a special language. The prayers recorded in Scripture are often very short, and Jesus taught that we are not heard because of much speaking. He hears the simple, sincere prayer offered with understanding, and He hears the cry, God be merciful to me a sinner. Your prayers in the language you know are fully valid and precious to Him.
So my prayer for you is not simply that you would receive a particular experience, but that the Lord would deepen your whole prayer life. I pray that He would fill you with His Spirit, increase your love for Jesus, and make your times of worship rich, whether in words you understand or in the Spirit led groanings that go beyond words. If it is His will to give you this gift for your personal edification, I pray He will do so in His perfect timing and way. If not, I pray He will give you full assurance that you are complete in Christ and that your communion with Him is real and growing. May He teach you to pray both with the Spirit and with understanding, and to rest in His love as you seek His face.
