INTERCESSIO N (2)
At our Pastor’s fellowship meeting today, a very robust discussion developed on the issue of “speaking in tongues”. It was a very positive discussion and I came away encouraged. There has been a growing change of attitude (within the Christian church) to the phenomena of speaking in tongues not only by Evangelicals, but Liturgical Christians as well over the last 50 years. I was told to my face 45 years ago by a Local Church leader that I was “of the devil” because I believed in speaking in tongues.
An Evangelical pastor in our meeting expressed it this way today, which I thought was an excellent summary.
IT WOULD SEEM THERE ARE THREE EXPRESSIONS OF TONGUES IN THE N.T.
1. A person speaking in a language (he does not know ) but his hears do understand.
This is what happened in the Book of Acts on the Day of Pentecost, people from 16 nations are recorded as being in the crowd (they had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast) and Acts 2:8 records they the heard the Disciples speaking about the “wonderful works of God v:11) their own language.
2. The public use of the Gift of Tongues in a church service, that required the Gift of interpretation so the hearers could understand the message.1 Cor. 12:10. Paul had to write and correct the Corinthian church about their misuse of the Gift, not that the Gift was not genuine.
3. The personal private use of a prayer language.. In 1 Cor. 14 Paul tells us that personal private use of tongues is an awesome way to edify yourself v.2. In verse 3 His wish is that every Corinthian believer should have a personal private prayer language.
In Acts 10:34 Peter tells us that, “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality, GOD HAS NO FAVOURITES.
I fully endorse this position regarding tongues in the New Testament I sincerely believe every believer can and should have a prayer language. I want to edify myself, like Charles Wesley wrote , Oh that I had a 10.000 tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise.
When I come to pray, not only can we pray in English (or you in your language) but I can spend time.
Thanking the Lord
Praising the Lord
Worshiping the Lord,
Interceding (when I don’t know how to pray) before the Lord
Petitioning (for myself) (when I don’t know how to pray)
In spiritual warfare .
Using my personal prayer language.
Now in relation to Intercession Paul tells us in Romans 8:26-27
FOR WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PRAY FOR AS WE OUGHT, BUT THE SPIRIT HIMSELF MAKES INTERCESSION FOR US WITH GROANINGS WHICH CANNOT BW UTTERED, NOW HE WHO SEARCHES THE HEARTS KNOWS WHAT IS THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT, BECAUSE HE MAKES INTERCESSION FOR THE SAINTS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD.
You may say, you have spent most of the time in this blog seeking to prove the place of speaking in tongues in the life of the believer. But as Paul says there are so many times when we pray for individuals, for nations (e.g.Israel) and for our own personal challenges that we don’t know how to pray, BUT when we don’t know how to pray, we can let the Holy Spirit pray through us as we pray in unknown tongues.
This blog may cause me to lose friends, you may think I am a heretic, but for 55 years I have had the privilege of using my prayer language, and I appreciate this privilege more today than at any time in my life.
I trust this blog will evoke a response, I trust not for argument but to glorify God.
may you have a blessed weekend.
