MAY YOU TAKE AND USE YOUR PRAYER LANGUAGE.
Not everyone will be happy with the contents of this blog, but it is the expression of many years of personal study and experience, and the clear teaching of leading Theologians of many denominations from all around the world (particularly over the last 50+ years), who have put pen to paper to uphold and promote a Biblical position on the topic.
The Great Reformer John Calvin, was also it would seem the FATHER OF CESSATIONISTISM (some say Cessationism), which is the teaching and doctrine that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased to operate after the last Apostle died, he would especially highlight TONGUES, PROPHECY AND HEALINGS, so those who believed these Gifts were still available and operating today, were told that they were “of the devil” or had had some psychosomatic experience which was not of God. I personally have been told to my face I was “of the devil” because I spoke and prayed in tongues.
Since Calvin’s day, the understanding and interpretation of the Word of God on this doctrine has changed dramatically, especially because of the Pentecostal Revival that began around the beginning of the 20th century, and then the Charismatic Renewal/Movement that began in the 1960″s (approximately).
Like other revivals beginning right back at the Reformation, there have been excesses, and Theologians and Believers, looked at the excesses, and THREW OUT THE BABY “truth” WITH THE DIRTY BATHWATER, so many Believers remained entrenched in their previously held position, not recognising that GOD WAS STILL RESTORING TRUTH TO THE CHURCH.
In hindsight I personally believe the early Pentecostal churches that I was associated with, overemphasised the public use of the “Gift of Tongues” (which at least required interpretation) but under emphasised the PRIVATE AND PERSONAL USE OF PRAYING IN TONGUES. Interestingly this has been raised this week in a FB forum that I am associated with.
Often to speak in tongues for the first time was like receiving your “badge” that you were now in the “tongues club”.
We read in Acts 1:5 NKJV Jesus saying “John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Remember the Disciples had already received the Holy Spirit, we read in John 20:22 NKJV He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Then we read in Acts 1:8 NKJV “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”. This would suggest that a Believer has the holy Spirit from the moment of conversion, but the next step is to be BAPTISED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.
This was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost after the Disciples had spent 10 days in prayer seeking the Lord. Acts 2:4 NKJV And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. It seems to me, there was that mystical moment when the 120 TOTALLY SURRENDERED AND YIELDED THEMSELVES TO THE LORD, and the result was ALL 120 BEGAN TO SPEAK IN TONGUES. This is one reason I am convinced God is “no respecter of persons, (He has no favourites) and that EVERY BELIEVER CAN HAVE AND USE A PRAYER LANGUAGE.
I would suggest to you, that the ENTRANCE INTO THE SPIRIT FILLED LIFE IS SURRENDER, AND TO MAINTAIN AND LIVE A CONSTANT SPIRIT FILED LIFE WE MUST LEARN TO CONTINUALLY OBEY ROM.12:1-2 NKJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you (continually) present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
This way we can continue to fulfil Eph. 5:18-20 NKJV Be (continually) filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.
I believe it is the right and privilege of every Spirit filled Believer to have and to regularly pray in unknown tongues. Most theologians and Biblical Scholars believe Paul is referring to praying in tongues where we read in Rom:8: 26-27 NKJV Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
N.L.T. And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
PASSION And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words.
MESSAGE Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God.
AMP.N.T. So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will.
There are many, many reasons, God has given us a prayer language, check out google, some have written 20 reasons, another 100 reasons. The major reason I have written this blog, is not to promote and seek to confirm the DOCTRINE OF CONTINUATIONISM, but as the Lord has been leading me into a Ministry of Intercession more and more, there seems to be so many prayer needs, and I do not know how to pray, or what the answer could be, but I can “Pray in the Holy Spirit” knowing the Holy Spirit knows the mind of God, and so I simply pray and worship the Lord in tongues, and become very conscious God is with me, and is hearing me, and His perfect will shall be done in this situation.
I have not written this blog to argue or debate with anyone, (and will not) this is simply what I believe.
May you have a blessed weekend, we look forward to gathering with our church family this weekend now our lockdown has been lifted.
