When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you receive a gift from God—the gift of speaking (or praying) in tongues. It is a powerful gift that every believer should desire. In fact, here are five benefits to praying in tongues:
- Praying in Tongues Allows You to Speak Directly to God
“For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious.” –1 Corinthians 14:2
When you pray in tongues, you are praying God’s will, directly to Him. It allows your mind to get out of the way so your spirit can commune with the Father.
- Praying in Tongues Keeps You in Tune With the Holy Spirit
“And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” –Acts 2:4
Tongues is a gift from God. It allows you to pray the will of God by the empowering of the Holy Spirit. When you pray in tongues, you are yielding to the Holy Spirit who dwells in you. Then you are allowing that same Spirit to pray through you, so you are in tune with Him.
- Praying in Tongues Strengthens Your Spirit
“A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.” –1 Corinthians 14:4
Praying in tongues builds you up spiritually and helps you to live a Spirit-led life.
- Praying in Tongues Allows You to Pray Even When You Don’t Know What to Pray
“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.” –Romans 8:26
Even when you don’t know how or what to pray, you can still pray…in tongues. You can trust your spirit to pray the perfect will of God, regardless of the situation.
- Praying in Tongues Is a Weapon Against the Work of the Enemy
“And then he told them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved.… These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.… They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.’” –Mark 16:15-18
Jesus proclaimed several things that would happen to those who followed Him and continued His work. Speaking in tongues is one of those gifts, and it allows Jesus’ followers to stand against the work of the enemy.
Praying in tongues is a gift that’s available to every believer. It allows you to pray God’s will to Him. It keeps you in tune with the Holy Spirit and strengthens your spirit as you stand against the work of the devil. Don’t discount this powerful gift from God. Desire it. Embrace it and relish the strength it adds to your spiritual life.