The Power & the Partnership
One of the Functions of Tongues
For the Christian…Why do I need to pray in the Spirit? What is the purpose? Those are some VERY relevant questions.
Romans 8:26-27 "Likewise the (Holy) 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."
It was a beautiful summer night August 2015. The evening shower had subsided and a cool breeze touched my face as I headed to the cabin to watch the first of the primary debates. "This should be interesting,” I thought. Suddenly, I heard the voice of God... "Pray for So-and-So, set the angels around his person, his truck, and trailer." God's Voice sounded like a thought just then but with an urgent tone. My head knew nothing - why should anything be wrong! It was awareness inside that bypassed head knowledge. The voice of God was speaking directly to my spirit. (As a Christian, you're in covenant with God. It is a partnership and He communicates with you through the Holy Spirit.)
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John 16:13-14 "However, when He, the (Holy) Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."
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I stopped in my tracks and prayed. As I watched the debates, I still felt uneasy. NOTE: When you feel that inside, it's not so you will be fearful. It is a warning to pray so that the Spirit can move in on the situation. The Holy Spirit was sent as your Helper, to operate with you during your time on the earth. Don't ignore His function! Jesus said concerning the Holy Spirit: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him (The Holy Spirit) to you (for your advantage)." - John 16:7 (NKJ)
I left for my bedroom to pray in the spirit and read my Bible. The phone rang 30 minutes later... A shaky voice on the other end.... "What's wrong?!" The connection died. "Are you ok? Hello??" Silence... Adrenaline shot high; I forced my mind to recall the pre-warning and the word of God.
Ten minutes stretched before we regained connection. So-and-so had fallen over an embankment in his truck. Traveling over a narrow mountain road with a HEAVILY loaded trailer, he had come to a STEEP, wet hill with a sharp hairpin. The sheer weight of the trailer had forced him into the slick curve much too fast for his breaks to handle... and it drove him over.... The edge had come quickly and with HOT intensity in the cab. Yet at the last second - he said he didn't know what happened - It was like Someone took the wheel and pulled it straight so that the truck went over head on instead of broadside (still attempting to make the curve) He cried out "JESUS!" as the tires left the road...
The rescue squad told him afterwards that most people keep that wheel turned trying to make it - but they can't. The vehicle flips and usually crushes them. This should have been his case too - according to them. Another point that needs mentioning: The precise second the truck straightened, the trailer was still at a right angle and flipped so that it did not flatten the driver's cab... it rolled sideways instead of backend over the front. So, the trailer twisted on its own axel and sheered itself. Only a few dings and a ripped bumper were sustained to the truck.
Finally, the flipping trailer stalled the falling vehicle to stop three feet from crashing into an old Oak tree! He walked away without a scratch. The rescue squad and police were amazed that he was alive, having gone over that particular embankment and that the truck was in such good condition.
That could have and should have been a devastating moment. There were so many things that could have gone wrong; much was prevented. One could say, well why did it happen? We live in a fallen world. Seriously? I heard God before it occurred! He was urging me to pray about something my mind did not know. This is a perfect example of why we pray in tongues; why it is a tool, and why it is an advantage to us (John 16:7, Romans 8:26). He walked out alive! Truck included! It wasn't luck. The Holy Spirit operates on words. He wanted to move in on that scene through those words spoken in tongues (regardless of the limitations of my mind).
The Word & the Spirit...
What does praying in the Spirit have to do with God's words and affecting situations?
In the beginning the earth was without form and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the water.... and God said... let there be light and there was light. The Spirit did not go into action until God spoke the word.
Genesis 1:1-3
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the (Holy) Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
(NIV)
The Holy Spirit still hovers... and when you pray in tongues (which is a language given utterance by God) then the Spirit goes into action (moving in on situations, creating, affecting, moving) But He waits until the WORD is spoken.
Partnership
God is the most purposeful Being in the universe. Everything He does has purpose. He designed us for partnership with Him and gave us a tool for our assignment on earth. Tongues is a partnership tool. You saw a function of this instrument in what you have just read here. Now, I want to show you a glimpse of Partnership.
"No longer do I call you servants... but friends" (Friend is translated business partner) God has to work with man (just as He did with Adam in the garden) That is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Your will be done on earth just as it is in heaven." (Luke 11:2) Look at this!: John 15:15-16,26
15 "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father (The Heavenly Partner) in My name He may give you.
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the (Holy) Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. (NKJ)
Interesting that He would mention the Holy Spirit in this same dialogue.
Romans 8:26-27
26 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.
27 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. (NKJ)
We don't always know what to pray but the Spirit makes intercession (according to the will of God) with groanings (tongues).
Conclusion
1.) We know if we ask anything according to the will of God He hears us and it shall be done for us. (1 John 5:14-15) When you pray in tongues, you are ALWAYS praying the will of God because it is God's Holy Spirit giving you utterance. Therefore, since you are praying the perfect will of God - that prayer is effective and will be done. See 1 John 5:14-15. Tongues = Tool.
2.) Praying in the spirit bypasses the boxes in our mind so that He can get the job done without the interference of doubt.
Mark 11:22-24
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.
23 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says.
24 "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (NKJ)
How can you have doubt regarding something your head doesn't know? You can't! Therefore, what you are praying in the Spirit is not restricted by doubt. You're able to bypass the mind. What an advantage! Tongues is a tool to get the will of God accomplished on earth as it is in heaven.
3.) Scripture directly instructs us: pray in tongues.
Jude 1:20-21 "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God..." (NKJ)
How to be filled with the Holy Spirit? See “You in the Power and the Power in You”
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