Benefits of Speaking With Other Tongues

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

My thought is that praying in the Spirit is the definition given by the Holy Spirit to praying in an unknown tongue.

2: For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 1 Cor. 14:2

14: For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 1 Cor. 14:14

15: What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16: Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
17: For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18: I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: 1 Cor. 14:15-18

Praying with the Spirit is clearly distinct from praying in the understanding according to Paul.

But Im open. Give me scripture where someone in the New Testament was praying in the understanding but yet it was called "praying in the Spirit".

I agree with the above certainly...was just wondering if praying in my known tongue could also be praying in the Spirit.

It is a fact that we don't always have the understanding of what we are praying and why we are praying it, and thus it could be called 'praying in the Spirit'.

No Scripture to support my opinion...just wondering what others thought...

[Michael The Disciple]

Probably sounds like Im getting to technical but what you refer to I might consider being "led by the Spirit" in prayer as opposed to "my spirit" praying in the Holy Spirit.

Its a matter of definition.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Probably sounds like Im getting to technical but what you refer to I might consider being "led by the Spirit" in prayer as opposed to "my spirit" praying in the Holy Spirit.

Its a matter of definition.

I was thinking the same thing when I posted it...semantics. Guess I just prefer to say that it is the Spirit praying through me...

[Sam]

Originally Posted by ForeverBlessed

I just read a book last week "They speak with other tongues" by John Sherrill It was awesome...

That was a great book.
Books like "They Speak With Other Tongues,"
"The Cross and the Switch Blade"
"A New Song"
and others helped me realize that the House of God is much larger than the little room we are living in.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Berkeley

Is this common?

I don't know how common it is but I've heard of it before.

[Sherri]

Originally Posted by ForeverBlessed

I just read a book last week "They speak with other tongues" by John Sherrill It was awesome...

That's an oldie, but goodie. He set out to disprove tongues, didn't he? And ended up receiving the Holy Ghost himself?

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Barb

But is praying in the Spirit always speaking with tongues?!

I speak almost every time I pray, but have also prayed in earnest without speaking with tongues...prayed for things and about situations I knew nothing about at the time, wondering why I was going there in prayer.

Is this not praying in the Spirit as well, and do we (Pentecostals of every stripe) short change the work of the Holy Ghost to think that praying in the Spirit is always in an unknown language?!

I wouldn't limit it by the word ALWAYS
In my opinion, praying in the Spirit means praying as enabled, or empowered, or helped or anointed by the Holy Spirit. It may be in a language we don't understand (some call this a prayer language) or it may be "with the understanding" (words the praying person understands)

Romans 8:26-27 in the KJV says:
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.

I believe there are a couple ways the Holy Spirit helps pray more effectively:
--Spiritual travail, Galatians 4:19; Isaiah 66:8
--illumines our minds, Philippians 1:3-6; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23
--puts right words in our mouths, 2 Samuel 23:2;

--prayer language, 1 Corinthians 14:2, 4

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Sherri

That's an oldie, but goodie. He set out to disprove tongues, didn't he? And ended up receiving the Holy Ghost himself?

I don't know if he set out to disprove tongues.

He heard about speaking with tongues from Ruth Peale, wife of Norman Vincent Peale of positive thinking fame. As a journalist and on staff for Guideposts, I think he was interested in it as a story or article and wanted to research it.

It's been a while since I've read that book.
My memory may be hazy.