Why I Pray in Tongues

As the man went around the room, he laid hands on my first roommate. And my first roommate began to speak in tongues. Then, the man laid hands on my second roommate. He began to speak in tongues. Now, there was only one roommate in the room left to pray for - me!

I was a first year university student and God was doing many new and exciting things in my life. However, I had heard so many negative things about speaking in tongues. I had even heard that it was from the devil. I certainly did not want to give the devil any place in my life.

I had recently begun to study the topic in scripture and had discovered that the Bible was actually very positive about the benefits of this gift in prayer.

It was one of those moments that seemed to take place in slow motion as the man came around and laid his hands on my head. I’ll never forget the choice and the prayer I made in that moment. I didn’t say it out loud, but it was reverberating within me, “Lord, I want everything you have for me! I will no longer fear what people think of me. I want everything you have.”

Interestingly enough, I didn’t speak in tongues in that moment. However, I would never be the same. Something incredible had happened inside of me in that moment. God began to fill my life in a way that He never had before. My fears were gone! I now had a confidence and boldness that enabled me to share my faith with complete strangers. Where I had been empty a few moments before, my heart was now filled with song.

Years later, I can’t say how thankful I am for that moment. It was truly one of the most important moments of my life. It was a moment where I said “yes” to a whole new realm of this great adventure of knowing the Living God. It was a step out my comfort zone. It was a step out of living life in the natural and into a whole new place of the supernatural. … a step I have never regretted.

Several years later, at the end of a church meeting, a man laid his hands on me and said, “the Lord has given you a prayer language, speak!” In that moment, I spoke. I spoke in a language I had never learned and I knew it was from God. Now, over thirty years later I’m also very thankful for that moment and for a gift that has through the years helped me know God in a deeper way.

Everything God does is about our walking with Him and knowing Him in a deeper way. Speaking in tongues is not about having some sort of badge or even just a gift. It is about living in a new and deeper place of intimacy with God.

It is the one gift of the Spirit specifically designed to help you personally stay in touch with God all of the time. The Bible says it this way, “For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.” 1 Corinthians 14:2

When we come into relationship with God, our life becomes a never ending conversation with Him. You are involved in a conversation with God that will never end… even for all eternity. God wants to give you a gift that will help you in this conversation. He wants to give you a gift that will help you in moments when you feel strong and in those moments when you feel overwhelmed and have no idea what to pray.

One day I received a call from a man in the church whose wife had just had a baby. Immediately I could feel the fear as he said, "She has just had the baby, but she (the mother) is not doing well at all. They think she might die if something doesn’t change very quickly.”

I ran to my car and began to rush to the hospital. I felt so much fear that I was almost shaking. I didn’t know what to pray. My mind and my emotions were overtaken by the gravity of the situation. I began to pray out loud in tongues. As I prayed, the phrase, “She will not die but will live!” quickly popped into my mind. Within a few seconds, it was reverberating within me. “She will not die, but will live!”

The fear that was consuming me a few seconds ago had now completely melted away. I picked up my phone and called the husband and said, “She will not die, but will live!” And she lived!

Later, the husband shared with me that everything shifted when I called him and said, “she will not die, but will live!” A confidence came upon him in that moment and the entire situation began to shift for the good.

I honestly do not know that I would have been able to hear the Lord in that moment if I wasn’t praying in tongues. The gift of tongues is a gift that helps us bypass our minds in prayer. This can be extremely helpful anytime, but especially helpful in moments of intense emotional stress.

God wants to give you things to pray that your mind (as amazing as it may be) would never come up with! The bible says it like this: “for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.” 1 Corinthians 14:2 As you pray in tongues, you are going to speak mysteries! There are things God has been longing for us to pray. Even things that have never been prayed before in all of creation. There are things He has reserved for this moment in history. There are mysteries God wants to give us to pray. Mysteries that our natural minds would never be able to come up with. Praying in tongues helps us to speak and come into agreement with these mysteries.

Praying in tongues also strengthens you. The bible says, “One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:4. This verse is not saying we have to chose between the gift of tongues or the gift of prophecy. It is saying we get to do both! I pray in tongues privately to strengthen myself and out of that place of strength I get to prophesy and bless and encourage those around me.

When someone gives you a word of encouragement or prophecy you are strengthened and built up. Praying in tongues has the same effect, except that it is not based on having to receive a word externally. It helps you tap into a well of internal encouragement and strength in God. As you pray in tongues, you are personally strengthened. And that is good. In fact, that is really good!

One night a group from our church had been ministering in a town 3 hours away from us. We had a wonderful night of ministry and did not leave to head home until very late. As we left that night to drive home, I felt a challenge from the Holy Spirit to pray in tongues for the entire journey home. So as I drove home that night I prayed in tongues for almost 3 hours straight.

That next morning, after very little sleep I was shocked at how good I felt after spending most of the night praying in tongues. Praying in tongues strengthens us in ways we can’t even comprehend.

Praying in tongues won’t solve all your problems or fix all of your “issues”. It won’t suddenly make you a person of great character and maturity. It will simply help you stay in touch with an amazing, living, loving God who longs to transform you and the world around you. And for me, living and staying in touch with Him means everything.