Benefits of Praying in Other Languages (Tongues)

First written Last updated

As much as praying in other tongues (languages) is not talked about today, it's place was firmly understood in the early church, thanks to the teaching of Jesus, Paul, Jude, Peter, and other disciples. Let's sum up what we've seen from the Bible so far.

If one considers that this subject entails not only personal edification, but edification of other believers, as well as spiritual warfare, one can be sure that Satan and his demons will do everything in their power to prevent it from being used.

So, why should you pray in the Holy Spirit in other tongues? Do you sometimes feel like you cannot say to God what is deep inside your heart? Are you feeling spiritually weak? Do you feel unable to assuredly pray for the Father's will at all times? Is praising God in your spirit and in truth important to you? Does helping the church of God without leaving your house sound amazing? Are you wanting to be used by God to work miracles, heal the sick, cast out demons, wage warfare against evil spirits, encourage and teach others, and reach the lost with the Power of God's Salvation?

- It is the way to pray with your spirit, by the Holy Spirit (prayer in the Spirit), and not with your imperfect mind (1 Corinthians 14:14), (Romans 8:26)). This allows full use of your mind to do other things, such as read, think, watch, or listen, at the same time. This means, anytime you are not talking, you can pray in tongues quietly and help birth the will of God on earth (1 Thessalonians 5:17), (Colossians 4:2), (Philippians 4:6), (Ephesians 6:18))!

- It is the means of wielding our only offensive spiritual weapon—the Sword of the Spirit (which is the Holy Spirit Himself) against the enemy (Ephesians 6:17,18).

- It spiritually edifies and builds us up as individual temples of the Holy Spirit, stone by stone (1 Corinthians 14:4), 6:19).

- It builds up the the Body of Christ, the Church of God, on earth, by laying stone upon stone through edification, when we are in the presence of other believers (1 Peter 2:5), (Ephesians 2:19-22)).

- It is a gateway into the nine manifestations of the Holy Spirit, especially prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:5); "I want you all to speak with tongues, but especially in order that you may prophesy...", Gk., (1 Corinthians 14:26-28)).

- It is the refreshing of God, and the means to rest ourselves (Isaiah 28:11,12), (1 Corinthians 14:21,22)).

- It is a way to defeat the pulls, temptations and desires of the sinful nature, and to walk in the Spirit in holiness (Romans 8:13), (Galatians 5:16), (2 Corinthians 3:18), (Ephesians 4:21-24)).

- It is the spiritual (opposed to natural) way to pray "in the Name of Jesus" (Mark 16:17), (John 14:12-17)).

- It is a way to give thanks to God, excellently (1 Corinthians 14:17).

- One of the greatest apostles of Jesus Christ, Paul, thanked God for the ability to do it often — more often than a whole city church (1 Corinthians 14:18).

- It is a means of praising and blessing God (1 Corinthians 14:16).

- It causes the Father to seek us out, because we are worshipping Him in spirit (John 4:23), (1 Corinthians 14:16)).

- It is a means of keeping ourselves in the love of God, as we wait for the appearing of Christ (Jude 1:20,21).

- We are assured that we speak to God (and not man or the enemy) when we pray this way (1 Corinthians 14:2).

- It is one way to receive faith; when we pray in other tongues, we are speaking with the Word (Voice) of God (Ephesians 6:17,18), (1 Corinthians 14:14)); thus we are speaking the words of God (Isaiah 59:19)b,21, (Matthew 4:4), (Acts 2:4), (Romans 8:26), (1 Corinthians 14:6,19)); through this, we can hear a specific word from God, which will then result in faith (Romans 10:17); when we have faith, nothing will be impossible to us (Matthew 21:21,22), (Mark 11:23,24), (Luke 17:5,6)). This is the key to being used by God to do great works, including miracles, casting out demons, healings, and speaking the Good News with boldness in the Spirit; for with faith nothing is impossible!

- It reminds us that we are the children of God, through our belief in Christ (Mark 16:17).

- It reminds us that we have received the Holy Spirit of God upon us, and in us, after our new birth in Christ — which is the Promise of the Father (Acts 1:4,5) — and keeps us in His immediate presence, direction, and inspiration (Acts 2:4), 10:45,46).

- It stirs up the Spirit within us, to reveal what God has freely given to us (1 Corinthians 2:12), (2 Timothy 1:6), (1 John 2:20)).

- It is a way of revealing the secrets of God (1 Corinthians 14:2).

- It is a means of teaching yourself and others (with interpretation) (1 Corinthians 14:6,18,19), (1 John 2:27)).

- It is the way of singing to God with your spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15).

- It is desired of us by the great apostle Paul, who wrote under the inspiration and command of the Lord, and taught the same doctrines in every church (1 Corinthians 4:17),13:5,14:37).

- It increases our physical boldness and power, erases fear, keeps us sane, and increases the love of God in our lives; for we are stirring up the free gift of God within us, which we received when we were baptized in the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:5-7), (1 Timothy 4:14), (Acts 19:6)).

- Another great apostle of Jesus Christ, Peter, wrote that Paul's writings contained much wisdom, and were easily misunderstood and distorted by those who were ignorant — this includes, of course, praying in tongues. Though it may be difficult to grasp at first, it is a wise teaching of God, through Paul (2 Peter 3:15,16).

- It builds us up on our holy faith, as laying stone upon stone (Jude 20).

- It is the perfect means of intercession, for the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26), Who indeed knows the thoughts and will of God (1 Corinthians 2:11), through Jesus Christ whom we are clothed with (Romans 8:27,34), (Hebrews 4:12), (Roman 13:14), (2 Corinthians 5:17).

- Because we are assured that we are speaking to God, praying for the will of the Father, knowing that He hears us because of this, and that He seeks people to worship and pray this way, we know that our prayers will be answered (1 Corinthians 14:2), (Romans 8:26,27), (John 4:23), (1 John 5:14,15).

- It assures us that all things will work out for good, because we love God and are called according to purpose — the one of letting the Holy Spirit intercede through us in other tongues (Romans 8:26-28), (Colossians 4:3,4), (2 Corinthians 1:11).

- It is the sign to unbelievers that God ordained hundreds of years ago, which many people will reject (Isaiah 28:11,12); though some may believe in Him because of it (Acts 2).

- It allows us to join with other believers — praying alongside them — to strive together for the birth of the perfect will of our Father into the earth (Romans 15:30), (Matthew 18:19,20), (Colossians 4:12), (Philippians 4:6); in Greek there is a definite article before "prayer" and "prayers").

Is this not a true blessing from God? A wonderful gift from our Maker?

To pray in tongues (pray in the Spirit),

you must be baptized into the Holy Spirit:

The Promise of the Father still offered to all children of God!

Continue always, praying in tongues, in your spirit, by the Holy Spirit, obeying God, and watch the will of the Father begin to be birthed into your life. Watch the Lord Jesus be lifted up, that men may be drawn unto Him. Watch signs, wonders, and miracles follow your sharing of the Word. Begin to see yourself become more like Christ. Watch God move.

"But we will give ourselves continually to the prayer, and to the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:4) "Steadfastly continue in the prayer, and watching in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 4:2) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by the prayer and the supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6) "But you, dear friends, build up yourselves on your most holy faith through praying in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." Jude 20,21 "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17) "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than you all." (1 Corinthians 14:18)

For more information on the benefits of speaking in tongues, more description of its place in the Body of Christ, as well as personal testimonies of God's glory through its use, please visit:

- You Must Be Drunk!, by Dr. Joseph Kostelnik, Ph.D.

- The Perfect Weapon, by Dr. Joseph Kostelnik, Ph.D.

- The Christian's Three-fold Ministry. Through Prayer in the Spirit, by Dr. Hobart E. Freeman Th.D.

Directly Related

Possibly Related

Email the Author Write about this page

Open to load the form, or write from the contact page.

The Good Message

As you read this site, you will hopefully come to know Yahweh more fully.

But all of this continuing knowledge is useless unless and until you come into union with Him. I use the word union because it is truly a marriage. It is that deep connection we all seek, for which we most often look in other people. However, the truth is that our hearts will only be fulfilled when we enter that union in fullness with the One Who made us.

This is the grace of God, that He has not stayed distant for us only to worship as Creator. But He has come unto us, even become one of us—in His Son, Christ Jesus—in order to share an intimate union with us. He desires such closeness that it truly will envelope our entire life, transforming us into something new and wonderful.

You may have already entered this union with Him and only seek to know Him better through reading here. But if you have not, as you do read, let this Gospel sink into your heart as you read it now.

God loves you, and has cast your sins into the sea. He has sent His only Son as the Savior of the world—that includes you.

That Son, Jesus Christ, was born as a man through a virgin who had given her life to Yahweh; He lived without sin, reflected the glory of His Father, God, in all His words and deeds, and was persecuted even unto death because of it.

His death upon a cross was the powerful explosion that separated you from your life of death. It remains for you, now, to enter into that death with Him. As you die to the one you are now, a person separated from God from your many sins, you will be born anew, with a nature predisposed to live rightly. This gift is free to you, with nothing you can do to earn it. It is the mercy of God to offer it to you, as He loves you so much! All you must do is receive it by trusting Him to have delivered you. Simply place your life in His hands and embrace the freedom that came through that death on the cross.

The Gospel is that Jesus did not remain dead, but rose again on the third day after His crucifixion! Death could not hold Him, as He was without sin. And so death will not be able to hold you, as you identify with Him fully through your trust in Him. Let go of yourself and confess Him as Lord of your life. The power of His death and resurrection will work in you all that your Creator has destined for you. You will truly enter a new life and experience that intimate union you have been seeking all of your life.

So ponder these words as you read here of this great God—Yahweh—and all that He has revealed to His creation. Let His Spirit testify to your heart that these words are true, that God is Love, and that He sent His Son so that you might receive the life that is unbound by time and space. As you feel that witness in your heart, simply believe and receive what He is offering to you, even now, and begin your new life as a child of God.

Please write to me and let me know when you take this step, as I will be your brother in Christ—we will be one in Him!