Speaking in Tongues and Praying it the Spirit

Edify Yourself.

Jude 1:20
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

1 Corinthians 14: 4

4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church

Edifying one's self is more important than most people think. I have never seen anyone operating in the power gifts; miracles, gifts of healing; who does not also speak with tongues. Praying in the holy Spirit is speaking with tongues which builds up or edifies you. It is like an air compressor building up pressure so your pneumatic nail gun or impact wrench will work. Or charging your battery so your screw-gun will work. It is true you can build a house without power tools but it takes much longer.

Power tools in the hands of a child are dangerous. You can cut off a thumb or shoot a nail through your hand. The gifts of the spirit are for the mature to build the house of God, the body of Christ. Tongues is the lesser gift of the Spirit but it is also the one that edifies us to the point where we can walk in the higher gifts.

Praying in the Holy Spirit is valuable in two ways.

#1 Interceding in prayer

Romans 8:26-28

26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; for we do not know how to pray as we should. and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. That is when "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

#2 In spiritual warfare.

1 Corinthians 14:2 (New American Standard Bible)

2 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.

In WWII the Americans used a code that the Japanese never broke. They sent messages from and to the front lines that the enemy could not understand. They used the language of the Native American Navaho tribe. One of the smallest peoples alive today. "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." In our war against Satan and his minions we send and receive messages in a language that our enemy does not understand. But God understands better than we do an He causes all of creation to work for us.

1 Corinthians 14:13-15 (New American Standard Bible)

13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

15 What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

Singing in the Spirit is valuable in Worship.

I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

God is Greater than our words can describe. When we sing in the Spirit we can express what our known language cannot and give Him the credit that is due.