Prayer and Speaking in Tongues

I have heard there is power behind your words when you speak in tongues. I have heard people speak in tongues and sometimes it sounds forced and other times it flows with such beauty and peace.

With that said, I do not speak in tongues, at least not that I’m aware of. I do get lost in my time with the Lord and deep in prayer to where I’m not aware of anyone or anything around me, it’s just my God and me. Could I be speaking in tongues then? Don’t know, what I do know is my God hears me and my prayers are answered. I know my Father is with me and wants a relationship with me, He wants me to talk to Him, to praise Him, to give Him my every care, to trust Him and to walk in faith.

The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous Proverbs 15:29

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  Romans 3:21-24

He hears the prayers of the righteous and I have been made righteous through the blood, through my faith in Jesus Christ.

I wanted to look up the original Greek words in a couple passages.

I used www.biblos.com

The first Scripture is

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

The first word ‘building’ - Definition: I build upon (above) a foundation.

2026 epoikodoméō (from 1909 /epí, "apt, fitting on," which intensifies 3618 /oikodoméō, "to build up, edify") – properly, appropriately build on, following aplan with pre-designed (pre-defined) specifications

Holy –

40 hágios – properly, different (unlike), other("otherness"), holy; for the believer, 40 (hágios) means "likeness of nature with the Lord" because "different from the world."  The fundamental (core) meaning of 40 (hágios) is "different" – thus a temple in the 1st century washagios ("holy") because different from other buildings (Wm. Barclay). In the NT, 40 /hágios("holy") has the "technical" meaning "different from the world" because "like the Lord."   [40 (hágios) implies something "set apart" and therefore "different (distinguished/distinct)" – i.e. "other," because special to the Lord.]

Faith –

Definition: faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

4102 pístis (from 3982/peithô, "persuade, be persuaded") – properly, persuasion(be persuaded, come to trust); faith.

Faith (4102/pistis) is always a gift from God, and never something that can be produced by people. In short, 4102/pistis("faith") for the believer is "God's divine persuasion" – and therefore distinct from human belief (confidence), yet involving it. The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded believer so they can know what He prefers, i.e. the persuasion of His will (1 Jn 5:4).

Faith (4102/pistis) is also usedcollectively – of all the times God has revealed (given the persuasion of) His will, which includes the full revelation of Scripture (Jude 3). Indeed, God the Lordguarantees that all of this revelation will come to pass! Compare Mt 5:18 with 2 Tim 3:16

Holy –

Definition: set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred

40 hágios – properly, different (unlike), other("otherness"), holy; for the believer, 40 (hágios) means "likeness of nature with the Lord" because "different from the world."

The fundamental (core) meaning of 40 (hágios) is "different" – thus a temple in the 1st century washagios ("holy") because different from other buildings (Wm. Barclay). In the NT, 40 /hágios("holy") has the "technical" meaning "different from the world" because "like the Lord."

[40 (hágios) implies something "set apart" and therefore "different (distinguished/distinct)" – i.e. "other," because special to the Lord.]

Spirit –

Definition: wind, breath, spirit.

4151 pneúma – properly, spirit (Spirit), wind, orbreath. The most frequent meaning (translation) of4151 (pneúma) in the NT is "spirit" ("Spirit"). Only the context however determines which sense(s) is meant.

[Any of the above renderings (spirit-Spirit, wind,breath) of 4151 (pneúma) is always theoretically possible (spirit, Spirit, wind, breath). But when the attributive adjective ("holy") is used, it always refers to the Holy Spirit. "Spirit" ("spirit") is by far the most common translation (application) of 4151(pneúma).

The Hebrew counterpart (rûach) has the same range of meaning as 4151 (pneúma), i.e. it likewise can refer to spirit/Spirit, wind, or breath.]

Praying –

Definition: I pray, pray for, offer prayer.
4336 proseúxomai (from 4314 /prós, "towards, exchange" and 2172/euxomai, "to wish, pray") – properly, to exchange wishes; pray – literally, tointeract with the Lord by switching human wishes(ideas) for His wishes as He imparts faith ("divinepersuasion"). Accordingly, praying (4336/proseuxomai) is closely inter-connected with4102 /pístis ("faith") in the NT. See: Ac 6:5,6,14:22,23; Eph 6:16-18; Col 1:3,4; 2 Thes 3:1,2; Js 5:13-15; Jude 20.

And then I looked up a passage about tongues

I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. I Corinthians 14:5

Speak –

Definition: (I talk, chatter in classical Greek, but in NT a more dignified word) I speak, say.
Word Origin  from lalos (talkative)

Tongues –

Definition: the tongue, a language, a nation (usually distinguished by their speech).

1100 glṓssa – tongue, used of flowing speech; (figuratively) speaking, inspired by God, like the evidence of tongues-speaking supplied by the Lord in the book of Acts to demonstrate the arrival of the new age of the covenant (i.e. NT times).

[The normative experience of the 120 believers received "tongues (1100 /glṓssa) as of fire" (Ac 2:3) and miraculously spoke in other actual languages, i.e. that they could not speak before (Ac 2:4f). This sign was repeated in Ac 10:46, 19:6 – furnishingample proof (three attestations) that the Lord had incorporated all believers into Christ's (mystical) body (1 Cor 12:13).]

After looking up these few Scriptures and studying out the original meanings in the Greek. I believe all prayers, prayed in faith by the person that has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, are answered!

When I hear someone speak or pray in tongues do I discount it? No, I do not.  Who’s to say they are not speaking in a ‘nations’ tongue that we are not aware of yet? I have learned to give it over to God, He knows I don’t understand it, and I pray quietly, giving Him praise and asking Him – if this is from you then please move among us, let us hear what You are speaking to us in a way we can receive and move forward giving You all the glory, honor and praise!

That is my heart’s desire – to glorify my God, my Redeemer, my Savior, the Creator of everything, the Bright Morning Star, my Provider, my Healer….the list goes on and on.

He’s these things to you too!

If you have never received Him as your Savior, call out to Him now, repent of your sins and let His cleansing come in. It doesn’t have to be a wordy or flowery speech – just talk to Him and then listen and receive. If He puts it on your heart to sing – sing, to dance – dance – to speak works of Hallelujah then speak!

1 John 5:11-13 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: 

it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad 

in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The Power of the Tongue

The power of the tongue – words can damage the soul

They may not have touched me in their flesh but they beat me with their words – who you ask – that doesn’t matter, what matters is I have victory and that is the path I choose to stay on.

I thought I had gotten released from the hurt deep inside from verbal abuse, from being told I won’t amount to anything, can’t do anything right, you must stay thin or your man will leave, enjoy life now because once you grow old blah blah blah

Unfortunately, not knowing who I was in God, I believed and accepted these things into my life.

There were all kinds of people that took advantage of this and more abuse came. I thought I deserved it until I met God and He has shown me through His word and through my husband just how special and loved I am. That I am who God says I am and no longer have to believe the lies of other hurting people.

With that said, for several days now I have felt angry and hurt not knowing why. So I began to pray and darn it if my husband didn’t notice something was wrong and it irritated him and yep we had a spat but these are few and far between and we know it’s not going to bring up the D word!! We know because of who we are in Christ and that we want to love and honor God and we are committed to each other,  we will defeat the enemy this time too!

Anyway, anxiety/dizziness/lack of confidence began to creep it’s way back in – big flag for me because it’s been years!

As I prayed and the Lord began to show me things I now see that there is still a very deep hurt in me that has never been healed, never really released it’s just been covered over as I keep a smile on my face. One of my deepest hurts in our youngest daughter walking away from her family and this brings up those old lies that I thought had been put to rest.

God has healed me of so many things and they have been in stages because if He shows me everything at once He knows I could not handle it. Therefore, I’m grateful for the times of rest before we begin another cleansing, which gives me another testimony and hopefully helps someone else as it helps me.

So here I go on a journey of letting go of hurtful words that most people have no idea wounded me. And that I never should have allowed to get so deep inside me, to open up that wound again. So there is no pointing of my finger because I’ve heard it said when you point one finger forward the other 3 are pointing back at you. And I believe if we take this attitude with our brothers and sisters in Christ we will see a great advancement in His kingdom. The gossip and backbiting would stop and we would all truly work together to do what He has called us to do. We may have different personalities, likes and dislikes, different levels on our spiritual walk BUT we have a common goal…..opps I got off on another topic J maybe I’ll do one on working together in the church, what I have, what I am learning!

So whether it’s an unbeliever or a believer that speak unkind words I must remember it is not an attack on me. We all have bad days, things that have happened to us that open wounds that have not healed completely – I need to remember this could be happening to them as well. They could have  received bad news, something I did or said could have triggered a bad memory in them,  you never know what is going on.

If I know God’s Word and can pray it, speak it and forgive then that wound is going to heal, completely and that is what I want!

So I will remember Psalm 31:19-21

Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men! In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord! For He has shown me His marvelous loving favor when I was beset as in a besieged city.

And

Psalm 32:7

You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

I was reading a book and this really jumped out at me, ‘Whether we talk to ourselves or others, speaking evil or negative words that do not agree with God’s Word can create bondage. Words that others speak about us or write against us – if we agree with them – keep us in bondage!’  From A Woman’s Guide to Breaking Bondages

Proverbs 12:18

There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

The words we speak can be a blessing or a curse, we can bring healing or hurt in the words we speak- whether to the person or behind their backs.

Proverbs 18:21a

¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue

I could go on and on but will close with

Isaiah 54:17

But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.

And a prayer from the above mentioned book.

Lord Jesus, You knew rejection, abandonment, pain and betrayal by those close to you. So you can identify with my hurts and wounds. Yet, Lord, as you hung on that cross, bleeding and dying from wounds you didn’t deserve, You actually asked Your Father to forgive Your offenders. Lord, please help me to forgive each person who has abused, rejected, or cursed me. Right now I honestly don’t feel some of them deserve forgiveness. But because I want my relationship with You to be right, I choose to forgive and set myself free. (help me love them as you love them – I added this). Lord, I ask you to heal my painful memories. Help me to anticipate with joy what you have in store for my life, now that I’m on the road to healing. Your Word says you complete the work you start. Thank you that you will finish my healing, and that you will never leave me nor forsake me. Amen