Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
— Romans 5:1-5, NLT
By faith when you received Christ as your Lord and savior, your spirit dies and Christ makes you a new creature. This could not take place without the Holy Spirit. God desires that you receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is an anointing; an eternal power. When you ask in faith the Holy Spirit comes to live in you. There is no pressure from others. This is between you and God. Ask and you shall receive. The Bible says:
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
— Luke 11:13, NKJV
You see the Lord is willing and able to give His Spirit to you, just ask. In receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit the evidence of “tongues” will come forth from your mouth. “Tongues” is a God language. A language you don’t understand but God does. Sometimes when we pray, we don’t know what to pray. The Holy Spirit prays for us through us; even about things that we don’t know how to say. There is no effort on your part. Remember He is our helper.
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. 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.
— Romans 8:26-27, NKJV
My personal experience in praying in English, I tend to think on the things I’m praying about. Sometimes my mind gets in the way or even drifts. In praying in the Holy Spirit or praying in the Spirit, my mind is removed from the prayer altogether. My mind or motives are not influencing the prayer. So if I am praying for a particular need for someone’s healing or a particular situation, my mind, or thoughts are of no influence. The Holy Spirit prays on my behalf the perfect will of God in the situation. I want the best for the person or the situation; the Holy Spirit knows what’s best. When you speak in “tongues” you are operating in the Holy Spirit. He is in the driver’s seat. You have moved yourself out the way and yielding to the Holy Spirit praying for and through you.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
— Acts 2:4, NKJV
It may seem weird to you. Some people may say you are talking gibberish. Pay them no mind. The Lord hears you prayer. Let’s examine a movement in history where speaking in tongues was grossly criticized but God heard the prayer of William J Seymour and millions of lives worldwide have embraced relationship with Christ speaking the language of God.
Ordinary People in LA
Seymour was an unpretentious man, but recognized his own need for continual guidance and strength from the Holy Spirit.