I remember as a young Baptist pastor, my heart longed to fellowship supernaturally with God. I
sometimes prayed several hours at a time, but I always went away feeling somewhat cheated
in my spirit. My spirit hadn't said what it wanted to because I was praying mostly out of my
head — my own understanding — and I was not able to fully express my heart supernaturally
to God that way.
One of the great benefits of being filled with the Spirit and speaking with other tongues is that
we can talk to God supernaturally. It is your spirit, by the Holy Spirit within you, talking to God:
"For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful" (1
Cor. 14:14). The Amplified Bible says, ". . . my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays ..." (1
Cor. 14:14).
Magnifying God
Another scriptural purpose of speaking in tongues is to magnify God.
ACTS 10:45,46
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished . . . because that on the
Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them SPEAK WITH TONGUES, AND MAGNIFY GOD....
So, you see, speaking in tongues is a means of magnifying God.
Edifying Ourselves
Still another scriptural purpose for speaking with tongues is to edify ourselves. In First
Corinthians 14:4, Paul makes the statement that "He that speak-eth in an unknown tongue
EDIFIETH HIMSELF. . . ."To edify means to build oneself up.
Then in verse 18, Paul said, "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all." In other
words he said, "I thank God I edify myself more than ye all." If Paul needed this edification, we
need it too.
Jude also links praying in tongues with spiritual edification.
JUDE 20
20 But ye, beloved, BUILDING UP YOURSELVES on your most holy faith, PRAYING IN
THE HOLY GHOST.
Praying in the Spirit
Jude instructs believers to "pray in the Holy Ghost." Paul uses a similar phrase in his letters.
Writing to the Church at Ephesus, Paul said, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication
IN THE SPIRIT. . ." (Eph. 6:18). What does it mean to "pray in the Spirit"?
One meaning of "praying in the Spirit" is found in First Corinthians 14:2, where Paul says, "For
he that speaketh in an UNKNOWN TONGUE speaketh not unto men, but unto God . . .
howbeit IN THE SPIRIT he speaketh mysteries." As I mentioned earlier, praying in the Spirit
also can mean praying in your understanding as the Holy Spirit inspires you.