When Paul said to pray with the understanding, he was saying pray with the language or languages that you have learned naturally. I know a few words of Spanish but when praying with my understanding I pray with English. Multilingual Christians can pray with any of their known languages. In public they would probably pray t...he main language known by those present. If I was in another country and was asked to pray in public, they would need a translator or interpreter to understand what I was praying unless they too knew English. Any born again person has the privilege of praying with any and all languages that they have been taught.
When Paul said to pray with the spirit, he was not talking about praying with a language that one has learned. He was talking about praying with a language that was supernatural, as it were. On the day of Pentecost the disciples prayed with a language that had been given them when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. For the purpose of witness some or all of them prayed with a language not learned but known by some that were witnessing what was taking place. That still happens at times, but 1st Corinthians makes it clear that this is not always the case. In 1st Corinthians we learn about other gifts of the Spirit, one being the interpretation of tongues.
There is a difference in translating or interpreting natural languages and the supernatural gift of interpreting tongues. I do speak a few words of Spanish as stated above but my neighbor speaks Spanish fluently as does my daughter-in-law who actually teaches Spanish. There are times when I call on my neighbor to help me communicate with a man that does some work for me and doesn’t know much English. The difference in this interpretation and the gift of interpretation is that the one moving in the gift of interpretation does not know the language he or she is interpreting. Therefore when one speaks publicly in tongues he or she is speaking in a language that they do not know and the interpretation comes from the Spirit to someone’s spirit and then on to their mind in a language known by that person and most or all of those present. The person then speaks to those present what the Spirit of God has said.
Scripture teaches and encourages prayer with the spirit and with the understanding. Any born again believer can pray to our heavenly Father in the name of Jesus with any and all learned languages. Believers who have been baptized in the Spirit can also pray with the spirit. Both kinds of prayer are biblical! Scripture does say that praying in devotional tongues builds up the one praying and the gift of tongues along with the gift of interpretation of tongues builds up those that are present.
Although closely related there is a slight difference in the prayer language of tongues for devotional purposes and the gift of tongues for the church meeting. Any person that has been born again and baptized in the Spirit can pray with tongues in their devotion at their will. Not all Spirit baptized members of a local church will move regularly if at all in the gift of tongues. There are nine supernatural gifts that the Holy Spirit divides as he wills among Spirit filled churches.
Paul was a mighty man of God and his conclusion was pray both ways. He did say that he prayed in tongues more than all. He had learned how to build himself up by praying privately in tongues. I often say that tongues are to a believer as weight lifting is to athletes. Actually it is better and more important!
In conclusion, devotional tongues are to build up the individual disciple so that he or she may be spiritually strong to do the Lord’s work. Church meeting tongues and the accompanying interpretation are to build up the Christian members of the Church for doing the work of the Lord Jesus. Concerning devotional tongues Paul said that he prayed more than all. Concerning tongues in Church meetings he said do it and forbid not.
When Paul said to pray with the spirit, he was not talking about praying with a language that one has learned. He was talking about praying with a language that was supernatural, as it were. On the day of Pentecost the disciples prayed with a language that had been given them when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. For the purpose of witness some or all of them prayed with a language not learned but known by some that were witnessing what was taking place. That still happens at times, but 1st Corinthians makes it clear that this is not always the case. In 1st Corinthians we learn about other gifts of the Spirit, one being the interpretation of tongues.
There is a difference in translating or interpreting natural languages and the supernatural gift of interpreting tongues. I do speak a few words of Spanish as stated above but my neighbor speaks Spanish fluently as does my daughter-in-law who actually teaches Spanish. There are times when I call on my neighbor to help me communicate with a man that does some work for me and doesn’t know much English. The difference in this interpretation and the gift of interpretation is that the one moving in the gift of interpretation does not know the language he or she is interpreting. Therefore when one speaks publicly in tongues he or she is speaking in a language that they do not know and the interpretation comes from the Spirit to someone’s spirit and then on to their mind in a language known by that person and most or all of those present. The person then speaks to those present what the Spirit of God has said.
Scripture teaches and encourages prayer with the spirit and with the understanding. Any born again believer can pray to our heavenly Father in the name of Jesus with any and all learned languages. Believers who have been baptized in the Spirit can also pray with the spirit. Both kinds of prayer are biblical! Scripture does say that praying in devotional tongues builds up the one praying and the gift of tongues along with the gift of interpretation of tongues builds up those that are present.
Although closely related there is a slight difference in the prayer language of tongues for devotional purposes and the gift of tongues for the church meeting. Any person that has been born again and baptized in the Spirit can pray with tongues in their devotion at their will. Not all Spirit baptized members of a local church will move regularly if at all in the gift of tongues. There are nine supernatural gifts that the Holy Spirit divides as he wills among Spirit filled churches.
Paul was a mighty man of God and his conclusion was pray both ways. He did say that he prayed in tongues more than all. He had learned how to build himself up by praying privately in tongues. I often say that tongues are to a believer as weight lifting is to athletes. Actually it is better and more important!
In conclusion, devotional tongues are to build up the individual disciple so that he or she may be spiritually strong to do the Lord’s work. Church meeting tongues and the accompanying interpretation are to build up the Christian members of the Church for doing the work of the Lord Jesus. Concerning devotional tongues Paul said that he prayed more than all. Concerning tongues in Church meetings he said do it and forbid not.
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