Misconception about Praying in Tongues

Call To Prayer 

Title: Misconception about Praying in Tongues 

Date: 16.01.2023 

By: Njuacha Hubert 

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Mathew 11:25 

Praying in tongues is one controversial topic in the body of Christ. While I believe it is understandable that Christians debate about whether everyone can speak in tongues or not, I also believe recognising speaking in tongues as a valid Christian practice is not hard to establish. One just needs to read 1 Corinthians 12 and see where St. Paul talks about the gift of speaking in tongues and the gift of interpreting those tongues; also, 1 Corinthian 14 where St Paul addresses speaking in tongues and prophesying in church gatherings. And from these, it should not be difficult to accept that it is a valid Christian practice. Coming now to whether everyone can speak in tongues, I strongly believe there is a misinterpretation by many in the body which worries me. I believe many in the body have misinterpreted the fact that speaking in tongues is a gift to mean that they can’t speak or pray in tongues because they simply don’t have the gift.  

Let’s consider this analogy. Let’s say miss A is not an exceptional singer. She cannot sing and cause goose pimples on you. In fact quite the opposite. Does that mean she can’t sing? Technically you can say yes, she can’t “sing” and by this you mean she is not good at singing. However yes, she can sing because she has a mouth and can produce a sound. 

A gifted person is one in whom the ability to do something is amplified compared to the ordinary person. Saint Paul in Corinthians 12 talks about the gifts of the Spirit; meaning the Holy spirit amplifies an ability in a person to do something. Among the gifts he mentioned other than the gift of speaking in tongues, is the gift of faith (1 Corinthians 12:9). Yet scripture asks us to have faith e.g Mark 11:22-24. So then because St Paul has said faith is a gift, would you exempt yourself from the instruction to have faith? Yes, there will be people that the holy spirit provides an extraordinary grace of faith but non the less each one ought to put in the willpower to have faith. Similarly, each one ought to pray in tongues in order to build self spiritually as mentioned in Jude 1:20. When Jude 1:20 says “pray in the holy ghost” do you think it means talking to God only with your physical mind as we do in a regular prayer? Remember St Paul affirms praying in tongues builds you up. (1 Corinthians 14:4) 

A scriptural verse taken out of context in the bible can be used by the devil for deceit. (e.g Jesus’s temptation in the desert.) When St Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:30 says not all can speak in tongues the context is about gifts of the spirit, so it means not all can express it extraordinarily but all can make the effort to do so.  

If you have the Holy Spirit in you then you can start praying in tongues by moving your lips to make any sound. It doesn’t have to sound nice to you or someone. why has something so simple been mystified.? Is it perhaps a strategy of the enemy to keep the body deficient of this activity needed for her growth.?  

Prayer Point:

Let’s pray that God should remove prejudices and confusion about praying in tongues among those He has called. Let’s pray for the desire to devout time to pray in tongues trusting that He is the one praying and is building us up through it as revealed in Scriptures.