Praying in the Spirit - The Secret of Intimacy

After spending four weeks teaching on "The Helper", we had a "fun" break and enjoyed a Wild and Wacky, Don't Be Tacky weekend. (You can read about this weekend in last week's blog.) Then, this weekend we completed a two part series entitled "Why I Pray in Other Tongues". It was refreshing to remind our children about six important reasons for connecting to God through our heavenly language.

Let me share with you one reason that I didn't share with the children. In fact, I just saw this reason for the first time a couple of weeks ago as I was reading 1 Corinthians 14:2.

"For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men,
but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries." (King James Version)

Like you, I've read this verse so many, many times. But this time, I read it from a translation that shed a whole new light.

"If you praise him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and him." (The Message)

This translation opened my eyes to the reality that praying in and by the Spirit goes beyond praying mysteries and secrets. As I read this translation, I could see that by praying in other tongues I am shutting the door to others (both human and spirits) for a time of "sharing intimacies just between you and him" by communicating words that are intended only for His ears and receiving His words to my spirit that shouldn't be heard by others. Can you see that? By praying in the Spirit the inner most longings of my spirit can connect with the inner most passion of His Spirit!

If you want to have a greater intimacy with God, learn the joy of praying in the Spirit!