"...if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also" (I Cor.14:14,15).
Two ways to pray:
1) with the spirit (that is, in an unknown tongue)
2) with your understanding
2) with your understanding
Addressing a church in tongues is one of the functions God has set in the church (12:28). This public expression of the Spirit is not to be forbidden (14:39). Someone who addresses a congregation in an unknown tongue can pray that he may interpret (verse 13). Or someone else present may be gifted to interpret (verse 27).
But an equally valid use of an unknown tongue (besides addressing a congregation) is to pray privately to God in the unknown tongue:
"...if there be no interpreter...let him speak to himself, and to God" (verse 28).
We can decide at will to spend time praying in an unknown tongue:
"...I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also" (verse 15).
When we pray in an unknown tongue, we're not speaking to men but to God, because no-one understands us:
"...he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him" (verse 2).
We ourselves don't even understand it, but it's our spirit praying:
"...if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful" (verse 14).
Howbeit in the spirit, we're speaking mysteries:
"...howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries" (verse 2).
We're speaking as the Spirit gives us utterance:
"...they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4).
What a resourceful way to pray!
Praying in tongues is personally edifying:
"He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself" (I Cor.14:4).
It builds us up:
"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost" (Jude 20).
It's refreshing:
"This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing..." (Isaiah 28:12).
"...the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19).
We can sing with the spirit:
"I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also" (I Cor.14:15).
It's a valid way to bless:
"...when thou shalt bless with the spirit" (verse 16).
To give thanks:
"For thou verily givest thanks well..." (I Cor.14:17).
It's a way to serve God:
"...served God with...prayers night and day" (Luke 2:37).
"...whom I serve with my spirit" (Rom.1:9).
With petition, intercession and giving of thanks for all men.
When we speak with tongues, we're tapping into the things of God:
"...for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God" (I Cor.2:10,11).
To a depth beyond what we might understand:
"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom.8:26).
Sometimes what we're praying about in our spirit gets revealed to our minds while we're praying:
"But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit" (I Cor.2:10).
It's a way to be renewed in the spirit of our mind:
"...be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (Eph.4:23).
It can help us to know things, and also teach others effectively:
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (I Cor.2:12,13).
It's a way to engage with what we have received - the things of the Spirit of God - and come to know them, seeing they are spiritually discerned. It helps us to judge all things; to know the mind of the Lord; since we have the mind of Christ (see I Cor.2:14-16).
Praying with an unknown tongue is something we can do much:
"I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all" (I Cor.14:18).
Divers kinds of tongues is something we can all receive and do:
"I would that ye all spake with tongues" (verse 5).
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4).
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