Developing your prayer language
When I was prayed for to the receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, I knew nothing about speaking in tongues. I just found myself speaking something I didn’t understand. I was told that it was a spiritual gift. Not understanding what I had or what to do with it. I just forgot about it. Later when invited to a ladies’ bible study, I witnessed them praying out loud in words I didn’t understand. One of the ladies noticed that I wasn’t using my language and ask if she could pray with me. I didn’t know I could use it anytime I wanted to; I was waiting for it to just happen like at first time. She explained to me that this gift needed to be opened, explored, and enjoyed. I thanked her, but still wasn’t very clear on what was happening.
The next morning after my husband had gone to work and the kids off to school, I sat down and told the Lord “All right now what?” I spoke the few sounds that I had spoken before and as I was listening, I noticed repetition of sounds. As I just relaxed and kept speaking and listening other sounds began to develop. With use and believing that this really was a gift from my Heavenly Father I trusted and explored as I prayed. I became aware that this was a conversation with the Holy Spirit, I noticed pauses and breaks like sentences and expressions. It was exciting to think He was speaking and listening. One day I was singing praise in my language while I was driving and said out loud, “what am I singing?” Immediately, English words came into my mind, and I began to sing them. What a thrill! I think we can grow in this gift as much as we have the interest and desire. Hearing the Spirit speak like this to me is what opened my mind and heart to trust Him to give me words of encouragement for others or inspiration in prayer. Hearing your own voice say things that He speaks to your mind and heart--it’s truly amazing. Could it be the desire of Father's heart, to have fellowship like this with us?
Father encouraged me to let my ears hear my prayer. It seems He said, “Praising and speaking out loud is like sitting and thinking as compared to getting up and actually doing." You can’t think the delivery or the loving care. When spoken aloud, it comes alive. Words have power, thoughts and dreams are the seeds of the words, they need the demanding, messy work of preparation, training, and exposure. Follow through is less fun but more productive. The thoughts are for you but adding breath brings life, especially if it’s His breath. It’s time to get serious about “doing the Father’s business, especially in prayer. My excuse has been “I don’t know what to say." Now I have his breath to give voice.
It isn’t only what you think or know that needs to be offered up in prayer; give yourself to listening to the Holy Spirit and pray with Him in His language and yours.
