Bringing Clarity To the Gift of Tongues and Why I Pray In The Spirit

Written by guest contributor Archbishop Russel McClanahan of Evangelical Episcopal Communion (www.EEC1.org). Excerpts of this article also appear in Issue No. 12: Seen & Unseen

Is The Gift of Tongues Misunderstood?

The gift of tongues, or praying in the Spirit, is one of the most misunderstood, misused, and even rejected topics in Scripture. Paul devotes the entire 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians to this very subject, addressing both the public and private use of speaking in tongues. There are predominantly two understandings of the purpose and use of this gift: the Cessationist view and the Charismatic view. I will give a brief explanation of each one and then offer my own personal views on the subject, focusing on the private use of tongues in my own life.

CESSATIONIST VIEW

 The Cessationist view of tongues (or praying in the Spirit) holds that this was a supernatural gift used in the early church to give credibility to the gospel message and advance the spread of Christianity in its infancy. According to this view, once the New Testament Canons were completed and approved by the Church Councils, this gift is no longer needed today. The reasoning is that since God now communicates to us through His written Word (the Bible), the conscience of the believer, and the discernment of His people (the Church), the use of tongues for today is obsolete. The emphasis here is on gaining an intellectual knowledge of God and His ways, and less on a personal, growing, intimate relationship with God Himself, except perhaps for the salvation experience or on other isolated and rare occasions.

CHARISMATIC VIEW

 Like Cessationists, Charismatics believe that God communicates to us through the Bible, conscience, and the Church. In contrast, however, Charismatics maintain that these are not the only ways that God communicates with and to us. They contend that since the Holy Spirit now takes up residence inside the believer (a fundamental tenet unique to the Christian faith), praying in the spirit (the gift of tongues) is a useful means of developing our own personal relationship with God, whereby we can have a daily experience of His presence and enjoy intimate communion with Him, spirit to Spirit. Therefore, the gift of tongues (as well as the other spiritual gifts) has real value and significance not only for the early Church but also for the Church and the individual Christian today.

 While it is acknowledged that these gifts have fallen into disuse during certain periods in the Church era, it should also be acknowledged that occurrences of charismatic gifts, including tongues, have been reported throughout every period of church history, from the Desert Fathers and Mothers, Francis of Assisi, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and George Fox (founder of the Quakers), giving proof that these gifts never completely ceased to exist.

It is important to note that, while for the Charismatic the emphasis is on experiential knowledge of God, that knowledge must be based on a solid Biblical knowledge of Him. Experiences without this foundation of Biblical knowledge can lead to misunderstanding and misuse of the spiritual gifts, including tongues, thus creating an environment with the potential to cause harm – especially to new believers.

My Personal Prayer Life And Experience With The Gift of Tongues

In my own prayer life, praying in the Spirit plays a vital role in my relationship with God. It fulfills my deepest need for intimacy in the very core of my being. For me, this type of prayer is not a matter of “I HAVE to,” but rather it is that “I GET to!” It is a special privilege we, as believers, have, one that goes beyond mere thinking and enables us to commune spirit-to-Spirit with the God of the universe. Think about that!  Practicing this type of prayer allows our spirits to become open to His Spirit, enabling a deep and intimate relationship with Him to develop. What an awesome privilege!

All of us long for at least one meaningful relationship where we can be fully known, find acceptance without condemnation, find purpose that gives life meaning, and belong, knowing that we are not only loved but LIKED! Experiencing the presence of God through praying in the spirit fulfills these deep emotional needs in ways that mere intellectual knowledge and human language cannot. 

As I pray in the spirit, I find peace and stability in times of chaos and uncertainty, clarity in times of confusion, strength to persevere in times of trials and hardship, comfort in distress, guidance and direction in making choices, loving correction when in error, and hope in times of discouragement. I am assured that I am intentionally created with a purpose, fully loved, accepted, forgiven, appreciated, and understood, safe and supported. All this is confirmed to my soul as I engage the Spirit of God through using my “prayer language” in spirit-to-Spirit communion with God.

As I pray in the spirit, I find peace and stability in times of chaos and uncertainty, clarity in times of confusion, strength to persevere in times of trials and hardship, comfort in distress, guidance and direction in making choices, loving correction when in error, and hope in times of discouragement.

But for me, praying in the spirit goes even deeper than just being fully known by God. As I use my prayer language and quiet myself to listen, I get a glimpse into the very heart of God and get to know Him as well. More than just an intellectual understanding of His character and His ways, I become acquainted with His thoughts, His motives, and His intentions. I begin to understand in personal, specific ways what pleases Him and what offends Him; what delights Him and what grieves Him; what provokes Him and what brings Him joy. I find I can know Him in the most intimate sense, as a husband knows his wife. (Gen 4:25, and Eph 5:31-32). 

One of my favorite passages of Scripture is Daniel 11:32, “The people who know their God will be strong and take action.” Knowing God intimately through being in His presence changes me. All is well with my soul, and I am ready to carry out His call for my life and do battle in His Name.

My prayer and hope for you who read this article is that you will open yourself to the supernatural work of God in your life through this powerful tool and gift that God has made available to you. Pray about it. Think about it. Why not ask Him for it? 

May God release in you a brand new prayer language by which to worship and praise Him; then be amazed at what He will do!