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Speshul_K

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Praying In The Spirit????? - 2007/01/25 17:14 Well I come from a charismatic background full of rules and regulations. From the beginning of my walk with Christ I always prayed for the truth. God I only want your truth. So it all began for me in the Baptist church where I had to get baptized but as far as tongues went it was never mentioned. Then it was on to the Charismatic church that I better identified with but through the years just got exhausted trying to work the Word of God to get anywhere. So I stopped church altogether and went on a quest. Sometimes down bunny trail but God always redirected me. Then I came upon the “grace movement” for lack of a better term and it seems I’m being totally deprogrammed but I still have questions. I must admit there is a peace inside me that was only present for about the first two days following accepting Christ as Savior.

I have read a lot on this site about the GIFT of tongues and because it was in the book of Acts we are not to make doctrine out of it, that it was basically a historical account. From what I've seen of this gift in church it was highly prone to error and misuse. I'd rather have it stay a historical account. However in the charismatic church we are also taught to pray in tongues. This is our own language between God and I where prayer is perfect and free of willful wants and desires that may not be in accordance with Gods perfect will for us or those we may be praying for It was also nothing the Devil could mess with because he could not understand it.. A spiritual language meant to recharge our spiritual batteries. We are told to ask God for it and believe and it will come. I had trouble I prayed and nothing. Then my little sister who already had received this gift said hold my hands and I’ll pray for you and then just open your mouth and it will come. She learned this through the youth ministry at the church we attended. So we began to pray first in English then my sister started in her prayer language. After a minute or so I just started going Ba ba ba and then it began to pour out. I got all hot and tingly and went at it for a few hours straight. This was not something I could force or understand but it seemed to switch from one language to another back and forth. Down the road I was told I could ask God for its interpretation, to know what I was praying about. I asked but it never was revealed. We were also told if we were not sure what to do about a situation in our lives to pray in the Spirit until the answer came. This seemed to work for me but not all the time. I must also confess that most of the time when I did spend time praying in the spirit all hell broke loose in my life. Is this because I was a threat to the devil? After some services or a conference we were told the devil would hit us with both barrels because he wanted to steal the word we had just received from the Lord, but to be strong and fight him. It seemed true life would be tough and usually it was loved ones that would attack verbally but it was still tough. Eventually I quit praying in tongues because I was tired of the battles. It was also at the time of learning all this stuff that my dad was run over and killed by his own tractor-trailer. This ripped my family apart emotionally and sent both my brother and sister into the arms of drugs (mainly crystal meth.). This was 14 years ago and it’s still taking its toll on our family. Our pastor at the time told us dad was killed because he was in the way of our spiritual growth as a family. That sent my brother and sister running from God because he was a killer in their eyes. OK, now I’m telling way too much about my tragically messed up family unit. It’s all about this one question about praying in tongues.

So I have found a bit on this site about the Gift of Tongues, meant for public use but what about our personal prayer language referred to as praying in the spirit or praying in tongues. The reason I ask is because, I do not purposely make it happen and I can still do it whenever I want. I don’t even need my mind to do it. I can totally focus on other things while I’m doing it. I seem to think this is why I get painfully bored when I do it. It can’t be evil because I am born again and I have the trinity living on the inside of me. So I’m just ever so confused.

Does anybody have any thoughts on this? Any info would be appreciated. Enjoy your day...and always view others you see through Jesus specs!

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Speshul_K

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Re:Praying In The Spirit????? - 2007/01/29 08:57 Did I post this in the wrong catagory or is it that nobody has any thoughts on my issue?????

Enjoy your day...and always view others you see through Jesus specs!

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red
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Re:Praying In The Spirit????? - 2007/01/30 21:06 Hi Speshul K

This is Red here.
Sorry it’s taken a while for you to get some sort of response to the issues you have raised. I’m sure that it isn’t because no one has a view on the matter.
Thank you for having the courage to share some of your story. In view of what you have shared I’m not surprised that “Praying in the Spirit” is a tricky issue for you to approach.
I’ve only just read your entry on the forum so would like to give it some thought before making a full reply.
What I would say is the fact you can post a message on a forum like this after what your family has been through is testimony to the Agape love and perseverance of God in and through you.
And I’m sure you know this but I feel it’s important to affirm to you that despite your brother and sister appearing to be away from God as you put it, God’s Agape and perseverance is still at work in them however different things may appear.
The truth of Luke 15 is always an encouragement to me in situations like this with it’s simple truth of “Once a “son” or daughter, always a son or daughter, prodigal or otherwise.
Why is that truth so simple and non-negotiable? Because God’s Agape is such that it can’t be conditioned by our disillusionment, anger, wilfulness or anything else.
I’m just beginning to learn that darkness just enables the Agape love of God to shine all the more strongly.
There is much more to be said here on the issues you have raised and I will write again when I’ve had a little more time to reflect.
Be encouraged
Red

Post edited by: red, at: 2007/01/30 21:13 Red: Hi, I'm a freelance sports journalist and I've been a regular member of Grace West for almost four years with my wife Anne. I'm learning that sport is a God-given part of my DNA and I have a real heart to see the Grace message out in the sporting arena. If anyone else in the grace community connects with that thought please get in touch with me through the site.

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Speshul_K

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Re:Praying In The Spirit?????(Red's Post) - 2007/01/30 21:46 Thanks sooo much Red for your encouraging words and further ponderance on the subject. I look forward to your reply. This is a VERY puzzling area for me. If indeed this gift is not a gift at all why do I have it and where is it from? Scary to think something evil or wrong has deluded me this long and if so how do I get rid of it? I do imagine this is a tricky subject but I’m totally willing to hear all thoughts no matter what they are I’m very open on the subject. I’m at a place in my life where I don’t want to NOT be doing something I should be or vice versa. Something that will build me up in my most holy faith. Anyone who wants to chime in FEEL FREE.

Enjoy your day...and always view others you see through Jesus specs!

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Thiago Souza

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Re:Praying In The Spirit????? - 2007/01/31 18:43 Dear Brother in Christ,

I also come from a charismatic/neo-pentecostal background, and I also speak in tongues the same way like you do, so maybe I can share some thoughts with you.

First, the gift of tongues is not only in acts, the main doctrine is taken from AP PAuls words in the book of corintians:

1Cr 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.
1Cr 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to] edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
1Cr 14:4 He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

So what were told to you about it, is shown in these verses of ap. paul (I suggest reading the hole chapter

).

About the interpretation, normally it will not happen, and you do not need to worry about it. Now, if you are in the church you nedd the interpretation, cause if you do not interpret it will not benefit anyone cause no one will understand, that's why profecy edifie the church and tongues without interpretation don't.

So I think you do not need to be confused, the gift you have is genuine and from the Holy Ghost, and the bigest proof is that you do not use your mind to formulate it like you said. (It happens just the same way on me, and i guess it is for every body else too...)

About some things you pointed:

- Recharge batteries: it may do that, but that's not a rule, and that's not the general porpose, the bible says about edifying wich means quite a lot of things for me, not just recharging.

- to get an answer: this is also not the purpose of tongues, so it may really not come. Normally you get answers in your spirit by the lead of the holy ghost, by an inner conviction or several other ways....

- devils atack - I would be careful saying it, probably just a coincidence. Cause the devil will always try to destroy you. THe speaking in tongues should be used in constant basis, and so will happen devils atacks...

- Your fathers death - I do not agree with the pastor words about your fathers death... God would not "remove" your father because he was in the way of your spiritual growth... (imagine if God removed everybody that may harm our spiritual growth? lol the word population would decrease significantly). Your father died because of an accident, and acidents happen all the time. So I don't see God "killing" him at all.

I hope it helped.

In the Aghape of Christ,

Thiago Souza

Post edited by: Thiago Souza, at: 2007/01/31 18:45

Post edited by: Thiago Souza, at: 2007/01/31 18:45

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Speshul_K

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Re:Praying In The Spirit????? - 2007/01/31 22:36 Thanks so much Thiago. I guess I was just worried I was operating in something I should not. Something useless. I must admit I’m weary from the enemies attacks already. Especially in my body. I guess I’m still having some struggles.

I knew God did not kill my Father but try to get that across to my siblings. Those words spoke by our family pastor at that painful time cut them to the marrow of their bones. Words really are a powerful thing. I just wish they’d believe me when I tell them the blood of Jesus would wash away those hurtful words. Maybe in time.

Your words really comforted me Thiago. God bless you. I will go read the scriptures you recommended.

Kim (Your SISTER in Christ) Enjoy your day...and always view others you see through Jesus specs!

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