Tongues Series: Speaketh Mysteries
When a believer speaks in tongues, he is actually speaking mysteries to God. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts as we study this anointed instruction given by this great Man of God.
“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” (1 Corinthians 14:2).
As we carefully study the Scriptures, we are happy to learn that the ministry of tongues affords us the privilege of speaking to God with our spirit. Many times we feel the need for a better vehicle to express praise and worship to God. We can think of phrases to use to tell God how we feel about His love, mercy, grace, power and glory. Over and over again we may feel insufficient because of our inability to express ourself fully.
We learn that the Holy Spirit has provided means of help in our worship. As Paul tells us, we can pray with our understanding and we can pray with our spirit. He also tells us that we can sing with our understanding (our abilities and our mind) and we can sings with our spirits (1 Corinthians 14:15). When God’s child speaks in tongues, he has yielded his spirit to the Holy Ghost, and it is his spirit that sings.
Thank God, we are told to pray with our understanding and to pray with the spirit. We are informed that we can sing with our understanding and we can sing with the spirit (1 Corinthians 14: 15). We are told “If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful” (1 Corinthians 14:14).
When a Spirit-filled Christian prays and sings in an unknown tongue, he speaks, NOT TO MEN, but to God and he speaks “mysteries” (1 Corinthians 14:2). This ministry of tongues in our private devotions is not for those around us. We have the joy of speaking secrets in the Spirit to God. This is what Paul means when he tells us that “In the spirit he speaketh mysteries” (1 Corinthians 14:2).
Since God has provided a means for His children to speaks directly to Him with their spirits as the Holy Ghost directs and inspires, and since in those glorious times we are permitted to speak mysteries of blessing and joy to God, is yet another reason why the ministry of tongues is so vitally important for the church.