How to Pray for More than You Can Imagine

Late one evening, after the kids had gone to bed, a few friends and I got together to pray for someone who was going through a very difficult time. This person’s situation seemed so dire and we were at a loss as to how to help them. That night we worshipped, prayed scriptures over the person, and prayed in tongues.

I love to pray and I’m learning to let the Holy Spirit guide my prayers even more than ever before. I’ve learned that praying in tongues is a very powerful tool. Romans 8:26 says “…the spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us…” I believe the Holy Spirit was interceding through us that night because we didn’t know what to pray. I don’t know the specifics of what we prayed in tongues that night, but I do know that a few days later, the person we had been praying for had a major breakthrough in their circumstances.

When you don’t know what to pray for simply ask the Holy Spirit for help. As you pray in tongues watch out as the Holy Spirit begins to intercede through you! The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us. I like to think of this as a “deep intercession.”  The Bible refers to praying in tongues as mysteries by the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:2 says “…for anyone who speaks in tongues does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.” It also says in 1 Corinthians 14:4 that “the one who prays in tongues builds himself up.” That’s amazing, right?

The best part of praying in tongues is that we build ourselves up. We edify and improve ourselves and become stronger: overcoming anger, stress and unhappiness. 

When I pray in tongues I experience closeness to God. I feel God speaking to my heart and I receive renewed strength. The mysteries of praying in tongues is God’s chosen way to pray through us... for His miraculous miracles and His perfect will to happen in our lives.

Acts 2:4-14 tells us a story about 120 believers praying in tongues together in an upper room. As the believers prayed in tongues, people of different nationalities gathered around and heard them praying in their own native language. The 120 were miraculously praying in languages they had never heard or learned. The 120 Christ followers were praying through the Holy Spirit mysteries, for incredible promises of God to be released in their lives.

I remember Tobe, my husband, telling me an awesome story when that exact same thing happened to him. He was at a prayer meeting with a group of friends praying in tongues. A Nigerian friend was with him who spoke various Nigerian dialects. He heard Tobe praying in tongues and he realized Tobe was praying in a Nigerian language called Igbo. Tobe was praying fluently in Igbo and Tobe can only speak English. The Holy Spirit enabled Tobe to pray fluently in Igbo. It was uplifting and miraculous. Just like in the book of Acts, the person heard Tobe praying in his own language of Igbo.

I love learning about the Holy Spirit and His wonderful acts and gifts He gives to women. I am sure God doesn’t want us to be afraid of His gifts. I want to encourage you to unwrap all God’s gifts.

As students of His Word, I hope to give you a better understanding of 1 Corinthians 14, where Paul talks about speaking in various tongues and interpretation of tongues. Most women overlook this powerful gift because they don’t understand it. And, yes it is one of God's mysteries but let me solve this mystery with you of praying in tongues and interpretation of tongues. Praying in tongues is simply speaking in a foriegn language you have never learned. The Holy Spirit prays through you in a different language, it is the spirit praying through you the wonderful and unimaginable things of God. God has so much more for you but we can’t imagine it so we never pray and ask for it. The Holy Spirit knows the great things God has planned to do in us, through us and around us; praying in tongues is how we bring it into our lives.

It says in Epheshians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." One of the mysteries of praying in tongues is you don’t know what you are praying because if you knew what you were saying you wouldn’t believe it and you would stop praying, because they are things too wonderful to imagine. Speaking in tongues, is you praying things that are too marvelous to imagine or believe.When you are speaking in tongues you are praying for things to happen that you could never dream of.

Your mind is not able to comprehend the amazing things God has prepared for you. Actually, tongues is a marvelous gift because when we are praying in tongues it is the spirit of God praying through us the unimaginable, the incomprehensible, things too wonderful, we can’t even talk about these miraculous and supernatural things God has planned for us.

Interpretation of tongues only gives us a glimpse of the miraculous and supernatural things God has prepared for us. I know you want God to show you these mysteries that the spirit is praying through you. This gift of interpretation of tongues gives you understanding so you can see God’s far fetched dream for your life.

When we pray in tongues we are praying more than we could ever imagine. When we have interpretation of tongues we get to hear more than we could imagine.

I know God wants us all to operate in His gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues. In fact, the Bible tells us in 1 Cor 14:5, "I desire you all to speak in tongues."

This is how I operate and I invite you to do it with me:

1. I daily read and meditate on scriptures asking God to reveal to me anything He would like to say to me.

2. I pray in tongues often throughout my day, asking the Holy Spirit to pray through me and speak to me.

3. I join weekly with the church prayer groups and intercession teams. Praying out in tongues with the group and listening to what great things God might say to me.

YES! God wants to do more for you, more than you can imagine. I believe it starts with this amazing gift of praying in tongues!

I would love to hear from you... maybe share with me how you will begin your journey of tongues and interpretation of tongues.

Love you,Kris Ekwueme