I don't know what to pray.

[Wrg1405]

There are times when I feel like I have a need I cannot put my finger on but my spirit is hurting and needs to cry out to the Lord. At those times I pray in tongues so my spirit can empty out the built up needs/concerns.

I don't pray in tongues. Only a few times have I done so and the I didn't know I was doing so.

 

[Brother Mike]

Is it ok when you come before God to pray but then don't know to pray just to say "I don't know what to pray, all I can do is lift it up to you?

This is why God gave us praying in the spirit (Spirit) Praying with just natural knowledge as so many Christians do is just silly. I don't understand why they choose this form of low human type praying. It's very limited and not a whole lot of prayer time can be accomplished without repetitive request and phrases as we run out of things to say quickly.

Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
(Rom 8:27)


Scripture already covers your answer, do what the scripture says do.

I don't pray in tongues. Only a few times have I done so and the I didn't know I was doing so.

No, Jesus said if you believe on my name, you shall speak in new tongues (Mark 16) So your right, you don't pray in tongues because you choose not to do so, yet ask what do we pray for. Makes no sense.

 

[Wrg1405]

I have devotions every morning when I start off praising Him, then thanking Him, then confessing to Him, and finally petitioning Him. In my heart, I feel these are all important to include in my devotionals, and I never want to leave one out.

I'm like you.

I start off by praising him then thanking him. I then start praying for others. Then I ask him to search my heart for anything I need to forgive others for. Stuff that I'm holding on to.

I leave confession to the end, where I confess then thank him for his forgiveness.

My experience used to be confession first but I found myself getting down on myself and after 5 minutes I would walk away with guilt and condemnation.

So ny model is as above but as I start I always say "Heavenly Father as I come before you help me to lay myself aside and if I wander help me to refocus on you"

What I found is that when I start to confess at the end it's more like talking to God rather than pleading with my head held in shame calling myself names that God wouldn't do. There seems to be this release into forgiveness rather than begging for it and hoping you get it.

 

[Wrg1405]

So your right, you don't pray in tongues because you choose not to do so, yet ask what do we pray for. Makes no sense.

Sorry can you clarify what you are trying to say.
My wife prays in tongues all the time, yet to be honest when I try to do so my mouth just won't open.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

It's simple enough to pray what is on your heart to a God that knows everything.
He knows your needs and how and when to give them to you.
He tells us to ask him for our needs.
He wants to communicate with us through answered prayer.
Open up your heart today to God.
Don't worry how someone else does it.
You do it your way.
God understands and receives it.
He will answer you.

 

[smaller]

I spent an inordinate amount of time, years, in prayer early after faith in Jesus for understanding scriptures that I didn't or couldn't really "hear or understand." I didn't presume to know or guess or take somebody else's word on it other than to "add" such things to the arsenal of understandings. Still have a short list of segments that continue to escape me, that I'm waiting on. They really have to be 'vivified' by the Holy Ghost til it rings clear. Sharing contributes, but there is a lot of guesswork floating in the arena of believers. I don't care for guesswork.

Secondly, the logical extensions of any prayer life should be centered on the larger pictures. God knows our individual needs. These, though unsettling at times, can be a repetition trap, which I don't care for myself and pretty sure God isn't interested in repetitions. But where and how do we fit in for the larger, extended picture with others? Where is our heart directed? For these I pray for personal alignments, here.

John 5:23, John 13:35, Acts 17:30, Romans 12:17-18, 1 Cor. 9:22, 2 Cor. 9:13, Romans 13:8-10, Gal. 6:10, Eph. 3:9, 1 Thes. 3:12, 1 Tim. 2:1, James 1:5

Generally speaking, it would be for "all" that I come into contact with would be saved, which is in Perfect Alignment with God in Christ.

Secondly, that all believers would come together, in unity. Yes, harder yet as this will be.

Lastly, I like to keep in mind the other side of the objectives of God. This aspect of prayer and distribution is perhaps not for amatures, til then run through the understanding exercises. This is a "larger picture matter." JOHN 7:7. But there is no small amount of "adverse power" that Gods Word means and really has "instant power" to agitate/spread upon the earth. Examples would be Romans 7:13, 1 Cor. 5:5, 1 Cor. 15:56, and take NOTE this is not to the detriment of any person.

I know, from life, that my own personal ambitions and desires are quite pale compared to what God may have in store. Better for me not to try to outguess and force my hand over His, which is what I pray for, to want.

Employing the above will sometimes get you far more than whatever you ask for, both good and information you may not have expected to receive that a believer may be offended at, initially.

For example, it took me a long time to understand that coming before God in Christ with a "whole heart" included this fact: Hebrews 10:22/Romans 7:21.

It was a relief to me to not try to hide anything in my heart and be a poser before my Maker, as if He doesn't know. Or to think that regardless of ALL the good I think I may do, that the fact is eliminated. It's not. Romans 7:21. He knows better than I do. A whole heart is not 'all and only good.' An honest heart knows better. So does "The Truth." Better to be truthful, rather than a deceptive poser. So, the Spiritual inclination in prayer is for not only my own, but the eradication of evil powers, total.

 

[GodsGrace]

It's simple enough to pray what is on your heart to a God that knows everything.
He knows your needs and how and when to give them to you.
He tells us to ask him for our needs.
He wants to communicate with us through answered prayer.
Open up your heart today to God.
Don't worry how someone else does it.
You do it your way.
God understands and receives it.
He will answer you.

"Don't worry how someone else does it" ---

Do we worry about how we speak to our friends or our spouse?
No. We just do it - same thing with God.

No one else said this,
It's good that you mentioned it.

Wondering

 

[Brother Mike]

Sorry can you clarify what you are trying to say.
My wife prays in tongues all the time, yet to be honest when I try to do so my mouth just won't open.

Well, your mouth does open, it does work. Your the head of the house, so I understand getting help from the wife about tongues might be sort of strange. I do know by the Holy Ghost your filled with the Spirit of God and I know you have no good reason to not be praying as you ought and know, otherwise I would not have mentioned it. Your mouth won't open is not going to cut it.

All you need is understanding, that's it. Truth makes you free, simple and you already do speak in tongues. Easy stuff.

Who do you suppose tells you that your mouth won't open? You might guess on who that is. We don't want to listen to that guy, He hates tongues.

If you read the whole thing in Romans, tongues does more than just pray for the saints.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
(Rom 8:26-28)

Its all good scripture, but focus on the Spirit making intercession for us and the saints. That word intercession means to Chance upon something, favor, Deal with something. Making something happen, that would not have otherwise happened.
Now read the part ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD.

The Holy Spirit takes hold of the will and plan of God and everything OK, so-so and even bad things work together for Good. The things of the spirit realm, God's Word, Angels, Holy Spirit line up things in your life that are awesome you normally would not have experienced.

In fact after praying in tongues, situations will come up and it will dawn on you that you prayed this out. It's a form of interpretation. This is why tongues is so important to every single believer. The devil can do nothing about it.

If you need help, wife and I do prayer time at 6:30 am (Central Time). We go through our Ephesians and things. SKYPE in if you want to hear how we pray and get this fixed. We normally don't do tongues, but we can. If another time is better, let me know.

Mike H
teachingforjesus@gmx.com

 

[Wrg1405]

The whole area of praying in tongues has me confused to be honest with you made me struggle for a long time in Christian Life.

My original church origin was Anglican. When I went to college I started going to a charismatic Baptist church.
The first time I heard tongues I actually thought this is wacky and evil. When I spoke to an elder about it (who I was lodging with) he explained it to me. This put me at ease.

What made me struggle?

I went to a week long Christian gathering. At this time I was really struggling in my Christian walk, not in belief but as a result of a lot of baggage that was blocking me from accepting God loved me etc.
There was a call for prayer so I went forward. I was asked the question "Do you pray in tongues? I replied with no I don't. It was put to me that because I did not, then it was evidence that I wasn't saved. Dagger in the heart or what.

At another conference it was said that if you did not speak in tongues then you had to practice it then tongues would eventually flow. Teach your mind that it's not unatural as a beleiver to speak out loud something that doesn't make sense.

So they quoted two things as follows and asked those who didn't speak in tongues to say them.
As follows.

She will come on a Honda
I'll have a shandy.

Speak it normally then speed it up, speed it up and speed it up.
Eventually your mind will get used to you speaking gibberish and the the Holy Spirit will release you into speaking tongues.

Really?

I do not beleive that payers/speaking in tongues ended with early church and are not real, along with miracles. I do beleive tonungues are part of today's church along with their interpretations, also for individuals when coming before God.

My understanding of tongues is that it is a gift, a gift from God.
I don't think it's something that can be forced that you have to practice.

So I have resigned myself that it's not a gift I have but maybe I do have a gift given by God.
To be honest as well I'd rather walk in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. To me that's more important than whether I pray in tongues or not.

I'm sure if the person who suggested that maybe I wasn't saved because I didn't speak in tongues walked in the fruit
of the Holy Spirit maybe wouldn't have said I wasn't saved because I didn't speak in tongues and caused me to spends 2 decades questioning my salvation and causing this to add a lot more on top.

Thank you very much for you offer to communicate via Skype. That has touched me that you would be willing to spend time with me. Very precious and very loving.

I live in the U.K. Though so not sure as and when we could do it.

Mike H you are a loving, kind and compassionate man. Thank you for taking time to respond and be willing to spend time with me to discuss.

 

[Brother Mike]

The whole area of praying in tongues has me confused to be honest with you made me struggle for a long time in Christian Life.


She will come on a Honda
I'll have a shandy.

So I have resigned myself that it's not a gift I have but maybe I do have a gift given by God.
To be honest as well I'd rather walk in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. To me that's more important than whether I pray in tongues or not.

Thank you for sharing all that with me. I got the opportunity to pray with Edward last night on the phone, awesome time.

Interesting they told you to say "She will come on a Honda" I understand what they were doing, but if someone does not understand the concept, it really seems like forcing God to do something which is a bad idea.

They have a couple belief's in place.

1) Tongues is already for every believer since every believer needs to pray in the Spirit. (Mark 16)
1Co_14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
(Every person who is a believer needs their spirit to pray through the Holy Spirit)

2) Gifts of the Spirit need to be stir'ed up, they just don't show up until we stir up the gifts with our faith.
2Ti 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

This is why they had you say Shandy is a Honda, whatever it was. They already considered it a fact that You do in fact have the gift as No believer should not be praying in the Spirit (with spirit man) They also believed you just need to get in faith and the Holy Spirit will start to operate.

The gifts, and graces of God are just like the talents. You go bury yours, and it won't produce. Every believer has graces to do what they could not do, favor with people to get those things accomplished, and gifts the Holy Spirit will operate as the Spirit "WILLS"
Tongues outside the church is just prayer every believer needs to use.
The other gifts come as the Spirit wills to profit every man. So the best gift is the gift that is needed for a person.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
(Mar 16:16-18)

Everything Jesus talked about above is "WITHOUT" the Holy Spirit manifesting any gift. We can lay hands on the sick so they recover, like in James who people call for the elders of the Church to get the sick healed and sins forgiven. God will honor His Word.

We have authority over devils, Speak in new tongues, Lay hands on the sick, Take up serpents. (Take up means to withstand the bite of something, not pick it up with your hands) Drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt us.

The manifestation of ministry gifts is normally for witnessing the Lord Jesus. They can be amazing to fix things immediately for people, but we also have the Word of God to stand on also.

Until your convinced that your spirit man also needs to pray, that it belongs to you, then you won't receive. If you see that being a believer, it's a form of prayer that is important, then it's yours.

Nobody gets healed until they remove from their thinking all the reasons God would not want them healed.
Nobody gets saved and then asked if it worked or not.

What is 6:30 should be around 10:30 am your time.
Let me know.

Your the blessed.
Mike.

 

[daninthelionsden]

I don't pray in tongues. Only a few times have I done so and the I didn't know I was doing so.

Try praying alone with a whisper until you get comfortable releasing your spirit's desire to speak to and of the Lord