THE GIFT OF PROPHECY: TONGUES TO PROPHECY

05/11/2024

"One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church [promotes growth in spiritual wisdom, devotion, holiness, and joy]. Now I wish that all of you spoke in unknown tongues, but even more [I wish] that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater [and more useful] than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he translates or explains [what he says], so that the church may be edified [instructed, improved, strengthened]" (1 Corinthians 14:4-5 Amplified).

If prophesying is speaking the Word of God into being under the influence of the Holy Spirit, as we have said in a previous devotional. How do you come under the influence of the Holy Spirit so that you can speak His Word into being? There are seven ways to do this but we will start with the most obvious one: Speaking in tongues. 

But before we continue, every Christian ought to be able to speak with tongues. Jesus said, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues" (Mark 16:17). If you desire to speak with tongues, all you need to do is ask. Luke 11:13 says, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Once you ask,  receive it with thanksgiving and begin to speak in tongues. That's it.

Now, if every believer ought to speak in other tongues, every believer, based on today's theme scripture ought to be able to prophesy. When you speak in tongues the Bible says you are speaking mysteries. "For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries" (1 Corinthians 14:2). And when you pray in tongues, particularly about a situation, you are praying the mysteries concerning that situation. "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive [because it does not understand what my spirit is praying]"(1 Corinthians 14:14 Amplified). Now, if your mind cannot understand the mysteries you are praying about, so can the things in your environment that need changing, not understand. 

The only way that you can effect a change based on the mysteries you are praying about is by prophesying. For the Bible likens the one who prays in tongues without being able to render what he/she is saying intelligible to a type of noise. 1 Corinthians 14:8-9 says, "For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air "

So, it is not enough to pray in tongues. You must give vent to the mind of God by prophesying the interpretation of the mysteries so that the issues you are praying about conform with the intelligible rendering of those mysteries. 1 Corinthians 14:13 tells us the way to do this: "Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret."

In other words, being able to interpret your tongues is prophecy. This is why it is not enough to pray in tongues about a matter, you must also pray the interpretation to your understanding. 1 Corinthians 14:15 says, "What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding."

So this is how to pray into prophecy. Start with thanksgiving. Psalm 100:4 says, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." Then begin to pray about any matter of interest in tongues, knowing that "... he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries." (1 Corinthians 14:2). 

Finally , angulate your heart to receive an interpretation from the Holy Spirit that you speak forth. 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 says, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

Win big today!

Faith-Filled Confession

I am full of the wisdom of God. Therefore, I angulate my heart through prayer to become God's mouthpiece in the prosecution of my life's call and purpose in Christ. I know what to do in every situation from now on. And by prophecy, my life and ministry are built into a mighty edifice for the Lord. Hallelujah!

One-Year Bible Reading Plan: 2 Kings 4-5; John 4:1-30