HOW to Pray in Tongues: Overcoming 4 Common Obstacles

This message will show you how to pray in tongues by overcoming 4 common obstacles. The Holy Spirit has given every believer the gift of speaking in tongues. Now it’s time to stir that gift.

Perhaps you’ve asked the lord for the gift of speaking in tongues only to be discouraged by the fact that you’re not praying in tongues.
Well, this lesson was put together specifically for you.
If you’ve grown frustrated, desiring this gift, and I believe that there are obstacles that are blocking you.
And I’m gonna go over today those 4 primary obstacles that keep believers from receiving the evidence of speaking tungs.
It is my goal that by the end of this video, you will be praying in tongues.
Steven Machizuma is here with usual, he’s gonna lead you in some worship, and then we’re gonna come right back to this lesson.
Now remember, even if you are a believer who prays in tongues, I believe that watching this is gonna equip you to be able to help others receive the gift, Steven Machizuma.
The nail in your feet.
They tell me how much you love me.
Uh, You pour so much me.
Sula, me, we sing the nails.
The nails in your head, the nail in your Tell me how much you love me.
The thorns on your bra. They tell me how.
You brought so much pain. To love me and with the heavens.
And when the heavens, that’s so away.
Oh, your scars and forever, they will say how much you love me So I want to say forever forever, my love.
For is yours forever.
Forever my love. Forever my are.
Forever my love is your wishing forever. Uh.
Forever my love is yours.
My love is yours.
Everything that god does in you starts from within, and then moves without.
Everything that god works in you starts from within, and manifest without.
Even divine healing that people receive in their physical body, though that may seem to be received from god in the physical it’s actually not.
Even physical healing begins as faith in the spirit and faith in the spirit manifest outwardly as physical healing.
The same is true of the gift of speaking in tongues. Now let me be clear.
If you’ve asked god, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, you’ve received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Now I have other lessons on this topic.
I’m not really gonna talk about today what the of the Holy Spirit is.
I’m not going to talk necessarily today about the trifold man being body’s soul and spirit, but I wanna specifically hone in on the gift the evidence of speaking in and it begins inwardly.
Now, when you were saved, you have to have the Holy Spirit.
When you were saved, you received the Holy Spirit.
The his mother, holy spirit, is about the release of the holy spirit, from within your spirit, to the soul, to the body.
The gift of speaking in tongues is the overflow the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said, out of your valley shall flow, rivers of living water.
At salvation, we receive him at baptism, we release him.
And when that baptism has reached from the spirit to the soul, to the body, and it manifests physically as the vocalization that you hear, that’s when the overflow has reached the physical body and manifest as speaking in tongues.
So to encourage you, if you’ve believed god and you’ve raised your hands or you’ve prayed and you’ve asked him sincerely for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you’ve received the etism of the Holy Spirit.
Just because you don’t pray in tongues doesn’t mean you’re not a Christian, just because you don’t pray in tongues doesn’t mean you don’t have faith just because you don’t pray in tongues doesn’t mean you don’t have the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
In fact, the greatest demonstration of having the baptism of the Holy is not speaking in tongues, it’s the fruit of the spirit.
It’s evangelism, it’s righteous living, it’s Christ likeness. That doesn’t mean that the gift of speaking in tongues not important.
But I say that so that you’re encouraged to know that you have received the Holy Spirit at Salvation, you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit you asked, but it takes time to manifest.
In my case, when I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, I didn’t start speaking in tongues right away, For me, it wasn’t until months later after having received the baptism and seeking god and praying and and looking to his will in the word of god.
I received it. In fact, it was a very interesting story. We had an evangelist come.
Well, he was a pastor visiting our church and preaching, and he begins to preach on the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the evidence of in tongues, and I got stirred in my faith.
And I said, I’m gonna go up to this altar call, and I’m gonna receive what god has for me there.
So I get up to the altar And there was a crowd of people because the power of god was moving.
There’s a crowd of people that went up and they were desiring to receive this gift.
And so this evangelist is laying hands on people, and I’ll never forget I was standing in a a row.
Basically, there was a first row of people It was one line.
And then right behind that line, there was another line.
I was in the second line, so I wasn’t as close to the preacher as I wanted to be.
So I’m standing there. There’s a a tall man in front of me.
And he was so tall that when he would rock back and forth while worshiping, his sleeve would touch me on the forehead.
And he would rock back and forth, and it kept tapping me and tapping me.
And I got so irritated with that, but I was so hungry for what was being offered and imparted at that service that I didn’t wanna leave the altar.
I didn’t wanna move from my spot because there were people behind me.
And if I knew if I moved back, they would crowd in.
So I standing there, I lifted my hands, my eyes were closed, and I started praying, lord, I wanna receive the baptism.
Meanwhile, this man’s sleeve is touching me.
And one of the times that it touched me while I was praying, I felt like electricity jumped off the sleeve and shoot down into my body, And then something welled up within me, and I started praying in tongues.
And what had actually happened, unknown to me, was the pre was at that moment laying hands on that man.
So the preacher laid hands on the man, the power of god went through the preacher, touched the man, came through his sleeve, his annoying sleeve, and then touched me.
And I began to speak in tongues.
Now I share that stories that you know that for me, it didn’t come right away.
It doesn’t mean you’re not spiritual.
It doesn’t mean that you have issues or that god does not care about you.
It just means that there are some obstacles that you have to overcome to receiving this gift.
Now the scripture says I’m gonna paraphrase this selection of scripture. You can read it on your time.
1st Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9 to 14.
Talks about how nobody knows god except for the Holy Spirit, or nobody knows god like the Holy Spirit.
And nobody knows you like your own spirit.
And then the scripture describes this conversation that’s taking place, spirit to spirit, the very depths of who you are communing with the very depths of who god is.
And then we see the gift talked about later in that book of the Bible 1st Corinthians chapter 14 verse 2 where the Bible says this.
For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, You will be talking only to god since people won’t be able to understand you.
You will be speaking by the power of the spirit, but it will all be mysterious.
Now, you’ll notice here, this verse is talking about the gift of speaking in tongues being only a benefit between you and god.
But that seems to contradict what you read later in the chapter, namely the fact that it can be used to edify other believers and the fact that many people actually heard in acts chapter 2, many people heard others in their own language.
Now there are 3 expressions of the gift of speaking in tongues.
If you wanna know more about the his mother, the Holy Spirit, or the gift of speaking in tongues in-depth, we’re gonna link my teaching on that.
But for now, I wanna focus on this one expression of the gift, specifically this one that has to do with personal edification, personal benefit.
We see here in first Corinthians chapter 14 verse 4, just two verses later, says this, a person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally But one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.
Now there, Paul, the apostle is not saying that speaking in tongues is a negative He’s just saying that by comparison, prophecy is better because it edifies everybody.
But in doing so, he’s actually telling us something that many people miss.
And that is the fact that when you pray in tongues, you are building up your spirit.
You are edifying yourself. Now, role chapter 8 verse 26 says this, and the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For example, we don’t know what god wants us to pray.
But the holy spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
Now that verse in in Romans is not specifically talking about speaking in tongues or the gift of speaking in tongues.
It’s talking about the holy spirit praying for us.
Now if you contrast with 1st Corinthians that we read in chapter 2, about this fellowship taking place from spirit to spirit, you begin to see something forming an idea forming.
And that is that there’s a conversation taking place between you and god.
And then in Romans, we see that the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be put into So there’s a communication in the spirit that cannot be put into words.
Speaking in tongues is tapping into that communication as causing it to manifest in this earthly realm.
So though that that scripture Romans is not specifically speaking about tongues, it’s still talking about a reality of the Holy spirit wanting to pray for us, praying for us, and about this communication that’s purely spiritual.
And so when we speak in tongues, the scripture talks about we’re praying in the spirit.
So if we’re praying in the same realm where the Holy Spirit’s praying for us, there’s a oneness.
So first Christians 2 describes this oneness. Romans describes the Holy Spirit praying for us.
So when we pray in the spirit, we are joining our prayers with the Holy Spirit prayer.
It’s just if the Holy Spirit is per saying, I’ll lay hands on you myself.
Think about all the people we want to lay hands on us and impart to us and teach us, but the Holy Spirit it himself prays for you.
That is an amazing thought. So now, what are the obstacles that cause people to reject this gift?
Well, first of all, number 1, is over analysis.
In first Corinthians chapter 2, we read, um, well, we didn’t rehear on the program, but you on your own time in that section it talks about, and I’ll read specifically, let’s go to verse number 14.
1st Corinthians 2014 says, but people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from god’s spirit.
It all sounds foolish to them and they only those who are spiritual can understand what the spirit means.
In other words, The flesh cannot comprehend the spirit.
When you try to understand god by the flesh, and not by revelation.
When you try to grasp the truth of the word through information instead of revelation, you find lack.
When we over analyze, when we are constantly thinking, so ex for example, maybe the you’re praying in your room, maybe a preacher’s laying on you.
Maybe you’re wanting to receive the gift, and your mind is just assessing all of these different things as analyzing.
It’s it’s trying to imagine what the dynamic might be.
It’s trying to figure all of the nuances between your interaction and god’s divine providence and how it all comes together.
That’s over analysis. Can I tell you probably the number one reason most people don’t receive the gift?
Is they’re just overthinking it? They’re freaking out. They’re worrying. They’re trying to assess every little thing going on.
They’re trying to understand, like I said, all of the dynamics that make it work. Here’s the truth.
It’s not going to be completely understood by you, and it’s not going to be completely fruitful for your mind.
In fact, the scripture says that when you prayantungs, your mind is unfruitful.
That doesn’t mean it’s a negative it’s saying that your spirit is fruitful.
So if you’re waiting for your mind to comprehend everything that’s going on in praying in tongues, you’re not gonna pray in tongues.
Number 2 is pride. Often we’re afraid to look silly.
You know, speaking in tongues is the language of surrender. It’s the language of emptiness.
It’s the language of less of me and more of him.
When you begin to empty yourself, when you to become empty praying in tongues because they’re afraid of how they might appear.
Now you notice all four of these things that I’m going to name have all to do with ego.
Now the ego is not pride in arrogance. The ego is simply self.
When we lay aside our ego, instead of focusing on ourselves, we can receive what the spirit has.
So number 1, over analysis or overthinking Number 2 is pride. Number 3 is fear.
People wonder, what if this is just me praying? Or worse, what if this is a demonic spirit?
What if this is not of god? What if what I’m receiving is fake?
What if it’s all just What if it’s all just emotion and we become afraid?
But what does the scripture say in Matthew chapter 7 verse 9 to 11?
Or what man is there of you?
Whom if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone, verse 10, or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If you then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your father, witches, in heaven, give good things to them that ask him.
In other words, if you ask for the Holy Spirit, god’s not gonna give you anything else.
If you ask for the Holy Spirit of God to be imparted into you, You can trust not based on your discernment, but based upon his goodness in his word that heath’s going to give you of his spirit.
Now I’m not saying we shouldn’t have discernment.
I saying that we sometimes rely too much on ourselves instead of on the word of god and trust in him.
If you say Jesus baptized in your holy spirit, and I wanna receive from you, you’re not gonna receive a demonic spirit.
He promises that. He says, I’m a good father. You asked me for something good.
I’m not gonna let you get mixed up in something bad.
If you ask me for something good, I’m gonna deposit that, which is good in you.
And number 4 is inaction. People who just kinda stand around and wait.
Now, this might be the biggest problem because it’s a huge misconception, and it’s people all the time, people all the time are coming up to me and saying, this is their main issue.
They don’t even realize it. They don’t word it this way, but it’s in action.
They’ll come up to me and say, well, I was waiting for something to happen.
You know, the Holy Spirit is not gonna come down, grab your tongue, and start moving it and make you talk.
The Holy Spirit is not gonna completely take control of your body and cause to start praying in tongues uncontrollably.
No. Why? Because the fruit of the spirit has to do with self control.
The scripture says the spirit of the it is subject to the prophet.
And some people might say, well, that doesn’t sound right. I think that the Holy Spirit should control me.
It should be good. Well, now, Paul, the Apostle in first grant chapter 14, devotes an entire chapter of the Bible teaching us how to control the gift.
Now why would Paul the apostle teach us how to control the gift if it couldn’t controlled.
Why would he instruct us on how to manage the gift if it couldn’t be managed? It’s simple.
When I read the Bible, all the books of the Bible are made up of only 26 letters.
Think about that. 26 letters make up all the entirety of the bible.
1000 of work different stories, characters, ideas, concepts.
And yet, those 26 letters, they make it all up.
Now, when you give the Holy Spirit, surrendered syllables, and sounds, it’s like giving an author 6 letters of the alphabet.
You see, when you pray or speak with understanding, you’re adding and attaching your own meaning and understanding to those words.
But when you pray in tongues, you’re removing meaning from your syllables and sounds and allow the holy spirit to attach his own intentions and purposes onto your words.
Faith. What part is yours? Your part is giving god the syllables and the sounds.
His part is making it spiritual.
Everything spiritual begins as a command turns into an active faith and results in a miracle.
In a command, forbid not to speak with tongues.
1st Corinthians chapter 14 verse 39 tells us to not forbid speaking in tongues. That’s the command.
The act of faith is giving god the syllables and sounds.
You may say, well, I’m just gib gibbering things, and I’m just saying things, and I’m just making it, well, no, you’re offering him syllables and sounds, and you give him the noises, you give him the syllables and sounds, and you’re trusting that he’s gonna add his own meaning to it.
I’ll I’ll say it like this.
It’s like when you start your car, you turn the key, but the engine once the key is turned takes over.
You’re gonna find that when you open your mouth in faith and you start letting the syllables and sounds come out, that god is going to take over from a certain point, and then you’re gonna sense a flow.
It’s like driving. When you first learn to drive, it’s a little awkward. The turns are sharp.
The breaking is sharp. But over time, it becomes this natural fluid movement. That’s what it’s like, praying a tongue.
So to recap, number 1, overthinking number 2 pride, number 3, fear, and number 4 is inaction.
View and faith now. Come on. Let’s believe. Let’s ask god to fill you.
Let’s ask god to to to do this for you once and for all, but here’s what it’s gonna take.
It’s gonna take you to stop overthinking it. Lay aside your pride. Stop worrying about how you’re gonna look.
Stop being afraid that it’s not god. Trust him. Just trust god.
And then you have to open your mouth.
And as you make the sounds, you watch the Holy Spirit Attaches meaning, and then you’re gonna fill the flow.
Are you ready? Father in Jesus name. I pray for that one watching right now.
I pray, lord, that this gift be imparted to them.
I pray in Jesus’ name that the impartation of the Holy Spirit take place.
Lord, thank you for this beautiful gift with which we can communicate with you.
And, father, I pray for that one watching that they receive now The evidence of speaking in tongues, close your eyes, lift your hands.
Just begin to speak it out. Come on. There’s something on your tongue.
There’s something welling up from within your spirit. You can fill it. Don’t fight. Don’t fight it.
There’s somebody you’re you’re you’re you’re fighting it. You’re overthinking. Lay it to sign. Close your eyes.
Just think of the countenance of Christ. Think of the face of Jesus. And let it blah blah blah.
Let it flow. If somebody’s getting it right now, open your mouth.
Let it let sound come out at the sound be upon your tongue. Receive that in
Jesus’ name.
In Jesus’ name, Don’t pray words. Come on.
Let it out. Some of you, I believe, are praying it.
If you’re watching this, you’re saying it hasn’t happened for me. Let me tell you something.
It’s just a matter of going back and reassessing those things.
And I promise you it’s gonna be one of those four things that you’re So don’t be discouraged.
You keep believing. And if you began praying in tongues, let me know in the comment section. Okay?
I wanna be able to know what god’s doing in your life. So That’s it for the lesson.
That’s it for the prayer. I wanna welcome now the new members of Spirit Church.
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Well, that’s it for this edition of Spirit church until next time. Remember, nothing is impossible with god.
There’s this idea that our dreams are more important than god’s will, our center, homosexual sin, heterosexual sin, why we were all yet centers, Christ died for us.
By your rib. By your way.