Why did Paul speak in tongues more than each one in the Corinthian Church? Was it because he knew something they didn't? Or, was it because he was more anointed, an Apostle, or some status or the other? We can possibly say without the shadow of a doubt that there was a great benefit in it.
Paul most probably did it as part of his not allowing the grace of the Lord upon his life to be in vain. He did not keep this to himself. He shared as much with us. Let us drop in on the first part of verse four (4) of 1st Corinthians chapter 14. It reads,
"One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself"
When one prays in a tongue, he or she is being built up. The question is, how? Indeed not their body, nor their spirit, but their soul. And more specifically, their mind. That is the very source of a person's being. We are all that which our minds make us. When we pray in tongues, we build up our minds. How?
The mind is not physical. Its physical representation is the brain. They do not have a 1:1 correlation. The mind is much more than the brain. It is beyond the physical realm. So, we say it is metaphysical. Meta meaning "beyond."
The mind is divided into two essential parts, the conscious and the subconscious minds. The conscious mind is believed to be 5% of the mind, while the subconscious mind is 95%. The conscious mind relates with the temporal world, while the subconscious mind relates with the spiritual, invisible, and permanent world.
The interface, or maybe more appropriately described as the overlap, between the subconscious mind and the invisible world (or perhaps better described as the mind of God) is known as our Intuitive mind. This is the mind that receives and interprets the voice of God.
The extent to which this is developed is the extent to which we can receive and comprehend God's voice and the things of the spirit in general. This is the part of us that is edified, built up as we pray in tongues. Let us investigate some scriptures in this light.
In Luke 11:13, the scriptures teach us that the Holy Spirit is the fullness of God's endowment to us. The verse reads thus:
"If you, then, being evil [that is, sinful by nature], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!”
The Apostle Peter calls this the “time of refreshing from the Father.” [Acts 3:19-21] That marches all Jesus told us about the Holy Ghost. He is to us all that Jesus was in the flesh and even more. When I pray in the Holy Ghost, I exercise myself in such a way as to be sensitive and comprehend the Holy Spirit's voice. I bring myself in oneness with the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Jude elaborates this is Jude 1:20-21. It reads,
"But you, beloved, build yourselves up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit, and keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously and looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ [which will bring you] to eternal life." [Amplified]
Looking forward to exercising our spirits and building up our ability to sense, receive and decipher the voice and direction of the Lord. And, much more, to grow in oneness (fellowship) with the gift of the Father. All we each need a word from the Lord, and all our problems are solved.
He is not just going to throw it at us. It is our duty to search it out. Proverbs 25:2 reads,
"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter." [Amplified].
We kick-off on Monday, 15th February 2021.
Below is a breakdown of the flow.
