Speaking in tongues (glossolalia) is a spiritual gift where your human spirit, inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit, speaks mysteries to God.
๐ 1 Corinthians 14:2
โAnyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to Godโฆ he utters mysteries in the Spirit.โ
So tongues always goes to God, not to people, not to angels, not to the Holy Spirit.
๐ 1 Corinthians 14:14
โIf I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.โ
So:
Your spirit is praying
But the Holy Spirit is the source of the utterance
๐ Acts 2:4
โThey spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.โ
They spoke โ your mouth, your voice
The Spirit gave utterance โ His power, His words
How to Grow in the Gift of Tongues
Growing in tongues is not automatic โ it grows through use, yielding, and understanding.
โ 1. Pray in tongues daily
Just like a muscle grows by use, your spirit language becomes:
more fluent
more powerful
more sensitive
Paul said:
โI thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.โ
โ 1 Corinthians 14:18
He grew because he used it a lot.
โ 2. Surrender your tongue more deeply
Tongues flows easier when:
your mind is quiet
your heart is worshipful
your will is surrendered
Say:
โHoly Spirit, I yield my tongue to You.โ
โ 3. Mix tongues with worship
Tongues grows stronger when you use it to:
praise God
magnify God
adore His presence
Acts 10:46 โ They spoke in tongues and magnified God.
โ 4. Pray in tongues longer
The longer you pray, the deeper the flow becomes.
At first:
2โ5 minutes (surface level)
Later:
15โ30 minutes (your spirit becomes strong)
Eventually:
1 hour or more (deep revelations, breakthrough, refreshing)
โ 5. Maintain holiness and purity
Tongues becomes powerful when your vessel is clean.
2 Timothy 2:21 โ a vessel of honor becomes useful to the Master.
โ 6. Stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit
Tongues grows when you cultivate:
quietness
meditation
listening
Your spiritual senses become sharper.
What Happens Spiritually When You Pray in Tongues
Here is the spiritual process:
1๏ธโฃ Holy Spirit gives the utterance
(Acts 2:4 โ โSpirit gave them utteranceโ)
2๏ธโฃ Your spirit prays using that utterance
(1 Cor 14:14 โ โMy spirit praysโ)
3๏ธโฃ Your mind does not understand
(1 Cor 14:14 โ โMind is unfruitfulโ)
4๏ธโฃ You speak mysteries to God
(1 Cor 14:2 โ โHe speaks mysteries to Godโ)
5๏ธโฃ Your spirit is built up and strengthened
(1 Cor 14:4 โ โEdifies himselfโ)
6๏ธโฃ Holy Spirit intercedes through you
(Rom 8:26 โ โSpirit intercedes through groaningsโ)
So tongues is:
Your spirit praying, the Holy Spirit empowering, and God receiving.
Signs You Are Growing in Tongues
You will notice:
โ Your tongues become more fluent
โ You sense shifts in the Spirit
โ You feel spiritual refreshing
โ You discern spiritual things more easily
โ You get inner clarity and peace
โ You experience breakthroughs
โ Prayer becomes enjoyable
โ You feel spiritually charged
โญ A. Praying in Tongues (Glossolalia)
Your spirit speaks words given by the Holy Spirit
You speak mysteries to God
Your mind does not understand
It edifies and strengthens your inner man
Bible: 1 Cor 14:2, 14; Jude 1:20
Praying in tongues = spirit-language.
โญ B. Groanings (Romans 8:26)
โThe Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be uttered.โ
This is deeper than tongues.
Groanings happen when:
words cannot express the burden
the Holy Spirit takes over your emotions
you feel a spiritual heaviness or deep prayer pressure
This is Holy Spirit intercession through you, usually for:
spiritual warfare
hidden issues
people in danger
unknown situations
Groanings = wordless intercession.
โญ C. Travailing (Spiritual Labor Pains)
Travailing is like giving birth to something in the spirit.
Paul said:
โI travail in birth again until Christ is formed in you.โ (Gal 4:19)
It often happens when:
revival is about to break
someoneโs salvation is near
deliverance is happening
intense spiritual breakthrough is happening
Travailing = spiritual birthing.
Why Tongues Brings Deliverance and Healing
Speaking in tongues affects your spirit, soul, and body.
โ 1. Tongues bypasses the mind, where most battles happen
Depression, fear, lust, anxiety โ all live in the mind.
Tongues bypasses it and strengthens the spirit directly.
โ 2. Tongues builds spiritual strength
A strong spirit breaks bondage.
โ 3. Tongues activates the presence of the Holy Spirit
Where the Spirit is, demonic influence is broken.
โ 4. Tongues aligns your spirit with Godโs will
Romans 8:27 โ โThe Spirit intercedes according to the will of God.โ
โ 5. Tongues cleans your inner man
Many people get freedom from:
addictions
nightmares
oppression
emotional pain
sinful habits
because the spirit becomes stronger than the flesh.
4. How Tongues Functions in Spiritual Warfare
Tongues is a weapon.
๐ฅ 1. Demons cannot interpret tongues
Only God understands (1 Cor 14:2).
This gives you a secret prayer language.
๐ฅ 2. Tongues activates angelic intervention
Psalm 103:20 โ angels respond to the word of the Lord.
Tongues releases Spirit-commanded prayer.
๐ฅ 3. Tongues builds a spiritual shield
It strengthens your inner man (Eph 3:16).
A strong spirit cannot be easily attacked.
๐ฅ 4. Tongues confuses demonic strategies
When you pray in the Spirit, the enemy does not know what is coming.
๐ฅ 5. Tongues releases prophetic decrees
The Holy Spirit uses your mouth to speak into:
your family
your future
your ministry
your destiny
even though you donโt know what you are praying.
How to Know If Your Tongues Are Genuine
Here are the signs your tongues are real and Spirit-given:
โ 1. You cannot fully control the syllables
They come from your spirit, not your mind.
โ 2. You feel spiritual strength afterward
Tongues always builds you up (1 Cor 14:4).
โ 3. You feel the presence or peace of God
Tongues brings the anointing.
โ 4. Your spiritual sensitivity increases
You sense God more clearly.
โ 5. You experience breakthrough
Tongues is powerful for spiritual progress.
โ 6. You did not “invent” the language
It flows naturally when you yield.
โ 7. You have desire to pray more
This is a sign the Spirit is active.
If these signs are present, your tongues are genuine.