One of the most powerful tools in a believer’s life is tongues. So many times, we face challenging situations where we don’t know what to pray and need the Holy Spirit’s help.

“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

Paul explained in the letter to the Romans, chapter eight, that the Holy Spirit intercedes through us, bringing forth that deep cry that touches Heaven and causes Heaven to move on this earth. When we look at First Samuel, chapter thirty, we see the account of David having lost his home, his wives have been taken captive, and now the people are bitter at him and want to stone him.

How often do we face trials where so much is at stake, and we simply don’t know what to do or say? Like David, we must encourage ourselves in the Lord. But even more than that, we need to see His will and purpose brought forth in the situation.

Praying in tongues is a powerful tool, and it is often prophetic.

Smith Wigglesworth said:

“The Lord Himself, it is He which hath opened into our heart His great fullness and now through the power of Himself is bringing out of the great cry of the soul, mingled with the Spirit’s cry, till Heaven bends down and grants.”

We need a deep cry of the Spirit that breaks the spiritual climate and releases His strength and supply. We need a cry that lifts us out of the situation and brings us into the revelation of who we are in Him.

Smith explained:

“There is prophetic utterance which you will find very often when I am speaking. So often when I am speaking I am not using my own mind, but the Holy Ghost speaks through in a flow of language. This is prophetic utterance which every baptized believer ought to have. Holy Ghost ministry, Holy Ghost language, and Holy Ghost thought- standing there clothed upon with prophetic utterances, always coinciding with God’s will.”

When we listen to the wrong voices and pray ineffective prayers, we place ourselves in a position of defeat. Sadly, many believers’ prayers hit the ceiling and bounce right back. Spiritual authority is all too often imitated, but it can never be duplicated. True tongues are an outflow of a deep relationship with Him, which He pours into us and through us. Some people run around making noise, putting on a performance to be seen by others. But we must seek to touch Heaven and, as we pray, come to that well and be refreshed. We need to catch our breath once again in His Presence.

Smith explained:

“People have sometimes to pass through very trying times in business maybe, like a brother who came home last night, he had a very weary day. Now I did not say anything to him last night, but this verse is wonderful verse for anyone who has had a weary day. You get before the Lord on this line and you will find that God by His Spirit will lift you, move you. It is not to be interpreted, it is to God by the Spirit, it is a strengthening of the nature where God is moving in the body.”

As we come into His Presence and allow the Holy Spirit to pray through us, He strengthens us spiritually. It is sowing into the Spirit, learning to be fine-tuned to the Holy Spirit, and growing in walking by the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit can break the spiritual climate in our lives or circumstances and stir up our spirt.

Smith added:

“We must come again to another wonderful word, which is important. We must all understand this morning that we are as it were at the footstool of grace, and God the Holy Ghost is our teacher, so we must listen to see what the Lord has to say to us at this time. Some people think there is only kind of prayer that brings down blessing, but you will find when God the Holy Ghost takes you He can through one pure heart bring revival in spite of every power in the world.”

The Holy Spirit always prays the perfect prayer, drawing from the Father’s deep well and bringing forth blessings. Your answer dwells in the Father’s heart, and tongues are a tool for receiving that desire of the Father in our own lives.

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Holy Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints, according to the will of God.”

Romans 8: 26, 27

Smith explained regarding these verses:

“Here it is again, it is not YOU remember, but it is the Spirit in you, that is, the Holy Ghost. Jesus is the advocate that hears the Spirit pray.

The Advocate is Jesus

The Father is the answerer

The Holy Spirit is the prayer

The Holy Spirit has targeted prayers that address our situations and proclaim the perfect will of the Father. We know that if we pray and ask according to His will, He hears us. But how can we so accurately pray for His perfect will, especially in challenging times and trials? By praying in the Spirit.

Now, think about this for a minute. In the heart of the Father is the perfect answer for the problems we face. He loves us so much that He desires that we have a breakthrough and longs in His heart for us to know His perfect desire for us.

Smith explained:

“It is He that searcheth the hearts; trinity, if you wish: right in the heart of God is searching by the light of the Spirit; here it is, and when God is in the heart moving, the Holy Spirit begins to pray that God should be satisfied. The Holy Spirit taketh hold of the body and prays through and prays according to the will of God, and brings down the blessing.

As we truly pray in the Spirit, we must deep-search our hearts to expose anything that does not belong there. The Lord wants us to have a heart-to-heart encounter and exchange with him. He longs to breathe into us again and pour life into our hearts. As He prays through us, the evidence is the manifestation of His fruit in our lives. If we simply fabricate tongues and make noise, our imitation produces nothing spiritually, and we see no manifestation of the fruit.

But if it is the genuine Holy Spirit praying through us, we walk away changed and abounding in fruit.

As we pray, the Holy Spirit brings revelation into our hearts so that we might know what to do and what to say and know that the Almighty God is more than able to bring us the breakthrough.

Praying in the Spirit helps us become in tune with the Holy Spirit so that we can hear what the Word is saying to us, as Smith explained:

“I had been reading this Word all my life, as well as I could, but the Holy Ghost came and took hold of it, for the Holy Ghost is the breath of it, and illuminated it to edify me so that I might edify the church. He gave me language that I cannot speak fast enough, it comes too fast- it is there because God has given it. When the Comforter is come He shall teach you all things.”