Receiving a new prayer language in the New Covenant
When the 120 disciples received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, they also experienced a new phenomenon. It was an experienced that is unique to the New Covenant. Nobody had this experience prior to that day. Anything that is unique to the New Covenant is always very important.
When all the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The Holy Spirit who has now indwelled man, also found expression through this new divine language. It is also called praying in the Spirit or praying with the Spirit.
(Acts 2:1-4)
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT and began to SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, as the SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE.
In fact the first use of this new prayer language was for worship. The diverse visitors to Jerusalem said, “We hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” They were declaring such wonderful things that were beyond their human comprehension and ability. It was all divinely inspired.
For once, it was no longer about man’s ability to pray to God, or man’s ability to worship God. Under the New Covenant, it is about God working in us and through us. When we do not know how to pray, He prays through us. Rom 8:26 says that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us in the perfect will of God.
When we do not know how to worship or what to say, the Holy Spirit brings forth worship through us – as we sing in spiritual songs. He causes us to worship in a dimension which is beyond our human limitations. When the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius’s household, they began to pray in tongues and MAGNIFY God. The Holy Spirit brings forth worship.
(Acts 10:45-46)
And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and MAGNIFY God.
Today, you are the living temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that the temple is called the house of prayer. Today, under the New Covenant, it is no longer a physical temple. You are the living house of prayer. The Holy Spirit makes intercession through you.
Jesus also said that the place of worship is no longer on a mountain, it is in you. You can worship in spirit and in truth, wherever you are. There are many other benefits of this prayer language. We have covered many of them in our earlier series. You can refer to lessons 7.36 to 7.47.
When all the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The Holy Spirit who has now indwelled man, also found expression through this new divine language. It is also called praying in the Spirit or praying with the Spirit.
(Acts 2:1-4)
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT and began to SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, as the SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE.
In fact the first use of this new prayer language was for worship. The diverse visitors to Jerusalem said, “We hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” They were declaring such wonderful things that were beyond their human comprehension and ability. It was all divinely inspired.
For once, it was no longer about man’s ability to pray to God, or man’s ability to worship God. Under the New Covenant, it is about God working in us and through us. When we do not know how to pray, He prays through us. Rom 8:26 says that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us in the perfect will of God.
When we do not know how to worship or what to say, the Holy Spirit brings forth worship through us – as we sing in spiritual songs. He causes us to worship in a dimension which is beyond our human limitations. When the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius’s household, they began to pray in tongues and MAGNIFY God. The Holy Spirit brings forth worship.
(Acts 10:45-46)
And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and MAGNIFY God.
Today, you are the living temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that the temple is called the house of prayer. Today, under the New Covenant, it is no longer a physical temple. You are the living house of prayer. The Holy Spirit makes intercession through you.
Jesus also said that the place of worship is no longer on a mountain, it is in you. You can worship in spirit and in truth, wherever you are. There are many other benefits of this prayer language. We have covered many of them in our earlier series. You can refer to lessons 7.36 to 7.47.
The benefits of praying in the Spirit – worshipping in a new dimension in the Spirit
Just like praying in tongues, worshipping in the spirit is unique to the New Covenant believer. Tongues were used on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 to declare the wonderful works of God. Among all the benefits of tongues, it was used first and foremost for the purpose worship.
(Acts 2:11)
…we hear them speaking in our own tongues the WONDERFUL WORKS OF GOD.
This shows how important this new spiritual dimension of worship is to God.
When the first Gentile received salvation, there was a celebration and all at Cornelius’ household who received, worshipped God in the Spirit – magnifying God (Acts 10:46). It was an expression beyond the ability of their limited minds.
(Acts 10:45-46)
And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them SPEAK WITH TONGUES AND MAGNIFY GOD.
John 4:24 says that God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. Jesus had said that the hour was coming when true worshippers would worship God in spirit and in truth. Jesus knew that after His ascension, He would pour out the Holy Spirit into the New Covenant believer. God had eagerly desired for a long time for that moment. Today, we are the living and walking temple of the Holy Spirit.
(John 4:23-24)
“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the TRUE WORSHIPPERS will worship the Father in SPIRIT AND TRUTH; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH.”
With the Spirit in us and through the prayer language of tongues, we can worship God in a new spiritual location with a new spiritual language. This is the worship that God desires from true worshippers.
Worshipping in a higher dimension – in the spirit
As we sing a new song to the Lord, we may find the words of the known language inadequate to express what is in our hearts and spirits. We find ourselves worshipping in the spirit (in tongues) in a realm of expression beyond the ability of our limited minds.
We are spirit beings and our spirit-man finds expression through worshipping in the spirit as the Holy Spirit gives us utterance (Acts 2:4). John 4:24 says that God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit. He has given us this ability through the Holy Spirit.
On the birthday of the Church on the day of Pentecost, there was a great celebration and the disciples worshipped God in the spirit – declaring the wonderful works of God (Acts 2:11). It was a higher dimension of worship made possible only by the Holy Spirit.
When the first Gentile received salvation, there was a celebration and all at Cornelius’ household who received, worshipped God in the spirit – magnifying God (Acts 10:46). It was an expression beyond the ability of their limited minds.
Today, the prayer language of tongues enables us to worship in a higher dimension with spiritual songs (Eph 5:18-19). We should be worshipping more in the spirit because this is the worship that God desires; which He designed for the New Covenant.
As we worship in a new song in the spirit, we will often receive the interpretations of that expression and we can sing out that new song in our known language.
(1 Cor 14:15)
I will SING with the SPIRIT, and I will also SING with the UNDERSTANDING.
The divine order is always to worship in the spirit followed by interpretation with our understanding. We will be amazed at the wonderful things that we sing in the understanding because it comes from the Spirit.
by Joshua Lye
Website: www.dailyrhema.blogspot.com
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