Last week we looked at Praise as a spiritual weapon. The prayers this week are written around the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, and are written by Pastor Leslie.

June 20 –Father, thank You that Your word says, ‘He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself,…I wish you all spoke with tongues,’ (1 Corinthians 14:4-5).

Speaking in tongues builds us up in the faith, and is a good thing to do. With these positive statements about speaking in tongues, my prayer is that more Christians will seek the Holy Spirit’s fullness in their lives, and therefore be open to receive the blessing of the gift of speaking in tongues.

Thank You that You have brought many to the place where they see this biblical truth. It is through the fullness of Your Spirit that You enable us to speak in tongues. Tongues are a strengthening gift – they build up spiritual strength within.

Enable our church, in person and online, to be a centre for spiritual renewal, the spiritual strengthening of people, and a place where Spirit fullness is not only preached, but experienced by the many, including speaking in unknown tongues. In Jesus’ name. Amen

June 21 – Father, thank You that in those seven NT passages which deal either with xenolalia or glossalia – known and unknown tongues, they present a picture of vibrant believers, sold-out for Jesus. Their example changed the very course of the early Church. It became a centre for salvation in Christ, and spiritual life in the world.

Today, as Your people fill their lives with Your word, live each day being Spirit-filled, and share in the fellowship of Your people – we pray for the anointing to be Your ambassadors of reconciliation to the world, proclaiming through the way they live of the joy and wonder of living a Christ-honouring life.

In Mark 16:17, the promise is of tongues being part of the future believers’ lives;

Acts 2: 4, 11, xenolalia were part of the explosion of power and vitality that occurred in the church on the Day of Pentecost;

Acts 10:46 – After Peter’s sermon in the house of Cornelius, these new Gentile believers were part of the evidence of the supernatural breakthrough of the Spirit into the Gentile, non-Jewish, people;

Acts 19:6 – Paul, at Ephesus, led 12 believers into a truer and clearer appreciation of the Faith, salvation in Christ, including experiencing the baptism of the Spirit;

Paul’s teaching to the church at Corinth on tongue’s, glossolalia, proper use in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14.

Lord Jesus, as we consider tongue speaking this week – we give praise to Your great name for these precious Scriptures. As we move forward – we pray for wisdom, guidance and the anointing needed to live continually Spirit-filled, using the gift of tongues aright, and encouraging people to step into the blessing a Spirit-filled life brings. Amen

June 22 – Lord Jesus, in Your last words before Your ascension, You promised that Your church ‘will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you’ (Acts 1:8). In Acts 2, on the Day of Pentecost, the waiting believers were filled with the Spirit, and through His power they became Your effective, fruitful witnesses.

Thank You that they also began to speak in languages which were not their own, and of which they had no previous understanding. In those other two Acts passages (10:46; 19:6), the believers were filled with Your Spirit and began to speak in tongues.

May many be brought to understand that tongues, although the least of the spiritual gifts in one sense, is still of extraordinary benefit to individual believers, and to our church. If there are those who are seeking to be Spirit-filled in our church – we pray for the baptism of the Spirit in their lives.

Lord Jesus, ultimately, our desire is that our church would be a powerhouse of witness, worship, service, fellowship and giving – a church living in the overflow which brings life to us, all those we are in contact with, and to the world around us.

Save, heal, deliver – baptise in the Spirit, empower and equip us all to be Your effective witnesses/ambassadors. Amen

June 23 – Father, on the Day of Pentecost, the first to speak in tongues were Your disciples and the rest of the group of about 120. Thank You for the impact on the world of this event two thousand years ago.

History is still being shaped by Your Spirit anointed church. Thank You also for the example of those who speak in tongues today, such as Jackie Pullinger, whose life is a living testimony to Your supernatural presence among Your people.

Thank You, at Pentecost, for the additional two-fold miracle, speaking in known tongues, and unbelievers hearing Your word, praise and glory proclaimed in their own language. Those 120 were so filled by Your Spirit that they were inspired to speak forth Your truth and praise in languages foreign to them.

May the fullness of Your Spirit in the lives of the people in Telford Elim, in person and online, and the inspired speech that results from that, lead to more people understanding the truth about Jesus, and responding in faith and repentance to the Good News.

At Pentecost, not everyone understood the tongues, because some onlookers made fun of Your disciples and accused them of being drunk (Acts 2:13); this clearly shows that they did not understand the importance of the tongues they were hearing, and were not open to the work of the Spirit in their lives through the means of Your people.

Today many scoff and deride Your people saying that they believe in a fairy tale; however, tongues are a sign to non-believers of the reality of the Kingdom – may that reality breakthrough into many lives through our church’s witness; may our spiritual vitality, including speaking in tongues, light a fire for Christ in many hearts and lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen

June 24 – Father, the ones who did understand the tongues were perplexed because each heard Your people speak in their own native language (Acts 2:6). Your word tells us that there were over fourteen different nations represented, speaking different languages; yet, each person heard the disciples praising You in their own language.

‘They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!’ (vs. 7-8). They could not figure out how this was possible.

Yet, it was Your sovereign will to break into their lives in such an extraordinary manner. Forgive us if we limit what You want to do through our church. We believe that Your desire is that we witness effectively for Christ to the many different nations represented in Telford.

Enable us to become much better and clearer at it, and to present the joy and strength in praying and praising in tongues as part of our witness.

There are unseen spiritual forces at work preventing the breakthrough of the Gospel into many lives around us. Tongue speaking, in prayer, is an important element in the breakthrough we are praying for. Anoint us to pray in the Spirit in every way, and at all times. Save Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, and the West Midlands. In Jesus’ name. Amen

June 25 – Father, it is clear that the disciples were not ‘preaching’ the gospel in tongues, they were instead ‘declaring Your wonders’ (v. 11), because Peter was moved by the Spirit and then preached the Gospel to them after the initial sign of tongues and joy. Help us to be clear that when we do speak in tongues we are not speaking directly ‘to men but to You’ (1 Corinthians 14:2).

The bystanders were simply listening in on their praises of You at Pentecost. It wasn’t until Peter stood up and spoke to the crowd in an understandable language – that the gospel was preached. Make us discerning and wise to distil from this what You want to teach us about how to reach our generations with the clear Gospel message.

We pray for the people who are about to be received into church membership in our church tomorrow – may each one be filled with Your Spirit, live out the faith You call us to give witness to, and to find their place in the spiritual family, the local church they are joining. Bless, protect, strengthen and encourage each one. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

June 26 – Father, thank You that the tongues, on the day of Pentecost, were not supernatural human languages given to the apostles so that they could preach in languages they did not naturally learn. Instead, it was the work of Your Spirit in and through Your people.

Sometimes, however, it still happens today that someone speaking in tongues will be understood by someone else in their own native language. However, may we not be fixated on this; rather fixated on being filled to overflowing with Your Spirit, tongues accompanying that fullness.

We pray for each of those received into membership in our church today – as they step forward, by doing so, may they step deeper into Your river of life. I pray that each one will be fruitful in their worship and service in Telford Elim, women and men who know their God, are strong, and do faith-filled exploits which glorify Christ. Amen