Reflection on the book “Why Tongues?”
Reasons #2 Why Every Believer Should Speak in Tongues - For Spiritual Edification
Discussion Day 3 by Ebele UzoPeter
It was the 17th century English writer who said, "Reading is to the mind, what exercise is, to the body". I am frequently inclined to expand this thought thus "Praying is to the spirit, what reading is to the mind, what exercise is, to the body"
With respect to the body and exercise, it is tempting to think that a body builder has more muscles in his tightly ripped figure than does the rest of mankind; but the truth is that we all have the same 640 or so muscles. Those of the body builder have simply been edified or built up.
1 Corinthians 14:4a
(NKJV) He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself
(Amp) He who speaks in a [strange] tongue edifies and improves himself
(CSB) The person who speaks in another tongue builds himself up
(NLT) A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally
The NLT uses the term "strengthen"; somewhat like the term used in the book said to be closer to the meaning of the original word used in the Greek - "charge" as you would a battery. It says there in the book that God has given to the church (to the Christian) a divine, supernatural means of communication with Himself. Just as one would plug a phone to the socket; or a mind into books; the spirit-man is strengthened by communion with God's Spirit; Spirit to spirit.
Being edified in your spirit is so important because the spirit is where God-consciousness resides. If Jesus is walking on water, and we look at Him with our spirits, we will walk on water too. Our spirits were not designed to consider wind or weather or age or time or place. The healthy alive spirit only considers God. Having been made in God's image, it thinks God, talks God, and acts like God. This is why talking with God feeds, charges up and edifies the spirit.
What does this mean?
Our hearts consider many things. We think, feel, know, believe, and will all with the heart; but what God wants for us and what He is saying to us, is in our spirits. What is mixed up in our hearts, is pure in our spirits. The happiness in our hearts is from many causes, but the joy in our spirits is unspeakable. The love in our hearts is for many reasons, but the love in our spirits is unconditional. The peace in our hearts has several sources, but the peace in our spirits passes all human understanding. The heart is like the crude oil whereas the spirit is like the ore. As we pray in tongues (and also by fellowship with the word of God -Hebrews 4:12); what was mixed up in our thinking and feeling; becomes separated from that alone which God has given us or is telling us.
Thus, we are able to bring our entire being into alignment with our God-consciousness, making us partakers of what God is doing; or the kingdom. When something, anything at all is bothering me, or I cannot seem to make up my mind, or decide; whether it is a personal decision or in choosing which people for a work. After consideration of preferences, pros and cons have yielded no clear headway; knowing that the Holy Spirit in my spirit knows what ought to be done -I get into praying in the spirit and then promptly forget the matter altogether.
As surely as God lives, alleluia! The answer will come forth.