Speaking & Praying in Tongues
Nine Things I Learned About My Heavenly Language This Past Year
Happy July 4th!
No books! Intentionally! I don’t often avoid books, as you know, but this past year I have specifically avoided books that teach about being assigned or speaking in a heavenly language. Although I now look forward to learning more from other people’s experiences, I wanted to learn only from the Holy Spirit for a time and enjoy what He taught me directly.
Now I shall pass what I have learned to you. But please do comment! I am ready to learn more from those with boots on the ground.
The Practice Formula. Practice may not make perfect but practice keeps it rolling. I have to practice my heavenly language almost every day. When my (now) friends, J, C, R and L activated my holy language for me, they said, “practice 10-15 minutes every day.” At first this was not a problem because I couldn’t shut up. I mean everywhere and anywhere, when I was by myself. As soon as people left the room or I went on a walk, I leaped at the opportunity. Hubby walked into a room several times only to hear me ‘waxing on eloquently’ in my heavenly language. Once, I was listening to Speedy Gonzales on YouTube because I was trying to figure out if I could understand him, it sounds a bit like him and —go figure—I can roll my R’s in my heavenly language and do all the time but STILL cannot roll my R’s in English. LOL! Well, Speedy G and I do not have the same language. Eventually, it became obvious that setting a regular time to practice, just like I have with my devo/quiet time, was the best option.
The Singing Side Job. I have a prophetic friend I connect with occasionally and when he prayed about me and my new language, he kept hearing that I needed to sing in this language to find more healing. We talked about it several times and I tried once or twice, but just found it really difficult. It’s like my mouth could not form a tune and new words at the same time. I gave up multiple times. In the meantime, I had another Zoom with friend M and he stressed it again. Argh. I might have even rolled my eyes. I didn’t know what He was hearing but maybe it wasn’t for me! LOL! (sending hugs if you are reading this, M.!)
A couple of weeks later, I was listening to Christian radio while driving and discovered that I could do this—if I already knew the song’s tune (what was coming) and added the prayer language along with it. That worked, whew. But the Lord wasn’t done with me yet. I was driving along, praying for someone else’s healing the other day and HE said, “pray with music and praise” and I gulped!
But, yes, Lord! And what do you know, I opened my mouth and basically started writing brand new songs, tune and new words included. I found myself wishing for a piano on the road to write them down. But no, they were holy and precious, and just between the Lord and I, for now. And before you ask, I had planned to call and pray with this gal the next day, and there was no need. She was released from the hospital that night in very good health. Whew. Thank you, Jesus.
He Mourns When I Do Not Use It. God is not an angry accountant tracking each time we use our gifts. But we see in Matthew 25 that He is a deeply invested Father who hates to see His treasure buried in the mud. When I hide the voice that He places in my heart, I am not being humble. I am letting fear rob the Kingdom of the return on His investment in me. The ultimate heartbreak of the Parable of the Talents is a gift that never met its purpose. I never want the Master to ask me why I hid or refused to continue practicing what He gave me. No, thank you!
Timing & Environment. I learned discretion in how and when I use this gift. Not in front of crowds per 1 Corinthians 14:27–28, even though I believe we should consider that the Word says that to prevent others from deceiving us. I have been shy to use it with others and I am not sure why but in this past couple of weeks, He also called me on that.
News flash! I am, at times, supposed to use it when praying with people individually. Thank you to Lynn Shortman and what she unintentionally taught me (plus gave me practice). She pulled me aside at our CCW writing conference and said, “Let’s find a quiet spot. I feel like we are supposed to pray together in our tongues.”
What?! Well, I trust and love Lynn so OK, I would try. Yee gads. Did she realize how much that request stretched me?
I admit I didn’t go there right away. I started in English but then grew a bit more comfortable. And gradually, He brought the words. I am now becoming more comfortable as I do it more. But it was really weird at first and still is sometimes. And of course, I am learning to ask first so other people are not uncomfortable.
Our Uniqueness. I believe all our languages are very unique. I have yet to meet anyone who has my language—or anything like it! Google Translate and other translation software fail to understand it either. I’ve tried! This is a bummer in one sense and comforting in another—this language is truly from Heaven. It transcends earth. Nothing man-made about it. And yet, my Lord understands me as He gave it to me and that is all that matters.
He Reveals. He has revealed words to me at times when I find myself repeating them, and I ask what they mean. This is, of course, at His discretion, and I have no idea of the meaning of every single word. But He has told me the meaning of a few, such as: father, speaking, enemy, satan/minions, friends, thank you, I love you, God, praise, hallelujah, mama, kids and a few others.
It transcends the human mind. I cannot think in tongues—I have tried so many times. It just gets stuck. One of the gals who helped me activate told me that it surpasses the human brain. Well, I have learned that it also bypasses the human brain, and of course, the AI models trained by human brains.
I’ve often had Words of Knowledge for people throughout the years (without realizing what it was), but the Lord told me (one of the P words) when I was being healed (last chapter- Routed to Heaven) that He would expect me to be prophetic at times. Yikes!?
Well, the first time it happened was at the Heaven Encounters conference and it just flew out of my mouth. The young man was eating lunch and I interrupted him to thank him really quick for something. Then suddenly, words flew out that I hadn’t planned on. I had actually started to turn away when my forehead wrinkled up and I turned back. “Do you know?” I asked. “That the Lord is getting ready to elevate you?” I know I still looked puzzled—even as I was speaking! Because I was!
His sandwich bite almost dropped out of his mouth, and to my great relief, he swallowed, then grinned and said, “Thank you! I take that as a Word from Him.”
I nodded fast. “And it is Him, not you.” Which he completely agreed with.
I walked away shaking my head. That was so weird! You see, with Words of Knowledge, I have ALWAYS had time for my brain to process things a bit (even if just a moment) before I say it. That was not the case with this prophetic word (and ones since).
The reality is, the Lord bypasses my brain and just uses my mouth. The end result is that I am actually processing the information in my brain at the same time the other person is processing it. It happened at Bible study the other day, too. One of my attendees was like, “huh? Do you know what that means” at the same time I was shaking my head, looking at the ceiling and saying, “Uh-where did that come from?” Ha ha. What a glorious mess.
Throne Room Express. Early on, I asked “why” because, as you know, I am a Gideon, sometimes a doubting Thomasina, and always have questions of Him. “Why me, Lord? Why a new heavenly language? What difference will it make?” And He answered me this time (He doesn’t always!). He said, “prayers in your heavenly language go directly to the throne room.”
Interesting, I thought. Don’t all our prayers go directly to You?
It was only later that I understood. He gave me a new memory of something that had happened while I was in Heaven. I saw prayers from earth become a physical object, and I saw angels picking them up, gathering them and taking them to the throne room, where He indeed spent all day and night interceding for us. But there is no gathering needed of prayers in that SOS heavenly language, apparently. They land straight at the bullseye.
You might have it too. I have also learned that likely, if you have ever had the desire for a heavenly language, He has already given that to you. Or will. It just needs to be activated. Why did I want it? Certainly not to sound like a weird mumbling woman as she walks around the neighborhood (although I think I do!) but because I felt it would draw me closer to HIM, and help me help others—and it has. I see this verse a bit differently now:
...to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:9–10, NIV
Spiritual gifts are not a random inheritance dropped on us from a distant sky. Because the Spirit lives in you, the fullness of His gifts is already within your reach. He doesn’t dictate your assignment from afar; instead, He honors the free will He gave you. He invites you to bring your whole self to the table—your history, your unique personality, your scars, and your passions.
He isn’t withholding His power—He is waiting on your partnership. He stands back, inviting you to use your holy free will to look at your story—and choose how you will serve. The gifts are already available. The choice to step into them is yours.
Stop waiting for a lightning bolt, and start choosing your offering.
I want to learn from those of you who have had a heavenly language or other Holy Spirit gifts long before I had them! Wisdom? Am I off track?! What do you know that you want to share? Or maybe you are a newbie like me or even better, looking to obtain the gifts He provides to us? PLEASE, tell me more! I am honored to hear from you.
New! Click here for my interview this week with Mike McKinsey, the bestselling author of I Held the Hand of Jesus in Heaven and now, a great podcast host—because the Lord told him to DO IT. Thank you, Mike. (Please like and leave a comment on YouTube) THANKS, FRIENDS!
