"BETTER THAN OTHERS OR LARGER THAN MYSELF?
There is far too much happening today for any of us to be short of the benefits that are available to us all. The infilling with the Holy Spirit, and the privileged excercise of spiritual language which is available therein, is needed. It's not a matter of my opening to be 'better than' someone else who loves Jesus, but a matter of my opening myself to be 'larger than myself.' God has set Himelf constantly enlarge His people.
In the early church, there was no bypassing the need of being baptized in the Holy Spirit; and there was no apology for the fact that spiritual language was a part of that pattern. They never wrestled over a doctrinal opinion as to the relationship of 'tongues' and 'being filled'. They simply opened to the Lord Jesus and let Him overflow them... their souls, and their lips. For some, the subject is shadowed in prejudice and misinformation; for others, unfortunately, it has become a badge of acceptance. Some people have described 'speaking in tongues' only for praise; useful, but not necessary; or and aid for the immature. Some benefits of spiritual language, 'praying in or with the Spirit,' are as follows:
ENLARGING INTERCESSORY PRAYER: - The believer in prayer, doing battle and pressing back the works of darkness. Causing the light and the blood of Jesus to to break in upon whole new territories that are conquered through the cross and the words of the Spirit uttered from the lips of the Spirit-filled people.
EDIFYING THE INNER MAN - The Holy Spirit building up and fortifying areas of our personal life. The Lord strengthening us at points where we are unaware of of our own immediate need (I Corinthians 14:4; Jude 20,21; Ephesians 3:16).
ENRICHING OUR WORSHIP - The Holy Spirit extending our abilities to offer praise and worship unto our Creator and Lord. Scripture speaks of the refreshing that comes through the spiritual language given by the Holy Spirit. Be refreshed and give praise. (Acts 2:8-11; John 4:24; I Peter 1:8; Isaiah 28:11)
Speaking in 'tongues' is only one of the many areas of ne testament life in which we need to grow. Our maturing in this area and others is a command - II Peter 3:18. So my words to you today are not to motivate you to an experience that will nurture a self-righteous spirit or holier-than-thou attitude, but a word of exhortation to receive and open up to all the Father has made available to you in the Spirit.
Pastor Ron Mehl"