Acts 2:11-17 – …we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…’
Many Christians believe we live at the end of the age. You would have to say this age, the church age, began with the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost and Peter’s explanatory message. If Peter is right (and he must be because it is right there in the Bible) the prayer language is a major fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. In addition to that, Peter is saying that the prayer language itself is prophetic, connecting speaking in tongues to the gift of prophecy. As a matter of fact, tongues and the interpretation of tongues is no different than the gift of prophecy. I believe as we get closer to the return of Christ marking the end of the church age, we will see a surge of spiritual gifts on display in the church. This could very well begin with a renewed emphasis on the Baptism in the Spirit, the prayer language, tongues and interpretation of tongues, and the gift of prophecy. Here is how the Life in the Spirit Commentary describes the relationship to speaking in tongues and prophecy:
“Upon receiving the baptism of the Spirit, people are to prophesy. Tongues that accompany the experience of immersion in the Spirit have the character of prophetic speech, and Peter links the power of the Spirit with the universal outburst of prophecy.….The age of the prophethood of all believers dawns with the outpouring of the Spirit in prophetic power, thus creating a community of prophets in the last days.”
I like that, the church is literally a community of prophets. The simple gift of the prayer language, tongues and interpretation of tongues and the gift of prophecy are returning to His church, there is really no other option. It started that way and it will finish that way.
1 thought on “PROPHETIC NATURE OF THE PRAYER LANGUAGE”
Would you agree that as we are faithful in daily scripture study, daily prayer and hearing from the Lord, and with His Spirit living inside us, the potential for any conversation between ourselves and others, under His anointing, could in fact be prophesy? Speaking direction, correction, wisdom, fore knowledge, all things revealed not by our nature but God’s nature now transforming us daily. This is how all believers have been given the ability to prophesy as often as the Spirit gives utterance, the testimony of Jesus, prophesy!