It’s been over a year since I have shared an easy-to-do, easy-to-understand illustration that teaches about praying in the Spirit. Just as I have done in the previous posts, I will give a brief, skeletal overview of the illustration. Then, with the Holy Spirit’s help, you can personalize and add to the illustration to create a powerful teaching tool for a sermon, object lesson, or devotion with your child or grandchild.
The Importance of Praying in Other Tongues
Part 22 – We Speak in the Language of the Heavenlies
“If I were to speak with eloquence in earth’s many
languages, and in the heavenly tongues of angels…”
1 Corinthians 13:1 (The Passion Translation)
“When someone speaks in tongues,
no one understands a word he says,
because he’s not speaking to people, but to
God—he is speaking intimate mysteries in the Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 14:2 (The Passion Translation)
For this illustration, you will need a Bible. It is optional for you to have video projection and YouTube clips.
Preparation: If desired, use the search engine on YouTube for “Children speak _________” to find video clips of children speaking a foreign language. One that is especially good is the Russian language. Russian Conversations 25. Talking to a 5-year-old. Rus.& Eng. subtitles
NOTE: In the opening paragraph, I tell of a few of the foreign countries in which we have visited/ministered. Remember to personalize the teaching by listing countries in which you have visited/ministered. Or, you may wish to tell of the countries that your friends have visited or countries that are currently making the news headlines.
NOTE #2: While the King James Version provides a tremendous translation of these verses, I believe that The Passion Translation makes it just a smidgen clearer.
NOTE #3: Just a reminder, this is skeletal. There is SO, SO, SO MUCH that can be added to this basic illustration. In fact, this illustration can be the springboard for multiple teachings/sermons/devotions. Unfortunately, I have exceeded my self-imposed word-count limit by almost 300 words. Allow the Holy Spirit to flood your spirit with His insights.
Have you had the privilege to travel to another country? I have traveled to minister all over the world including in several countries in Africa, South America, the South Pacific, and Europe. In these trips, I have found that each country has its own distinct, unique language. For example, in Kenya, Africa, the people speak a language called Swahili. On the other side of Africa in Mali, Africa, they speak a language called Bambara. The two languages are totally different and sound nothing like the other language. The same can be said about the languages of France and Austria and Fiji and Mexico and Romania. They each have their own language. Let me show a video clip or two of children speaking the language of their country. (If desired, show the YouTube video clips.)
I know that are aware that there are many languages around the world. But, did you know that heaven also has its own language? We learn this from reading the Bible. (Open the Bible and read 1 Corinthians 13:1) This heavenly language is different from any of the languages that we speak here on earth. It doesn’t sound like English or French or Russian or Spanish.
You may be thinking that all of this is so cool to know but at the same time wondering what this has to do with you. Why is this so important? The Bible tells us that God has made it possible for Christians to be able to talk to Him in their very own, one-of-a-kind heavenly language. Did you catch that? (Open up your Bible and read 1 Corinthians 14:2). I will say it again. It’s one-of-a-kind. You see, your language from heaven is different from my language from heaven. Your language is different than your best friend’s language.
Where does this language (also known as speaking in other tongues) come from? Let me read the verse one more time. (Open up your Bible and reread 1 Corinthians 14:2) It is definitely not from our brain. This verse tells us that our brain has no idea what we are saying to God. This one-of-a-kind language comes when we ask God to fill us with His Holy Spirit.
Oh, one more thing about using this private heavenly language. How old do you have to be in order to speak this heavenly prayer language? Just as little children (if used, as we saw in the opening videos) all of the way up to the age of older people can speak a language such as English or French or Swahili, God has made it possible for the youngest Christian child all of the way to the age of older Christian individuals to speak their very own heavenly language! Age is no factor.
