Unleashing My Inner Prayer Warrior - The Power of Praying in Tongues

Have you ever wanted something very badly? For others, that "something" seemed to come easy, but not for you.  I have! For years, I prayed to receive the gift of tongues, which is the spiritual prayer language described as follows: 

“The gift of tongues is a marvelous endowment of the Holy Spirit. It helps us communicate directly with the Lord. Speaking in tongues is the main avenue to our flying higher and swimming deeper in the things of God. It is a special prayer language that connects us with the glory of God, enabling us to pray in the Spirit when we do not know what or how to pray in the weakness and limitation of our human minds. There is no limitation to praying in the Spirit because it taps into the limitless mind of God.”  Quote from The Hidden Power of Speaking in Tongues by Mahesh Chavda (page 19).

I’ve never been a strong prayer warrior. So, I desperately wanted this gift to improve my prayer life. For many years, I would go forward during altar calls for this gift, yet each time I’d walk away disappointed. I couldn’t understand why God seemed to be denying my prayer request.

On January 24, 2013, God gave me a dream where I received my spiritual prayer language and it sounded like the most beautiful worship song I’d ever heard. I literally woke up from that dream declaring, “God, I want that!”

So on June 7, 2014, when a friend invited me to a local healing room for prayer, I went expecting my dream to be fulfilled. On the way to the healing room, God orchestrated events in such a supernatural way that He basically instructed me, through the Holy Spirit, to invite a coworker who needed prayer. When I got called in for prayer, nothing happened - again. They even called in the big guns, the main prayer warrior, and still nothing. Just tears. Mine. As I wept bitterly, this amazing prayer warrior hugged me and said, “I can see how badly you want this gift. But you are over-thinking it. You can’t get out of your own head and out of your own way. The gift will come when you least expect it.”  As I walked in dejection towards my coworker, I noticed she was literally glowing in excitement. It seems she received her prayer language! Did I mention she didn’t even come to pray for that gift? I was happy for her. Really. I was! I was just in shock at how God had orchestrated the events of the day for my coworker to receive this gift. I consoled myself thinking maybe my blessing for the day was just being used by God to bless someone else.

For the next year, I decided that maybe God did not want me to have this particular gift and that I should be grateful for the gifts I’d been given. I worked on improving my prayer life by praying scripture. I would find scriptures that applied to a situation I was praying for and I'd personalize the scriptures into prayers. Speaking scripture is a powerful praying tool and it adds muscle to your prayers. So I was content - kind of.  Still in a corner of my heart, I’d cry out to God and say, “I still want my dream.”

During 2014/2015, I started being plagued with anxiety and nightmares of End Time scenarios and persecution. So on June 27, 2015, I went to the healing room to ask for prayer to be released from a spirit of fear. As I sat in the waiting room, everyone else got called back for prayer except me. My sister, who had come with me, kept telling me to ask why I hadn’t been called. I didn’t want to rush God. As the hours passed and it approached closing time, I figured maybe it wasn’t God’s timing and I expected to walk away empty-handed. Truthfully, I was scared to be disappointed again. Suddenly, this thought ran through my head, “You have not because you ask not.” And then the Holy Spirit reminded me of the story of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28). The woman begged Jesus to heal her daughter from an evil spirit and at first He seemed reluctant to answer her prayer request. But she persisted saying, “Even dogs get crumbs from their master.” He praised her faith and granted her prayer request. God was telling me, “Yolanda, are you willing to walk away that easily? Look at the Canaanite woman. She was willing to fight for her prayer request. Have faith like that, Yolanda. You have not because you ask not.”

I jumped right out of my seat and went straight to the receptionist. It seems she had misplaced my prayer card. So, right before closing, I was called in for prayer and who should appear but the main prayer warrior. He prayed for me to be released from the spirit of fear and than asked me if I wanted to pray to receive my spiritual prayer language. I laughed and told him, “You prayed for me last year and I didn’t get it. You said I was over analyzing.” He said, “That’s not going to happen this time. Do you want it?”

“YESSSSSS!!!!”

He told me, “Your part is to open your mouth and start speaking. The Holy Spirit will take over.” Once he started leading me in prayer, my prayer language erupted like a volcano. I had been released from the spirit of fear that was holding me back. God had used the last year to prepare my heart, mind, and soul. I basically was building my prayer muscles by praying scripture. To say I was ecstatic is an understatement. My dream came true!!! We serve an amazing God who does all things in His perfect timing.

So, why do I share this testimony with you? Because having my own devotional prayer language has changed my life. And I want you to experience that too.

There are 3 different ways to speak in tongues.
The first is to speak in tongues in a corporate setting, like a church service. The Apostle Paul instructed that there should be an interpreter so that others could understand the message being spoken. This type of speaking in tongues has, unfortunately, been misunderstood, misused by some, and caused people to fear or reject the gift. But, just because people are flawed does not make this powerful gift from God flawed.

In the Book of Acts, on the day of Pentecost, the apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and they were filled with the Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The apostles changed from men who feared persecution to a church body empowered with boldness and courage. These ordinary men, filled with an extraordinary Spirit, changed the world forever. We need to have that same power today in our churches to change our world. The enemy has tried to rob the church of this gift because he knows how powerful it is. We need to take back God’s gift and use it properly.

The second form of speaking in tongues is speaking a foreign language. Say for example, you are witnessing to someone in another country. God may give you the supernatural ability to speak in a foreign language so that they will understand the Gospel message.

The third form of speaking in tongues is in a personal, devotional, prayer language. This prayer language is to edify or build up your own spirit, a personal prayer language done in your own prayer closet. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:5, 18 “I wish you all spoke in tongues… and I give thanks that I speak in tongues more than you all.” He was talking about his own personal devotional prayer language. In a corporate setting when sharing the gospel with others, he said it was better to speak in your plain language so that you are easily understood. But Paul knew the benefits of praying in the Spirit for his own benefit, to strengthen and build up his faith, to draw him close to God. That is why he desired for all Believers to have their own spiritual prayer language.

Here are only a few of the benefits of praying and speaking in tongues:

1. It helps us grow more intimate with God as we learn more about Him. (1 John 2:26-27; Revelation 1:10; 1 Corinthians 14:2)
2. It refreshes our spirit, as we become more in-tune to the Holy Spirit in us.
3. It places a spiritual covering and protection over our home, family, and us. (Psalm 91)
4. It changes the atmosphere around us from one of darkness and oppression to one of light and being in God’s glorious presence. (Jude 1:20-21)
5. We pray perfect prayers with perfect faith because the Spirit in us knows what to pray for because it knows all things. And we don’t interject our human limitations or doubts because we are praying in a language our brains do not comprehend.
6. The enemy hates when we pray in tongues because he cannot understand it. He cannot manipulate it or interject his criticism or accusations and make us have doubts. And what the enemy tries to steal is what we have to fight for!
   
7. Most importantly, the Holy Spirit helps us pray when we don’t know how to pray. He intercedes for us with “groaning too deep for words” and He searches the heart. I never know how to pray and when I’m in deep distress, having the Holy Spirit intercede for me is unbelievably comforting. (Romans 8:26-27)

I’m new to all of this because I’ve only been praying in the Spirit since June 2015. But I’m a woman on a spiritual mission and I’m ready to unleash my inner prayer warrior. When I turned 45, I unleashed my inner bombshell. My mission that year was to be comfortable in my own skin and to be bold for Jesus Christ. When I turned 46, I unleashed my inner zombie slayer. My mission that year was to learn how to fight spiritual battles through the light and power of the Holy Spirit. Now at 47, God has assigned me a new mission. I'm to unleash my inner prayer warrior by utilizing my gift of praying in tongues. The more I pray in tongues, the more confident I become in my prayer life. So, don't be surprised if the next time you see me, and you tell me you have a need or illness, I unleash my inner Prayer Warrior on you. God also has me on a mission to spread the message of this under utilized and misunderstood gift. If you tell me you want to improve your prayer life, I'm going to ask you to unleash your inner prayer warrior. So, you have been warned!

Here are some reference materials that will help you get started on this exciting transformation.

The book, The Hidden Power of Speaking in Tongues, by Mahesh Chavda, is a must read. It will make you crave the gift of tongues.

The video below with Sid Roth will guide and instruct you on receiving this powerful gift. And, just to encourage you to watch this video, I shared this video with a close friend of mine who had been hesitant about praying in tongues. She listened to message at home in her kitchen and decided to pray along with Sid Roth at the end of video. Her spiritual prayer language just erupted out. Now she is singing worship songs in tongues and I'm a little jealous of her! 

Also, watch this video: Sid Roth, "How to Instantly Be In Supernatural Protection".   This amazing teaching will explain the benefits of praying in tongues and the different types I explained above. It helped me understand how much the church today needs to be on fire for the Holy Spirit.

“The only requirement for being filled with the Spirit is to be thirsty for more of God.” Quote from Mahesh Chavda, The Hidden Power of Speaking in Tongues. (pg 45)

So, are you thirsty yet? Are you ready to unleash your inner prayer warrior? I pray you are because a spiritual battle of epic proportions is on the horizon and we need more men and women equipped for the battlefield.

Love,

Yolanda

For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:24 (NLT)

Massage From Hell

One of my first blog posts was titled, Bicycle Ride from Hell and, until today, nothing had warranted a similar title.

You know that expression, “I should have listened to my Dad?” Well, that expression kept running through my head for a torturous hour. You see, for Christmas, I received a gift certificate for a full-body massage. I know, that sounds awesome. That’s what I thought.

The reason I say I should have listened to my Heavenly Dad is because He’d been giving me warnings to not use that gift certificate. Such as:

• A friend who’d been to a similar place had ended up needing a chiropractic adjustment. But I figured that was a different place so how bad could it be.

• Another friend who had also received the same gift certificate went a few days before and ended up with a male massage therapist. Now, I know there is nothing wrong with male massage therapists, I just don’t feel comfortable and prefer a female therapist. But I figured, I could request a female and that problem would be solved.

• The first time I called to inquire about making an appointment, the receptionist could not understand English so after several attempts to communicate, I hung up. But I felt bad wasting the gift certificate so I called back and was able to schedule an appointment.

• I walked in for appointment and it took 10 minutes to explain why I was there. They just kept staring at me like I’d lost my marbles. It almost seemed like they were trying to talk me out of staying. I should have taken that as a clue. 

• After being situated in my room and reminding them that I wanted a female massage therapist, a male walked in. I kindly reminded them again. I could hear them arguing in the hall in a foreign language, where I’m sure they were plotting my torture plan. I was ready to bolt. Unfortunately, I hesitated too long and the female therapist walked in and motioned me away from the corner where I was cowering. At this point, I was pretty scared. But I figured, what’s the worst that could happen?

Do you remember that scene from the Doris Day film, Move Over, Darling? Doris Day’s character has been presumed dead for several years and her husband remarries. On the same day as the wedding, Doris Day returns to claim her husband. Understandable, she’s upset so she pretends to be a Swedish Massage Therapist and lets the new wife have it! She sits on her back. Slaps her around. Pinches. Pulls. Now, picture that scene ten times worse and you will know how my massage went. As I’m getting my back slapped, I start praying, “Jesus, I’m sorry I didn’t listen. Please forgive me. But please don’t let me have any permanent damage.”

As I sit here writing, because that’s how I deal with shock and trauma, I’m thinking, “Heavenly Dad, when am I going to learn to listen to You?” If I listened to God more it would save me a lot of pain - literally! He’d given me all of those warning signs about this place and an uneasy feeling in my spirit and I still charged full speed ahead.

At church today, our pastor was talking about Matthew 5:48 (AMP)

You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus was telling His Followers that it was time to grow up, to be spiritually mature in mind and character. He doesn’t expect us to be “perfect”. Thank the LORD for that. But He expects us, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to grow and mature into more of the Father’s likeness.  

I write this to give my friends a chuckle because stuff like this happens to me all the time! But also because no matter how embarrassing, I think God wants me to share it with you. I believe in 2016, God is calling His church to spiritual maturity in both mind and character. God has warned us that in the End Times, there is going to be a great falling away of Christians from the faith (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Many will be deceived by the world. Even some pastors and religious leaders will be preaching a false gospel and Christians, who do not heed the Spirit or know the Word of God, will be lead astray. It’s no longer OK to remain baby Christians and get spoon fed the Bible from others or live without walking in The Spirit. We need to mature into spiritual adults and feed ourselves the Word of God daily. We need to pray to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit so He can teach us all things and help us remember what Jesus said. We need to learn to heed the Holy Spirit's prompting so we stay away from crazy massage therapists, but also away from those who are trying to hurt us physically, mentally, and spiritually. Watch this amazing teaching on heeding Holy Spirit and prayer: Sid Roth's It's Supernatural, Partnering with Holy Spirit in "Prophetic Prayer".

John 14:26 (AMP)

But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.

So this is my prayer this year:

LORD it’s almost my birthday. I’m going to be 47 this year. It’s time that I spiritually grow up. Fill me anew with your Holy Spirit. Open my eyes to see clearly the direction you want me to travel. Open my ears and clean out the junk that makes me deaf to Your wisdom and council.  Help me to focus my mind on learning more about You and help me to take that knowledge from my head to my heart. Transform me into more of a reflection of You and less of me. My prayer for this year, Jesus, is that I learn to walk with You daily. Help me to be like Enoch who walked with you daily until you took him home. And please heal my neck and back from any permanent injury. In Jesus Name, Amen.

May 2016 bring us closer to the physical return of Jesus but, until then, may we abide in His Holy Spirit's presence. 

Love,

Yolanda

Road Trip - A New Year's Short Story

A road trip beckoned. The girl felt restless. Unsettled.

For most of her young-adult life, she’d stayed close to home. Played it safe. She liked the predictability of her routine and the security of her surroundings.

But as another year came to an end, and a new year spread out before her like empty page waiting for a story, she feared if she didn’t spread her wings now, she'd never write one.

So, she packed her bags, filled her tank, and set out on the road towards her happily ever after.

On the road, she passed many people seemingly headed in the same direction. Some were immaculately dressed, professional and smart looking, with cheerful smiles. Their cars were loaded down with colorful luggage filled with worldly treasures. Other travelers on the way appeared battered and weary, walking along the sidelines. They had little or no belongings. She noticed some shared what little they had with one anther. Those weary travelers depressed the girl and she wished they were traveling in a different direction. She longed to lose herself in the excitement of the moment.

A few days into her travels, she noticed traffic stopped ahead of her. She slowed down and approached with curiosity. Everyone was out of his or her car looking confused. It seemed the road had come to a crossroad. You had to either go left or right. To the right, the road was wide and beautifully tree-lined. There appeared to be a city in the distance with bright lights and you could hear the faint sound of lively music. She could see people along that road waving, dancing, and motioning for her to come that way. There were holding welcome signs that read: 

“This beautiful road will take you to pleasures and nirvana.”

“The god of this city is who ever you want him or her to be.”

“There are no boring laws in this city."

"Everyone does whatever they want to do.”

“Live and let live.”

That all sounded wonderfully freeing to the girl.

She saw many of those “smart” travelers getting into their cars and rushing down towards the bright city.

As the crowed thinned, the girl moved in for a closer look down the path on the left. She noticed that the road was very narrow, just a dirt path that would be almost unnoticeable to those not looking or in a hurry. There were no welcome signs. No bright lights. No music. The only visible thing seemed to be an old majestic tree on a mountain in the far distance. Yet, as the girl stood there, those weary and battered travelers started running down the narrow path, leaving their meager belongings on the pavement. As soon as their feet hit the dirt path, the old appeared young, the weary re-energized, and the downtrodden joyful. Many appeared to soar on wings towards that old majestic tree.  

The girl cautiously approached an elderly traveler and asked, “Are you heading down that narrow road?”

The old woman smiled and said, “Yes. Finally! It took me a long time to get here. I started on my journey as a young girl, a lot younger than you. But I took the wrong path when I was about your age. I stood right here on that fateful day and looked down at the bright city and it seemed to promise all the happiness and love I’d been craving all my life.”

“What happened?”

“When I got there, it was just a city of empty promises. Those bright lights you see, they blind you to the cruelty inflicted on the young and naive. The music you hear deafens you to the tears of the brokenhearted hiding in the dark. Once you are there, it’s hard to find your way out.”

“How did you get out?”

“Oh, that’s a miracle. My Father came to rescue me.”

“Your Father?”

“Yes. You see that wonderful tree in the distance? He came off that tree. He left His glorious mountain and searched high and low for me, fighting off the enemy that tried to keep me imprisoned in that city. I couldn’t believe that He searched for me through the filth, until He found me near death in the gutters of the city. Until that day, I didn’t even know He cared or that He knew where I was.  I just remember calling out before I closed my eyes for the last time, 'Father, if you can hear me, help me.'”

“And He heard you?”

“Yes. I felt two strong arms lift me out of the gutter. I was so soul-weary that I could not even open my eyes. I feared that if I did, it would all be a dream and I’d still be in the gutter. But my biggest fear was that I’d see disappointment in His eyes. So I kept my eyes tightly shut as the tears flowed and I just kept whispering ‘Thank you, Father. Thank you, Father.’ Night and day, He carried me in His arms. I could feel His warmth and love heal me from the inside out. All the wounds inflicted on my soul in that city of violence and tears healed. One day, He whispered right into my soul, ‘Are you ready to open your eyes?’"

"What did you see? Was He mad or disappointed?"

"When I opened my eyes I was here at this crossroad. He said, ‘I love you. The minute you cried out for Me, I went in search for you. You are now Mine. No one can steal you from My hand.' And in my heart of hearts, I finally understood and accepted my Father's love for me.”

The old woman looked at the young traveler. The young lady appeared lost in thought. She could see the young traveler weighing her words and looking longingly at the bright city.

“Young traveler, before you make your choice, let me share my Father’s last words to me. He said, ‘I have something I want you to do. I am placing you here at this crossroad because there is another young soul who is about to wander down the wrong path towards destruction. I want you to tell her your story. Tell her that I love her just as much as I love you.”

The young traveler looked startled, and turned towards the old woman.

“Do you think He was talking about me?”

She smiled and wisdom and light radiated from her. “Yes. So, my young traveler, here you are at the crossroad. You've heard my story. Your story is waiting to be written. The Father wants you to ask Him to help write it. He's waiting for us on His glorious mountain. Are you coming with me? Have you decided what road you will you travel?”

As this story comes to it's conclusion, let me ask you:

Who are you in this story?

Are you the young traveler at the crossroad? Will you choose the bright city or the Father waiting for you on His glorious mountain? 

Or are you the seasoned traveler God has placed at the crossroad to tell others your story? And if so, will you tell it?

 The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Psalm 34:17-18 (NLT)

Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; with deepest awe I will worship at your Temple. Lead me in the right path, O LORD or my enemies will conquer me. Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn…let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Protect them, so all who love your name may be filled with joy. For you bless the godly, O LORD, surrounding them with your shield of love. Psalm 51:7-8; 11-12 (NLT)

Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.  Matthew 7:13-14 (AMP)

Happy New Year! I pray this year you join me on that narrow road. For the Father is waiting for us with open arms. I'm lacing up my shoes, getting rid of the things that weigh me down, and I'm racing towards that old, majestic tree where my Savior died for me.
Love, 

Yolanda