Speaking in tongues, for those people who have the gift, is a very important part of our devotional life and our relationship with God because it edifies our spirit and renews our mind. I love tongues because I can pour out my heart to God in whatever situation I’m in, even if I’m in pain or I’m exhausted. I have an expectation that when I speak in tongues, God will break in and do something. I don’t want to use this gift unless I have expectation for I know that the two go together.
There are times when I want to have 10 minutes of adoration of Jesus, where I can sit quietly and pour out my heart about how much he means to me. When we enter that time of praise, our reactions to the circumstances around us change. We begin to respond to things in a godly manner, revering Jesus. It is the opposite spirit to which the world operates under. It is the very essence of Jesus’s life: pray for those who use you, bless those who persecute you.
How do we know that we are being led by the Spirit? The only effective way is by gauging our reactions to situations around us. If something difficult is happening, our reaction is one of these, joy, thankfulness, gentleness, and humility, we are being led by the Spirit. If what comes out of our mouth is something altogether different, the chances are we are being led by the flesh. We know we are being led by the Spirit of God by the kind of character that we are manifesting in given situations. Moving in the opposite spirit is very, very important to us, and of extreme importance to God. Speaking in tongues builds up a reservoir inside of us, helping us to top off the well within. It keeps us unblocked and in communion with God.