I was reading an earlier post today about someone receiving their prayer language, and I was reminded of how hard it can be to trust God in this area and of my own “awakening” in this regard when I was a youth.

In Jeremiah it says we will find Him when we seek Him with “our whole heart,” and I believe the same is true of that powerful connection we make with the Holy Spirit.

I prayed with a woman at the altar two Fridays ago to receive her prayer language, and she was so earnest to receive it but frustrated that it wasn’t happening. “I think I have a mental block,” she said. “Maybe my head is too much in the way.” I encouraged her to pray past that and to continue to seek God with a heart that pushes past the “intellect” and draws only on the “spirit.”

I remember going to several youth meetings and seeing people receive their prayer language at the altar. I would leave and go home feeling like somehow God wasn’t ready for me to have it or I was doing something wrong. I got into a quiet place in my room and just began to worship, refusing to think too hard about it or worry that it wasn’t happening.

I focused entirely on worship, praising and giving thanksgiving to God for all He had done for me, and saying over and over, “Whatever you want for me, Lord, I’m eager to receive it.”

It was during that personal time with God, not at an altar or with anyone praying over me, that the Holy Spirit fell on my heart and I opened my mouth to find a new language tumbling off my lips.

It was awkward and foreign to my ear, and my mind immediately wanted to rebel against the process, but I just pressed in and kept those utterances coming.

I looked up at the clock some time later to realize I had been praying in that language for nearly 2 hours! And I learned that it was something I had to begin to operate in daily so that I could overcome any discomfort or doubt I had about its origin or purpose. Just as we have to exercise discipline and practice over our formed prayers, we have to do the same with our prayer language until, like our own language, it flows from the spirit unhindered.

So, for those who may be struggling in this area, set your mind at ease and put your focus on worship and relationship first.

Remember, if we “seek first,” those things will be “added unto” us.

For about a year, I have been praying to receive the gift of tongues.

Two Fridays ago, a friend of mine went to the Friday night prayer service and received the gift of tongues when Pastor Stovall did an altar call. My friend did not even believe that tongues were real, but she asked God to give it to her if it really was. Her testimony affirmed to me that I needed to continue to ask God for this gift.

I work the 3rd shift, and I have to be at work at 8pm on Friday, but I used some vacation time so I could attend yesterday’s prayer service.

When Pastor Stovall made the altar call again to receive the gift of speaking in tongues, I was one of the 1st in line.

Well, I am so happy to say that I did receive my prayer language, and I really feel like an actual baptism of the Holy Spirit really did occur. It was such a life changing experience, and I just want to say that I am so happy to be a part of this church.

I truly share Pastor Stovall’s vision and I have and will continue to dedicate my time and money into this church. I constantly pray for the leaders here, and I just wanted to say thank for being a church that gets people connected to God.

The first day of the fast I prayed that my dad would be healed. He was having same heart tests and there was a possibility he would need open heart surgery. On Friday, the week that the fast started, my father called me to tell me that his test results came back and he did not have to have any kind of heart surgery.

I was so thankful to God!

It was that Wednesday that I got filled with the Holy Spirit and received my prayer language. I thank the Lord for saving me from drugs. I have been without drugs for about 5 years now and it is all because of God’s grace and mercy. God truly saved me and my 3 year old son. I thank God that we are here and living a life for Him.

AMEN!