Biblical Teaching on Prayer
Corinthians 14:13-17
13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.
Pondering Point
Apostle Paul is speaking about the gift of tongues specifically in this place, but he reflects a helpful truth about prayer and praise in general: When praying aloud, it is helpful to keep others’ listening ears in mind. This is not about US being judged on the quality of our prayer, but about THEM being edified by the content of our prayer.
Prayer for the Day
Father God, help me get comfortable praying with and in front of others, whether we are two or three gathered in Your name, a small group coming before You in prayer, or larger groups seeking Your face. Let me always be focused on praying to You and still enable others gathered to be edified by my prayers and praises. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Prayer Thoughts
Chapter 9
If we approach the Bible primarily with our own minds, without the Holy Spirit’s guidance, it’s really not going to mean that much to us or to anyone else whom we might want to approach with it. This fellow disciple doesn’t have all the answers. I have made plenty of mistakes during my journey of life. However, I do want to know and converse with my Lord and Savior better. I hope you can catch my enthusiasm for learning what God has revealed about Himself in Scripture. Also this book is a call to you to experience a life of healthy, significant prayer. [Read pages 59-62 in Keep Me and Keep All.]
~ Keep Me and Keep All, Smith
Also check out Pastor Bob’s answer to Prayer Question #7 on page 249: “to whom should we pray?”