The Difference Between Tongues & The Word

The Difference Between Tongues & The Word

Many confuse between praying in tongues and speaking the Word of God. Each of them has it's own function and they are not interchangeable.

Some think (and even teach) that you can fight the enemy by praying in tongues. First of all, we don't see this in the Scriptures. You cannot find specific Scriptures that praying in tongues can fight against the enemy.

Instead, we see that praying in tongues has the following functions:

i) It is praying WITH the Spirit (1 Cor 14:14)

ii) But it is NOT praying with the mind (1 Cor 14:14)

iii) It edifies (builds up) ourselves (1 Cor 14:4)

iv) It is helpful when we are helpless as we do not know what to pray for (Rom 8:26)

v) It is praying God's will (Romans 8:27)

vi) It gives us rest (Isa 28:11), which is actually edifying ourselves as mentioned in 1 Cor 4:4

vii) It is used to pray all prayers and requests (Eph 6:18)

None of the above reveals that praying in tongues is meant to fight against the enemy, nor does it help you to battle the enemy at the battlefield (which is the mind).

Yet we see that speaking the Word of God is the weapon to fight the enemy in the Scriptures:

i) Jesus repeatedly spoke the Word when the enemy tempted Him (Matt 4)

ii) Jesus spoke the Word against the storm, against the demons, against sicknesses and diseases in the books of the Gospel

iii) The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God (Eph 6:17), not tongues

iv) It is a spiritual weapon to cast down arguments and bring thoughts captive (2 Cor 10:4-5)

v) It is using the mind, since tongues only uses the spirit (1 Cor 14:14)

vii) The Word of God is used for mind renewal (Rom 12:2), because while tongues uses the spirit, speaking the Word uses the mind

vii) Thus, to keep our mind stayed on God, it is not by praying in tongues, but by speaking the Word of God, where the end result is life (zoe) and peace (shalom) (Isaiah 26:3; Rom 8:6)

When we understand that praying in tongues is from the spirit, while speaking the Word is from the mind, we will discover the importance of doing BOTH of them. You cannot just do one without the other.

What does it look like practically?

1) If you need spiritual/physical/emotional rest or if you do not know what else to pray, pray in tongues.

2) If you need to fight the enemy (in whatever situation you are in), or if your mind is unable to stay on Him (no life & peace) aka unable to take captive every thought from the enemy, SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD.

Your speaking will train the mind to be obedient and subject to Christ.