NUMBER 6: EDIFY YOURSELF BY PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT OR THE WORD !

NUMBER 6: EDIFY YOURSELF BY PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT OR THE WORD: (Jude 20). "But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost." (1 Corinthians 14:4). "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edify himself. . ." There is one phrase of speaking with tongues in our prayer life that is neither praying for someone else nor interceding for anyone else. It is purely a means of personal spiritual edification. It aids us spiritually and edifies us. We all need this kind of praying. We cannot help others -- we cannot edify -- unless we ourselves have been edify. Praying in this manner has a threefold value. First, it is a means of spiritual edification. It affects us individually. Second, it is a means of praying for things about not know. Third, the Holy Spirit helps us make intercession. Speaking in tongues is not only an initial evidence of the Holy Spirit indwelling; it is a continual experience for the rest of one's life. It is to assist in the worship of God. It is a flowing stream that never should dry up. It will enrich your life spiritually. Jesus said, "And when thou prayest, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogue and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say to you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou has shed the door, pray to the Father which is in secret; and the Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not you therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things you have need of, before you ask him." Being not like the hypocrites and heathen in our prayer ! The Lord by way of the Holy Spirit reminded me of Elisha and the 40 prophets baal who were hypocrites and hedonistic in their prayer life. (1 Kings 18:20-40). "So Ahab said unto all the children of Israel, and gather the prophets together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came into all the people, and said, how long have you between two opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Ba'al, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Ba'-al's profits are 450 men. Let them therefore give us to bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and laid it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call you on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, it is well spoken. And Elijah said unto the prophets of Ba'-al, choose you one bullock for yourself, and dress it first; for you are many; and called on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Ba'-al from morning even unto the noon, saying, O Ba'-al, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or pre-adventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. And Elijah said unto all the people, come near unto me. And all the people came nearer to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took 12 stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, until the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: And with the stone he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as will contain two measures of seed. And he put the word in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and lay him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Now I need you all to pay attention to this prayer: Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy Word. Hear me, or Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stone, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, the Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. And Elijah said unto them, take the prophets of Ba'-al; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Ki'-shon, and slew them that."