Opening the Gates of Heaven Perry Stone

Praying in the Holy Spirit supernaturally increases your faith and can actually assist in crushing the thoughts of unbelief that can enter the mind like a fiery dart from the adversary (Eph. 6:16). Occasionally a sincere person will ask me why he should practice praying in tongues when he can pray in the English language, and God can hear that prayer the same as a prayer in some unknown tongue. He may point out that when we pray in the Spirit, our “understanding is unfruitful,” or our understanding cannot comprehend what we are saying (1 Cor. 14:14). I can answer this from Scripture and by experience. Paul wrote that there would be times we would experience “infirmities” (the Greek word implies weaknesses of the mind, body, or spirit), and at those times we wouldn’t know what to pray for as we should (Rom. 8:26, KJV ). Paul then said, “ … but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us.” There will be times when you feel mentally weak, emotionally drained, or under a physical attack, and you just don’t feel like praying. The Holy Spirit will help your weakness by praying through you in the language of the Holy Spirit. Some criticize the verse that “our understanding is unfruitful.” But consider how many times your understanding actually interferes with your faith. Your understanding wants to walk by sight, but your spirit wants to walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). Your understanding doubts the supernatural as possible, but your faith can believe in the impossible. Man’s understanding attempts