David Diga Hernandez - How do I Activate the Gift of Speaking in Tongues?

Do you desire the gift of speaking in tongues? If you’re struggling to activate your prayer language or know someone who is, this message is for you. Now, I want to clarify something: when I talk about receiving or activating the gift of tongues, I’m not talking about bypassing the sovereignty of God. Only God can decide what spiritual gift you’ll receive. However, I believe that God has given every single believer a personal prayer language, and I cover this in depth in my teaching «Can Every Christian Pray in Tongues?»

So, when I talk about activating the gift of tongues or receiving the gift of tongues or how to pray in tongues, I’m phrasing it that way because that’s how people have expressed their questions, and I want to reach those who have those inquiries. Now, in 2 Timothy 1:6, the Bible says, «Wherefore, I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.» To activate the gift of tongues is to participate in or surrender to what the Holy Spirit has already placed in you. I believe that the Holy Spirit has given you a prayer language; it’s all about participating with Him or surrendering to Him in order to see that gift manifest in your life.

Now, when you’re born, you’re born seeing and hearing; no one has to teach you to see, and no one has to teach you to hear. But you do have to learn to observe and listen. In the same way, spiritual gifts come when you are born again. When you’re filled with the Holy Spirit, you can’t necessarily be taught these gifts, but you can be taught how to sharpen the gifts you’ve already been given. It’s a spiritual sense, not a skill. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 14:4, «A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.»

Here, the Scripture makes it clear that when you pray in tongues, you’re strengthened personally; that’s your personal prayer language. The other expressions of the gift of tongues strengthen others, but this one described in 1 Corinthians 14:4 strengthens you personally. Now I’m going to teach you how to activate this gift, and really, there is only one thing holding you back. This one thing manifests in many ways, but there is only one thing holding you back. I’m not trying to offend you or make you upset, but I do love you and want you to know the truth. The reason you can’t pray in tongues, the reason you’ve tried and tried again to no avail, the reason you’ve had people lay hands on you and gone to events only to be disappointed again and again, is for one reason. That one stubborn obstacle is ego. Ego is keeping you from activating this spiritual gift. You’re getting in your own way.

Now, when I talk about ego, I’m not just talking about pride—though pride is a manifestation of the ego. I’m talking about overthinking, fear, inaction—getting in your own way. So how does ego manifest itself? As I said, it does manifest in pride. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, «But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them, and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.»

You have to remember that your prayer language is the language of surrender. You see, when you speak words that you understand, you’re attaching your own intention and meanings to those words. But when you pray in tongues, you’re speaking forth syllables and sounds void of your own intention, void of your own meaning—unpolluted words that you trust the Holy Spirit to fill. It truly is the language of surrender. Now, people have asked me, «If I pray in tongues, am I going to look silly?» I very emphatically tell them, «Yes, you will look silly, at least to some. But you have to get over that part.»

I can’t tell you how many times I prayed for someone at the altar, and just as they’re about to receive this gift, I can see them almost speaking it out—it’s right there on the tip of their tongue. Right when they’re just about to see the manifestation, they start looking around: Who’s noticing me? How do I look? What will people think? All of these things run through their minds. Why? Because of pride. They’re afraid they might appear silly or crazy. But this is the language of surrender. Leave it to God to hide such awesome power behind such a simple act of faith.

Now, referring back to 1 Corinthians 14:4, the Bible says that you’re strengthened personally when you pray in tongues. So, if I’m strengthened personally when I pray in tongues, that means the gift of tongues, my personal prayer language, helps to strengthen my spirit. Whatever strengthens my spirit strengthens all spiritual actions. Think about this: when you pray in tongues, you strengthen your spirit, and in strengthening your spirit, you empower all spiritual actions. This means that the gift of tongues can strengthen your other spiritual gifts; it can strengthen you during times of temptation; it can help you to worship, pray, and receive revelation from God’s Word. It can help you walk in boldness. The gift of tongues has many benefits, but those benefits lie on the other side of your surrender. Those benefits are waiting for you on the other side.