Why Praying in Tongues Is Key to Hearing Holy Spirit

One key to growing closer to God in our walk with Him is praying in tongues, says Pastor Bob Yandian. It's in this practice that we hear the Holy Spirit the clearest, he says. There was a time Paul heard clearly from the Holy Spirit to turn and go a different direction on one of his missionary journeys (Acts 16:6-10), and Yandian says this supernatural direction came from Paul speaking in tongues while praying.

"Pray in tongues, and when you do, you hear from the Holy Spirit," Yandian says. "But we often want to make our own decisions. And Paul says in the Scriptures, 'in everything, by prayer and supplication.' So there should be praying in the Spirit a lot more, mainly for the guidance of the Holy Spirit."

The Bible doesn't quite tell you what school to go to, what job to take or whom to marry. So, how do you know what God's plan is for your life? You're not supposed to sit around and wait for God or go out deliberately looking for your calling, Yandian says on the Greenelines podcast on the Charisma Podcast Network.

"I often talk to Christians and ask them, 'How do you find the will of God?'" Yandian says. "They say, 'Well, you pray,' and I said, 'Well, that's very important, but you're missing the main thing.' Every person God called was doing something. Moses was tending sheep when he came across the burning bush. David was tending sheep when the prophet came and announced he would be the next king. Elisha was behind the plow, and Gideon was on the threshing floor.

"Everybody was doing something, and God brought His will to them. And so you don't actually have to find the will of God or look for it. Just get busy, and the will of God will find you."

To listen to more encouragement on prayer and the will of God, click here for the entire episode.