Editor Introduction: How the Prayer Language Comes

Robert W. Graves wrote Praying in the Spirit (Chosen Books) in 1987, when it received great reviews from a number of Pentecostal/charismatic scholars and leaders including John Sherrill, Dr. Vinson Synan, Dr. Gordon Fee, Dr. William Menzies, Dr. Howard Ervin, Dr. Walter Martin, and Dr. Stanley Horton. It is the great privilege of the Pneuma Review to republish it here.
Praying in Tongues. This is still a hot topic in the church today. Fortunately, they are many among classical Pentecostals and the broad charismatic movement that have realized there is more to the Christian life than “just” tongues. Non-charismatic evangelicals have had the long standing complaint about Pentecostal/charismatics that “tongues” is all they seem to talk about. However, if Pentecostal/charismatics do not even have this distinctive practice and belief firmly established from Scripture and experiencing it in their lives, the renewal the Holy Spirit has brought to the church through the revival of the charismata will seem rather empty.
This chapter from Robert Graves book, Praying in the Spirit, takes a look at this very subject: experiencing the baptism of the Holy Spirit and recognizing the normal evidence of the Spirit’s release into a believer’s life. Written for all audiences, the editors trust that you will find this article refreshing and perhaps challenging if this empowering experience is not yet your own.