What is praying with the spirit and understanding?

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What’s Your Question? for July 1, ‘09

Paul said “I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding” (1 Cor. 14:15). Praying with the spirit was in a language that he did not know. He said that praying in a tongue (a foreign language) would be unfruitful because the listener could not be edified (verses 14-16). In fact, Paul said he had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue that listeners did not know (v. 19). Prophesying was always by the inspiration of the Spirit (2 Pet. 1:20,21). First Corinthians 14 gives the regulations of miraculous gifts, while they existed, but chapter 13 said prophesies would fail and tongues will cease. No one can prophesy, nor speak in a language he has not learned.