Soon enough, the once-weary pastor no longer wanted to resign from the ministry. Today, both he and his church are thriving!

Why was it so important for the pastor to pray in tongues? We receive supernatural rest and rejuvenation when we pray in the Spirit.

How can Dr. Cho lead a church of over 800,000 people and never get burnt out? He prays in the Spirit. I can’t think of a pastor who experiences more pressure and responsibility than Dr. Cho. His church has completely transformed South Korea, and he is one of the most respected pastors in the world. It would be impossible for any man or woman to bear this weight in their own abilities. But I know that Dr. Cho doesn’t rely on his own understanding. He prioritizes his times of prayer and prays in the Spirit for hours every day. This time of prayer provides him with great strength and rest.

Lester Sumrall was a great man of God. I had the privilege of spending time with him on several occasions. Doctor Sumrall slept only four hours a night and would write four books at the same time! He had much more energy than his staff members (who were half his age) and many younger preachers. Where did he find this strength? He spent a lot of time praying in the Spirit.

Please understand, we should never abuse our bodies. God clearly commands us to honor and keep the Sabbath. We should all enjoy physical rest. I play golf because it takes me away from work and refreshes my mind and body. It is a great source of rest for me. But along with the observance of Sabbath rest, praying in the Spirit will refresh our bodies and souls. Unfortunately, many people have experienced burn out prematurely because they were not finding rest in the Spirit.

Day 5

Our Inner Man

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself. (1 Corinthians 14:4)

The Greek word for edifies is oikodomeo. This word literally means “to construct or build.”3 When we pray in the Spirit, we build up our capacity to house the presence and power of God. Jesus used this same Greek word when He said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built [oikodomeo] his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24 NIV).

Similarly, God says to us through Jude,

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. (Jude 20)