Someone once said to me, “Augustine, I do pray in tongues, but my tongues feel very dry. It feels like I’m not doing anything at all.” He explained that when he prayed, it felt as though he was simply speaking into the air and that absolutely nothing was happening. There were no notable results.
I asked him whether he felt any positive impact, and he said no. I asked about any negative impact, and he said no as well. When I asked if he felt any impact at all, he said perhaps only feeling tired at the end. Sad!
He went on to say that his prayers felt insignificant and that praying in tongues seemed like a waste of time. His question was whether it was even worth continuing.
That conversation is what has prompted me to address this issue of praying in tongues and feeling as though there is no impact whatsoever.
In this article, I want to explain what may be happening in such a case and what you should do if you are going through a similar struggle.
Reactions in the Spirit
When you pray in tongues, there are generally four possible reactions. You may experience a positive reaction, a negative reaction, a mixed reaction, or no reaction at all.
To understand why there are times when you pray in tongues and feel nothing, it is important to first understand the other three scenarios.
Remember, all these reactions are closely connected to your will.
Positive Reactions
As I have mentioned before, when you pray in tongues, you are allowing the Holy Spirit to work within you.
When the Holy Spirit is given room to work, His presence produces positive effects such as joy, peace, clarity, visions, and revelation from God.
These positive reactions occur because you have allowed the Holy Spirit to operate freely within you.
Negative Reactions
Negative reactions, on the other hand, usually occur when there are evil influences being challenged or displaced.
When someone begins praying in tongues, spiritual resistance may arise, and this can feel uncomfortable or even turbulent.
This is why some people feel that life becomes harder when they start praying in tongues. Typically, it is the enemy causing the resistance to discourage them from praying.
Mixed Reactions
A mixed reaction occurs when there is contention for your attention between the Holy Spirit and evil spirits.
If you are torn between living a holy life and a sinful life, you are more likely to get mixed reactions.
In such cases, the Holy Spirit is drawing you toward intimacy with God, while the evil forces pull you in the opposite direction.
This results in inconsistency. One moment you are fervent in prayer, and the next you are overcome by temptation.
This fluctuation often indicates that a clear decision has not yet been made about fully yielding to God.
No Reaction
Then there is the situation where you pray in tongues and experience no reaction at all; no good outcome, no bad outcome. Just emptiness.
This is a unique case. Let me illustrate.
Think of it this way: when someone knocks on your door, you may say, “Come in,” but unless the door is open, they cannot enter. Scripture tells us in Revelation 3:20 that Christ stands at the door and knocks. It is our responsibility to open the door.
In the same way, some people pray in tongues and desire God, but they have not truly opened their lives for the Holy Spirit to take control. They have welcomed Him in words, but the door remains closed.
Receiving the Holy Spirit involves two parts: confession and opening the door for Him. Just as salvation involves confessing with the mouth and believing in the heart, allowing the Holy Spirit to work requires both invitation and lifestyle alignment.
This has been perfectly highlighted in the book of Romans 10:9.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
If you invite the Holy Spirit and receive the gift of speaking in tongues, but still continue in sin, the Holy Spirit will not be able to operate within you.
That is why tongues may feel dry, and there is no positive transformation because the Holy Spirit is restricted.
At the same time, there is also no negative reaction because evil spirits have no right over you since you have already accepted the Holy Spirit.
The Solution
If this describes your situation, the solution is alignment with the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is pray sincerely and ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life and lead you as He desires.
Ask God to reveal anything that is hindering His work in you, such as unrepented sin and generally any form of lifestyle that grieves the Holy Spirit.
Also seek to understand what the Lord needs you to do so that He can operate freely within you.
If your prayer life feels stagnant and your tongues feel empty, it is time to have a deep reflection of your life. Ask God to show you what is holding you back, and trust Him to guide you.
The Lord will set you free, and your tongues will be fruitful by the power of the Holy Spirit.
God bless you.
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