Unfortunately for you, your reasoning is fallacious. It doesn't line up with the whole chapter, nor the specifics such as tongues being spoken outside of Church. The fact that prayer is something done in private and that one can pray in tongues, and it even says to the tongue speaker to do so between God and himself, refutes your entire argument.
The Holy Spirit cannot use tongues to utter His own intercessions which happens to be unspeakable as in even His groanings cannot be uttered.
John 16:[SUP]13 [/SUP]Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Romans 8:[SUP]26 [/SUP]Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered.[SUP] 27 [/SUP]And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. KJV
The truth is that Jesus had said this:
Matthew 6:[SUP]7 [/SUP]But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.[SUP] 8[/SUP]
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.[SUP] 9 [/SUP]After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.[SUP] 10 [/SUP]Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.[SUP] 11 [/SUP]Give us this day our daily bread.[SUP] 12 [/SUP]And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.[SUP]13 [/SUP]And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
That is proof that you are reading Paul's words wrong in 1 Corinthians 14th chapter to exalt yourself as a tongue speaker using tongues for private use as if you are so much more special than the rest of us because you have tongues to "pray".
Think about what you are arguing for. If tongues was really meant for private use, then what are you doing? Bragging about it to non-tongue speakers? If not every body is supposed to get tongues, then why even talk among other tongue speakers about using it privately when you insist that such an event is for the individual believer?
Matthew 6:[SUP]5 [/SUP]And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.[SUP]6 [/SUP]But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
So if using tongues privately is meant to be, then why brag about it? Why tell any one about it? To be seen of men? To testify that you are doing something that not every believer is doing? That by using tongues privately, non-tongue speakers are missing out on something? That you have something that you take to mean you are closer to God in that way for?
There is a thread that attempts to explain all the benefits for speaking in tongues privately, but you know what? YOU cannot say what that tongue was for the last time you used it privately.
That is proof that tongues is not to be used privately because it has to come with interpretation for that tongue to even be fruitful to the tongue speaker to KNOW & UNDERSTAND what that tongue is doing at the time it was manifested in the assembly.
Paul was not teaching how tongues can be used privately at all. You missed the point why he was comparing tongues against prophesy because tongues is not a stand alone gift, but prophesy is. That is why prophesy is better than tongues.
Scripture refutes how you are applying Paul's words to use tongues privately which is why you DON'T have the real God's gift of tongues at all. You were warned not to believe every spirit but test them; including the tongues it brings.
You can keep your tongue. I sure don't need it to pray to the Lord. The Father knows everything before I ask Him any way. I would rather know what I had prayed for so that I can give the Father genuine thanks in Jesus's name for known answers to prayers than babble and not know what I just did in tongues. I have the King James Bible for my edification. I can worship Him in spirit and in truth knowing I am praising God in my normal tongue. I am more blessed than you in doing all those things that way than what you claim you guys are blessed by for using tongue privately, and the kicker is... you can do it too. No extra supernatural phenomenon required. No need to brag about in having anything extra in separating yourself from the rest of the body of Christ to worship Him in spirit & in truth TOGETHER.
You oppose yourself and know it not. Only God can peradventure to deliver you from this snare of the devil. I cannot.