Another snippet from the Bereanonline...
If you have never spoken or prayed in tongues, it is very likely that you will by the end of this lesson.
First let us establish the truth by the word.
Jesus said:
Mark 16:17
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
This sign follows you because you believe; YOU SPEAK WITH NEW TONGUES!
Repeat and profess what Jesus has said about you, a believer:
"Thank you father that I speak with new tongues, Jesus said I do, and He does not lie"
Say this many times as you pray.
For a long time I thought and taught (as many do) that the Holy Spirit speaks in tongues, and that the "initial evidence" of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. As I have grown older and had my teaching corrected by the Lord, I have had to change this.
(1.) The initial evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit is the faith that you have received. Jesus said He would give you the Holy Spirit if you asked, and He did not lie. I do not care if you _never_ speak in tongues, Jesus did not lie. You asked, He gave. Period! FAITH is the (initial _and_ final!) EVIDENCE of things not seen.(Heb 11:1) We receive the Holy Spirit by faith (Gal 2:1-6)
(2.) We believe that we have received the Holy Spirit. It is His purpose to come along side us to help us. But the fact is, the Holy Spirit does not speak in tongues!
Read 1 Cor 14:14
"..if I pray with an unknown tongue, MY SPIRIT PRAYS..."
_MY SPIRIT PRAYS_!!!
If you are going to speak or pray in tongues, it is going to be _you_ that does it. The Holy Spirit will come along side to help. He will give you "utterance", or words to say. So if we believe that we have received the Holy Spirit, then it is the _utterance_ that is the initial physical manifestation that we receive... not the speaking. ALL have the utterance (all who have asked!) but think erroneously that the Holy Spirit is going to take over their mouths and tongues and force them to speak. This is not scriptural. He gives you utterance. YOU speak. The Holy Spirit helps your infirmities by giving you slight physical manifestations to _help_ you. He will not do it for you.
Romans 8:26
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.
Here Paul is talking about intercession. But the general principle is the same. In this case, a "groaning" (a discernable physical manifestation) that cannot be uttered is given. If you have ever interceded in this manner, you will know that this physical manifestation is said to resemble "labor pains". You may have seen people praying very intensely, bowed over, and even holding their lower body. This is a physical manifestation given by the Holy Spirit designed to help our infirmities. As a babe desiring to speak in tongues, He will also come along side to help your obvious "infirmities".
Look at this verse Isaiah 28:11
"For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people"
Two things:
stammering lips-the Hebrew word means a mocker, or imitator.
The concept is that the speaker _appears_ to be mocking a foreigner. The speaking is so "odd", that it is obvious to the hearer that the speaker does not know the language he is speaking, and so the hearer assumes the speaker is mocking a foreigner. In the middle seventies, many Viet-Nam "boat people" were coming to the U.S. They would speak very rapidly in a strange language with unusual soundings and pronunciations. American children would "mock" or "imitate" these speech patterns. The manifestation of speaking in tongues is going to resemble these children. You will likely repeat certain sounds and patterns over and over. Often the babe will do this very rapidly and with an apparent excess of tongue movement. (As you mature in your speech, this will change. The speaking will begin to resemble a real language, and become slower. Very often it will include gestures and facial expressions. Eventually, you will _appear_ to be speaking in a language that you actually know.)
Close your eyes and begin to say Abba. This is a word that the scripture says is _already_ in you. It is there! Repeat it over and over in faith. Speak forth from your love for God and Jesus. Reach down into your "belly" where the living waters flow and speak the love for the father word "Abba".
While you are doing this, be aware of any sensations or movement of your lips or tongue. Here are some physical manifestations that may come:
* There is a rapid tapping of the tongue against the top of the mouth associated with a hard "t"( as in tall), dull "d" (as in double), soft "n" (as in Nabel), "l" (as in lad).
* There is a "numbness" of the lips that together with the blowing of air out the mouth is associated with a "b"( as in butter) or "p" (as in Paul) sound.
* Sometimes there will be a slight constricting of the throat, associated with the "k"(as in cud, or more guttural as in "q" in quote) or "g" ( as in go) sounds.
* There may be a blowing of air over the tongue that has an "s" (as in say) sound.
* There is a sound produced by the pushing of air through the mouth with the top lips pressing on the bottom teeth, or the "f" ( as in first) sound or "v"(as in vote).
* The is the rubbing of teeth together to produce a "r" (as in rough).
* A mmm sound "m" (as in make).
In these cases and in others, the sensation will be there, but _you_ have to provide the breath through the mouth. If you feel a sensation as indicated above, simply blow your breath through the sensation to produce the indicated sound. You will likely repeat this single sound over and over, as if you were stammering it.
Sometimes it will happen that as you are praying in English, that a strange sound or word will come out that you had not planned to say.
Sometimes you will be praying in English and it will seem that unusual words in another language will come into your mind.
Sometimes it will occur that if you have ever heard a person pray in tongues, you will recall what they were saying and feel as if you are to say the same words.
One important point you have to remember is that the Holy Spirit does not speak in tongues: _you_ speak. As you have faith, he will help your infirmities with some manifestation. YOU have to take the step of faith and proceed. IT MAY SEEM FOOLISH WHILE YOU ARE DOING IT. In fact it should! You are a baby learning how to talk. How did you expect it to sound?
