Tongues.

rdclmn7 said:

Often present but frequently misunderstood.
The first pentecostal experience really defines things as the tongues were heard, yet what the visitors heard was the message of the cross in their own language.
Scripture requires that an interpreter be present, yet in practice it rarely happens.
Its pretty moot as the point to be made that pentecost lines up with even the OT to the effect that we are comfortable with the proto-manifestations.
Critics and even cessationists will never experience what they reject, its a problem that pretty much takes care of itself.

Click to expand...

There are a couple of points that I'd like to make:

First, concerning the requirement and practice of interpretation: Is it a requirement if everyone present has the gift? Paul discussed "If an unbeliever or ungifted man enters".
So when I am with a group of intercessors in a closed environment, so that others are not going to show up, there is not requirement. Paul was discussing the practice in what might be considered a regular church service, when God might bring those who do not yet believe nor have been gifted.

Second, Who should have the interpretation? Paul explained that the person speaking in tongues should pray for the interpretation!! Most churches I have gone to do not line up with Paul's thinking!! Most of the preaching I have heard expressed the idea that the person speaking in tongues is not supposed to be the person that has the interpretation, which is opposite of the idea that the person speaking should be the one praying for the interpretation.

1 Cor 14:13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

Third, I believe there is a connection between the account of Babel in the Old Testiment and the Spirit coming like tongues of fire and the devote men hearing and understanding what others were speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost. That is, God mixed up the languages of people at Babel because He said that if they worked together building a tower to heaven, nothing would be impossible. Then later God gives the people a language in which they all can speak and hear in their own language. So now, if we all get the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation, so that we can all now speak the same spiritual language and hear what the Spirit is saying in a language we understand, all now is possible through the gifting of God, like when God came down and saw the people building a tower to heaven! We now have that tower (spiritually speaking) which gives us access to heaven via the language of angels!

Which bring me to the fourth point: During the day of Pentecost, all the devote men recieved the out pouring of the Holy Spirit, but there were others who scoffed and said they were drunk!! There is much written against scoffers! Prov 14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and fonds none.

If a person is going to be critical of the gifts of God, why should He pour out His Holy Spirit on them?

If you say to yourself, 'I don't know about the gift of tongues', should you not seek God for what He knows, or should you listen to someone like yourself who admits he does not know? And if you speak against the gifts of God, havn't you spoken against God? That is what a scoffer does. He speaks against his creator and finds no fault with himself.


Now what gets me is that; over and over I see people behind a podium down playing the gifts of God. Even many if not most of those who have the giftings of God usually down play the value of those gifts!! They present the gifts as if they might be a nice novalty item to ask for if you think you might want it. And people doing that tell others they are Charismatic? Are they really Charismatic or they half hearted followers of God? Paul was not like that! He twice wrote forcefully, "Earnest desire the Gifts" and "Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues". But all too often we don't tell people to earnest desire the gift, and it seem our wish is not concerned with them all speaking in tongues.

1 Cor 14:1 Pursue love, yet desire earnesly spiritual gifts..

1 Cor 14:39 Therefore, my brethren desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

And Paul also wrote 1 Cor 14:37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment.

So my friends, desiring the spiritual gifts is the Lord's commandment!! We need to recognize that!!

rdclmn7 said:

Often present but frequently misunderstood.
The first pentecostal experience really defines things as the tongues were heard, yet what the visitors heard was the message of the cross in their own language.
Scripture requires that an interpreter be present, yet in practice it rarely happens.
Its pretty moot as the point to be made that pentecost lines up with even the OT to the effect that we are comfortable with the proto-manifestations.
Critics and even cessationists will never experience what they reject, its a problem that pretty much takes care of itself.

Click to expand...

I pray in the Holy Spirit daily in fact probably without ceasing. It is common that I'll be sweeping the floor and instead of saying Oh my gosh if something startles me, I will come out in tongues…. its where my mind is…

The Lord had shown me years ago when I was 'shame bound'… long story but I would spiral into waves of great shame over the simplest things that would just be funny to others. Like a little trip in front of people and often alone I would remember something from childhood and I would literally say out loud, " ohhhh - I hate myself". It was something I had lived with for decades and few knew how much I suffered. The Lord told me to pray in the Spirit at those moments, so today if I get embarrassed instead of self-hatred, out comes my prayer language and I feel His love and acceptance of me as I am.

Shame bound - when a person who has been brought up in dysfunction, feeling unloved and unwanted, they blame themselves. It is bc I am bad, I am an idiot or whatever the self-loathing speaks to you. When you are bound, the smallest shameful moment turns you back to a time when you felt that huge wave of shame… its an intense out of control feeling and an over-reaction to the moment but its like a hook that spirals backwards to the most intense shame.
I still get the "I hate me" occasionally, but I stop and make myself look at myself through Christ's eyes. How great a love He has for me…..

You can 'nay say' till your blue but the Lord gave me my prayer language to edify myself…. and to pray for others while I do not know how. Why you think 'religious folks' have the absolute gaul to speak against tongues is beyond me….
On the day of Pentecost there were over a dozen people all speaking atone time. Have you ever tried to listen to 12 + people speaking at once, proclaiming whatever…. how do you think they understood?
ACTS………………………………...
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
(THIS IS YOU)

It says they heard them speak in their own language. God opened their ears, no one could understand 12 people all shouting at once.

rdclmn7 said:

Often present but frequently misunderstood.
The first pentecostal experience really defines things as the tongues were heard, yet what the visitors heard was the message of the cross in their own language.
Scripture requires that an interpreter be present, yet in practice it rarely happens.
Its pretty moot as the point to be made that pentecost lines up with even the OT to the effect that we are comfortable with the proto-manifestations.
Critics and even cessationists will never experience what they reject, its a problem that pretty much takes care of itself.

Click to expand...

If you don't believe the gifts are for today and follow the likes of John MacArthur, what are you doing here in the Spirit-filled section?

Hey Andrea,

What do you think happened in Acts 2?

When you speak in tongues, is it anything like that? Do you understand what you are saying or what language you are speaking?

K2K said:

There are a couple of points that I'd like to make:

First, concerning the requirement and practice of interpretation: Is it a requirement if everyone present has the gift? Paul discussed "If an unbeliever or ungifted man enters".
So when I am with a group of intercessors in a closed environment, so that others are not going to show up, there is not requirement. Paul was discussing the practice in what might be considered a regular church service, when God might bring those who do not yet believe nor have been gifted.

Second, Who should have the interpretation? Paul explained that the person speaking in tongues should pray for the interpretation!! Most churches I have gone to do not line up with Paul's thinking!! Most of the preaching I have heard expressed the idea that the person speaking in tongues is not supposed to be the person that has the interpretation, which is opposite of the idea that the person speaking should be the one praying for the interpretation.

1 Cor 14:13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

Third, I believe there is a connection between the account of Babel in the Old Testiment and the Spirit coming like tongues of fire and the devote men hearing and understanding what others were speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost. That is, God mixed up the languages of people at Babel because He said that if they worked together building a tower to heaven, nothing would be impossible. Then later God gives the people a language in which they all can speak and hear in their own language. So now, if we all get the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation, so that we can all now speak the same spiritual language and hear what the Spirit is saying in a language we understand, all now is possible through the gifting of God, like when God came down and saw the people building a tower to heaven! We now have that tower (spiritually speaking) which gives us access to heaven via the language of angels!

Which bring me to the fourth point: During the day of Pentecost, all the devote men recieved the out pouring of the Holy Spirit, but there were others who scoffed and said they were drunk!! There is much written against scoffers! Prov 14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and fonds none.

If a person is going to be critical of the gifts of God, why should He pour out His Holy Spirit on them?

If you say to yourself, 'I don't know about the gift of tongues', should you not seek God for what He knows, or should you listen to someone like yourself who admits he does not know? And if you speak against the gifts of God, havn't you spoken against God? That is what a scoffer does. He speaks against his creator and finds no fault with himself.


Now what gets me is that; over and over I see people behind a podium down playing the gifts of God. Even many if not most of those who have the giftings of God usually down play the value of those gifts!! They present the gifts as if they might be a nice novalty item to ask for if you think you might want it. And people doing that tell others they are Charismatic? Are they really Charismatic or they half hearted followers of God? Paul was not like that! He twice wrote forcefully, "Earnest desire the Gifts" and "Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues". But all too often we don't tell people to earnest desire the gift, and it seem our wish is not concerned with them all speaking in tongues.

1 Cor 14:1 Pursue love, yet desire earnesly spiritual gifts..

1 Cor 14:39 Therefore, my brethren desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

And Paul also wrote 1 Cor 14:37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment.

So my friends, desiring the spiritual gifts is the Lord's commandment!! We need to recognize that!!

Click to expand...

Please do drop in on our little group sometime. The preacher is almost always reminding the congregation that God is right there with every one of us, and that many of us probably have the gifts just aching to burst forth that very minute..... and he waits for it.

And we are not Pentecostal.

Hockey_Fan said:

Hey Andrea,

What do you think happened in Acts 2?

When you speak in tongues, is it anything like that? Do you understand what you are saying or what language you are speaking?

Click to expand...

That is one instance of tongues, and never actually says in that passage that the speakers were speaking in human languages. All it says is that the hearers each heard their own dialects.

But then in 1 Corinthians Paul states that tongues speaks not to men but to God.

I love the spiritual gifts I feel bad for those that choose to disregard them as something from the apostolic time. Yet when the congregation meets I do believe in order and that the Pastor or leaders should make sure that chaos is avoided especially if non believers are present.

Nate1980 said:

I love the spiritual gifts I feel bad for those that choose to disregard them as something from the apostolic time. Yet when the congregation meets I do believe in order and that the Pastor or leaders should make sure that chaos is avoided especially if non believers are present.

Click to expand...

In 30 years among various charismatic churches,I've never seen chaos break out….? but where it does, it is sure to make the news and everyone clamors to rebuke ALL the believers who speak in tongues. I hear them say its ok if its orderly… nonsense, those people don't care about order they care about everybody lining up and being just like them. Churches that have no problems with people have nothing going on…. people file in and out.. week after week in and out… no disorder.
Prov 14:4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; But much increase is by the strength of the ox.
Most of these people prefer order to the Holy Spirit's presence and power. They threw the Holy Spirit out years ago bc He made a mess of their schedule.

Hockey_Fan said:

Hey Andrea,

What do you think happened in Acts 2?

When you speak in tongues, is it anything like that? Do you understand what you are saying or what language you are speaking?

Click to expand...

How many times have you read this scripture - do you believe the scriptures or not?
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. (1 Corinthians 14:2)
No I do not Prophesy in the Spirit, I pray in the Spirit. Ask the Lord, He Who spoke the worlds into existence still speaks today.
May the Lord bless you in His awesome and wonderful presence, andrea

Andrea411 said:

In 30 years among various charismatic churches,I've never seen chaos break out….? but where it does, it is sure to make the news and everyone clamors to rebuke ALL the believers who speak in tongues. I hear them say its ok if its orderly… nonsense, those people don't care about order they care about everybody lining up and being just like them. Churches that have no problems with people have nothing going on…. people file in and out.. week after week in and out… no disorder.
Prov 14:4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; But much increase is by the strength of the ox.
Most of these people prefer order to the Holy Spirit's presence and power. They threw the Holy Spirit out years ago bc He made a mess of their schedule.

Click to expand...

I love it! You sound just like John Wimber.

Willie T said:

Please do drop in on our little group sometime. The preacher is almost always reminding the congregation that God is right there with every one of us, and that many of us probably have the gifts just aching to burst forth that very minute..... and he waits for it.

And we are not Pentecostal.

Click to expand...

Yes, and the least of the gifts is tongues, yet we are told to speak in tongues. Specifically, we are told to desire prophecy. Prophecy does not have to come in tongues but usually does.
It is far better to have love, and the power to evangelize and spread the gospel…. why does it bother people that others speak in tongues? I don't know if the Lord wants everyone to speak in tongues, I know lots of devout Christians who desire it and do not?? As I desire the gift of prophecy and do not??
God bless, andrea

Willie T said:

I love it! You sound just like John Wimber.

Click to expand...

I would like John Wimber, seems solid. I'm pretty much out of the church circuit, praying for a home…. waiting on the Lord. So much nonsense, so little love… my heart aches…. and I tire so easily anymore with the nonsense. People all over the world are dying for their faith and we fight over who has the best theology or worse, we gossip about Christian leaders bc we disagree with their theology or theatrics??
I look on the internet and see great men like Billy Graham torn to shreds. Then men like John MacArthur tearing the whole body apart limb by limb bc he found a few loose cannons…. and disagrees with not only charismatics but the scriptures themselves. Seems he would follow Calvin before Paul. Yet Paul says, one follows this one that one, don't do that…. one builds the foundation, another builds atop it… we are one body with many members. Why is it so difficult to allow others to be different from us. I disagree with Catholics, but if they love the lord… ok. I disagree with Baptists but if they love the Lord ok…. I really disagree with 5 pt. calvinists but if they love the Lord they are one member among many.
God bless, andrea
(OH…haven't found any I totally agree with, and I'm fine with that too)

Andrea411 said:

I would like John Wimber, seems solid. I'm pretty much out of the church circuit, praying for a home…. waiting on the Lord. So much nonsense, so little love… my heart aches…. and I tire so easily anymore with the nonsense. People all over the world are dying for their faith and we fight over who has the best theology or worse, we gossip about Christian leaders bc we disagree with their theology or theatrics??
I look on the internet and see great men like Billy Graham torn to shreds. Then men like John MacArthur tearing the whole body apart limb by limb bc he found a few loose cannons…. and disagrees with not only charismatics but the scriptures themselves. Seems he would follow Calvin before Paul. Yet Paul says, one follows this one that one, don't do that…. one builds the foundation, another builds atop it… we are one body with many members. Why is it so difficult to allow others to be different from us. I disagree with Catholics, but if they love the lord… ok. I disagree with Baptists but if they love the Lord ok…. I really disagree with 5 pt. calvinists but if they love the Lord they are one member among many.
God bless, andrea
(OH…haven't found any I totally agree with, and I'm fine with that too)

Click to expand...

I don't even totally agree with where I attend.... but it is so much sweeter than anything I have found in 35 years.

K2K said:

There are a couple of points that I'd like to make:

First, concerning the requirement and practice of interpretation: Is it a requirement if everyone present has the gift? Paul discussed "If an unbeliever or ungifted man enters".
So when I am with a group of intercessors in a closed environment, so that others are not going to show up, there is not requirement. Paul was discussing the practice in what might be considered a regular church service, when God might bring those who do not yet believe nor have been gifted.

Second, Who should have the interpretation? Paul explained that the person speaking in tongues should pray for the interpretation!! Most churches I have gone to do not line up with Paul's thinking!! Most of the preaching I have heard expressed the idea that the person speaking in tongues is not supposed to be the person that has the interpretation, which is opposite of the idea that the person speaking should be the one praying for the interpretation.

1 Cor 14:13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

Third, I believe there is a connection between the account of Babel in the Old Testiment and the Spirit coming like tongues of fire and the devote men hearing and understanding what others were speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost. That is, God mixed up the languages of people at Babel because He said that if they worked together building a tower to heaven, nothing would be impossible. Then later God gives the people a language in which they all can speak and hear in their own language. So now, if we all get the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation, so that we can all now speak the same spiritual language and hear what the Spirit is saying in a language we understand, all now is possible through the gifting of God, like when God came down and saw the people building a tower to heaven! We now have that tower (spiritually speaking) which gives us access to heaven via the language of angels!

Which bring me to the fourth point: During the day of Pentecost, all the devote men recieved the out pouring of the Holy Spirit, but there were others who scoffed and said they were drunk!! There is much written against scoffers! Prov 14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and fonds none.

If a person is going to be critical of the gifts of God, why should He pour out His Holy Spirit on them?

If you say to yourself, 'I don't know about the gift of tongues', should you not seek God for what He knows, or should you listen to someone like yourself who admits he does not know? And if you speak against the gifts of God, havn't you spoken against God? That is what a scoffer does. He speaks against his creator and finds no fault with himself.


Now what gets me is that; over and over I see people behind a podium down playing the gifts of God. Even many if not most of those who have the giftings of God usually down play the value of those gifts!! They present the gifts as if they might be a nice novalty item to ask for if you think you might want it. And people doing that tell others they are Charismatic? Are they really Charismatic or they half hearted followers of God? Paul was not like that! He twice wrote forcefully, "Earnest desire the Gifts" and "Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues". But all too often we don't tell people to earnest desire the gift, and it seem our wish is not concerned with them all speaking in tongues.

1 Cor 14:1 Pursue love, yet desire earnesly spiritual gifts..

1 Cor 14:39 Therefore, my brethren desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

And Paul also wrote 1 Cor 14:37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment.

So my friends, desiring the spiritual gifts is the Lord's commandment!! We need to recognize that!!

Click to expand...

I like what you said about the tower of Babel and how we can build a spiritual tower through praying in tongues. Who knows what strongholds come down, and what victories come about through praying in tongues that we might not know about as we speak in mysteries.

Let's see......... "If anyone speaks in tongues, there should an interpretation".

But, then he says: "If you speak in tongues, pray that you might interpret."

Doesn't that tell you that there just might be some people already speaking in tongues that do not interpret? Therefore, they could not be interpreting their own stuff at this time. Someone else would have to do it.

Seeking Him said:

I like what you said about the tower of Babel and how we can build a spiritual tower through praying in tongues. Who knows what strongholds come down, and what victories come about through praying in tongues that we might not know about as we speak in mysteries.

Click to expand...

Yes, I believe so… actually there are very few times that tongues are spoken publicly where I am at… in a number of AoG churches and non-denoms. I often sing in tongues but the person next to me probably doesn't know - and I always pray for awhile in tongues…. since it is the Holy Spirit praying, how would you know what we need to pray for…. or what strongholds may be broken.
It always seems this gets brought up by anti-charismatics as some kind of proof they are right???? If they don't want to speak in tongues, no one forces you to…. unless its UP… thats another thread.
So many millions of Charismatics…. its where most of the revival is happening, yet they denounce it….so sad.

K2K said:

There are a couple of points that I'd like to make:

First, concerning the requirement and practice of interpretation: Is it a requirement if everyone present has the gift? Paul discussed "If an unbeliever or ungifted man enters".
So when I am with a group of intercessors in a closed environment, so that others are not going to show up, there is not requirement. Paul was discussing the practice in what might be considered a regular church service, when God might bring those who do not yet believe nor have been gifted.

Second, Who should have the interpretation? Paul explained that the person speaking in tongues should pray for the interpretation!! Most churches I have gone to do not line up with Paul's thinking!! Most of the preaching I have heard expressed the idea that the person speaking in tongues is not supposed to be the person that has the interpretation, which is opposite of the idea that the person speaking should be the one praying for the interpretation.

1 Cor 14:13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

Third, I believe there is a connection between the account of Babel in the Old Testiment and the Spirit coming like tongues of fire and the devote men hearing and understanding what others were speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost. That is, God mixed up the languages of people at Babel because He said that if they worked together building a tower to heaven, nothing would be impossible. Then later God gives the people a language in which they all can speak and hear in their own language. So now, if we all get the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation, so that we can all now speak the same spiritual language and hear what the Spirit is saying in a language we understand, all now is possible through the gifting of God, like when God came down and saw the people building a tower to heaven! We now have that tower (spiritually speaking) which gives us access to heaven via the language of angels!

Which bring me to the fourth point: During the day of Pentecost, all the devote men recieved the out pouring of the Holy Spirit, but there were others who scoffed and said they were drunk!! There is much written against scoffers! Prov 14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and fonds none.

If a person is going to be critical of the gifts of God, why should He pour out His Holy Spirit on them?

If you say to yourself, 'I don't know about the gift of tongues', should you not seek God for what He knows, or should you listen to someone like yourself who admits he does not know? And if you speak against the gifts of God, havn't you spoken against God? That is what a scoffer does. He speaks against his creator and finds no fault with himself.


Now what gets me is that; over and over I see people behind a podium down playing the gifts of God. Even many if not most of those who have the giftings of God usually down play the value of those gifts!! They present the gifts as if they might be a nice novalty item to ask for if you think you might want it. And people doing that tell others they are Charismatic? Are they really Charismatic or they half hearted followers of God? Paul was not like that! He twice wrote forcefully, "Earnest desire the Gifts" and "Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues". But all too often we don't tell people to earnest desire the gift, and it seem our wish is not concerned with them all speaking in tongues.

1 Cor 14:1 Pursue love, yet desire earnesly spiritual gifts..

1 Cor 14:39 Therefore, my brethren desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

And Paul also wrote 1 Cor 14:37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment.

So my friends, desiring the spiritual gifts is the Lord's commandment!! We need to recognize that!!

Click to expand...

to borrow the phrase ...

your a breath of fresh air
God bless you

Andrea411 said:

Yes, and the least of the gifts is tongues, yet we are told to speak in tongues. Specifically, we are told to desire prophecy. Prophecy does not have to come in tongues but usually does.
It is far better to have love, and the power to evangelize and spread the gospel…. why does it bother people that others speak in tongues? I don't know if the Lord wants everyone to speak in tongues, I know lots of devout Christians who desire it and do not?? As I desire the gift of prophecy and do not??
God bless, andrea

Click to expand...

hi

i so wish to ask in the most gentle manner as i have much respect for you as my sister in the lord

who passed on the notion of it being the least of the gifts ?
it is indeed of the least use to the hearer in a gathering .but in no other manner is it the least or the greater .i honestly don't think Paul ever meant it to be interpreted that way .his action in declaring that he did so "-more then all of you-" shows he knew it to be of extreme value and spent much time praying in the Spirit .
i don't believe any of the gifts are greater or lesser ..but have their usefulness increased by means of need .
ie -if a man comes and asks for the interpretation of a dream he had last night .. then healing at that moment would be considered the lesser gift .. -sort of thing -..lol if you get what i mean .

Andrea411 said:

Yes, and the least of the gifts is tongues, yet we are told to speak in tongues. Specifically, we are told to desire prophecy. Prophecy does not have to come in tongues but usually does.
It is far better to have love, and the power to evangelize and spread the gospel…. why does it bother people that others speak in tongues? I don't know if the Lord wants everyone to speak in tongues, I know lots of devout Christians who desire it and do not?? As I desire the gift of prophecy and do not??
God bless, andrea

Click to expand...

The Lord does want us all to speak in tongues at this point!!

That is why Paul wrote to desire the gifts! Prophecy is more useful when communicating to others, but tongues is more useful when communicating to God!!

Look - all the gifts are manifestations of the Spirit of God in you! The Spirit knows how to pray better than you! So let the Spirit speak through you when you pray! And you don't need to know everything going on in someone else's life. You can pray for someone in tongues and pray exactly what the need without having to know all the little problems in their life. Yet when we minister to them we need to know what God has to say to them in a language they can understand. So prophecy is better for ministering, where as tongues is better for intercesion!

So we need the gifts!! All of them!! God didn't design them for them to be ignored!! He didn't tell us to desire them because they didn't have value, but because they do have value!! And so pray for all the gifts!!

Pray for the gift of healing. Don't you think you might come across someone that could use a miracle.

Pray for words of wisdom. Don't you think God's wisdom might be of some use?

Pray for the gift of tongues, because you will be able to pray for people more efficeintly and about things you don't need to know. Wouldn that be nice?

Pray for interpretation of tongues. It might not be as clear, but when the Lord interpretes He still tells you only what you need to know. Often when I ask the Lord for an interpretation, He just tells me I am praying for this person and I don't get the details. And seeking the interpretation requires I seeking the small voice of the Lord, and don't you think a reminder to listen to His voice is worthwhile?

Seek words of knowledge. I was praying for someone a week or so ago and afterwards the Lord told me that there was a lady like a mother, but who was not a mother and was something like an aunt, in the persons life when they were younger. That lady was into witchcraft and had place a curse on them. The curse needed to be broken and the lady like an aunt needed to be forgiven. Sure enough there was a lady that was like a mother to the person. She was a sister of his mom, but not a really a sister but a girl that grew up in the same house so they were considered sisters. And she was into withcraft but the person did not know they had been cursed. So they didn't know they needed to break the curse and forgive the aunt.

People - if you have the Spirit of God you have access to all the gifts!! The problem is that we don't desire them so we don't get them! The Spirit (being considerate of your desires) will not manifest in ways that He does not have permision, or in ways you do not want Him to manifest in.

So if you don't want to speak in a language you don't understand, the Spirit of God won't manifest in you that way, even if it means that you could have prayed a better prayer for someone else.

If you don't want to pray for healing for someone, because it might stretch your faith too much or you choose to think miracles are not for today, then the Holy Spirit is not going to manifest in that way through you. The Spirit doesn't force himself on you.

If you want to lean on your understanding and your wisdom and you don't want anyone, including the Holy Spirit, telling you how things could be done better, then He won't force you to listen to Him for wisdom.

I can go through all the gifts, but you don't have to have them. You can choose to think what you want. Yet that doesn't change the fact that God has those incredible fantastic gifts available for those that seek after God and all He has for them.

You can just love on others, but wouldn't it be more loving if you could be used by God to heal them also, or if you could pray a better prayer for them? Wouldn't it be more loving to others if you desired the all the gifts of God which could help them more? My friends, all the gifts of the Spirit are designed to help you help others. So what is the loving thing to do? Desire the gifts (all of them), right?