Prophecy tested but not tongues?

[Hisgirl]

For those of you who would take the time to read the following article, I would be greatful for your humble opinion. Being new to the gifts, it has bothered me that everyone is quick to say,"Test prophecy!!" but in all my searching, I've only found a couple of teachers/counselors who recommend testing tongues. If one is so confident that the tongue is of the Holy Spirit....then why would you hesitate testing it? This article appears to be sincere with many disturbing accounts of false tongues. I believe prophecy can be from a false spirit along with visions and other manifestations......why are so many people so quick to set aside testing when it comes to tongues?

http://www.midcry.org/tongtest.htm

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Sigh...I'm probably not the best one to answer because I've come out of all this and I still have so many questions about what has happened to me in the past and what is of God and what is not. He is slowly showing me but this has taken several years and the issue of tongues is still a confusing one to me. It is very easy to start speaking in tongues. I've even heard of people who were not Christians trying it and speaking in tongues. I tend to believe them because when I was down in Haiti, they'd speak in some language resembling tongues during some of their voodoo-inspired ceremonies. I was told that early mormon leaders also spoke in tongues. I also know one person who speaks in tongues frequently but I believe the Lord has really cautioned me about this person,so who knows. So, we know non-Christians can speak in tongues so how do we distinguish what is from God and what is not from God. Honestly, my only answer thus far is to study the gift of tongues in the NT and see if that is what you experienced. For me, the answer is 'no' and that scares me.

I've prayed a lot about this and about tongues in particular. The Lord knows I have some real fears about this gift and I'm still learning. For now, I abstain until the Lord shows me otherwise. The only thing I get so far is to really study the Bible and that's what I'm doing. I've posted in several places about understanding the gift of tongues and Christians are just so divided. Truth be told, a few years ago I would have been positive it was all from God and now I don't believe so.

So, that's just one opinion. I'm wary. I don't know if I'm a doubting Thomas but, in prayer, I know that I'm doing what the Lord wants right now.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Wow,just finished that article. I think I'm okay with not praying in tongues right now. I started over at 'square one' recently studying the Word and learning about God and what He desires of us. I know He doesn't desire that of me right now and maybe it is because I am not spiritually there yet.

I tend to believe parts of this article though because I saw something once that was supposed to be of God and I saw evil so, yes, I believe satan duplicates these gifts and does so with some frequency.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Sorry, just me again. Thank you for sharing this site. I have no clue who these people are and I've found that just as I am wary of some sites promoting gifts, I am wary of some cites critical of these gifts. I have no idea about these folks but I've already found an article there that speaks to my heart so thank you!

 

[TSIBHOD]

Personally, I think that the article is written by a person who has demon-phobia. (The idea presented in the article that a demon would go by the name Jesus seems pretty far-fetched, since the name of Jesus has power over demons.) The article said something to the effect that 90% of tongues are demon-inspired. In my opinion, that kind of statement is utterly ridiculous. Demons might indeed insite false gifts, but I tend to think that false gifts are manifested in those who seek to deceive the body of Christ. I do not think that demons routinely give false gifts to Christians who are seeking to serve the Lord.

Besides, my belief is that the "gift" of speaking in tongues is something that is exercised publicly in the church, and only when an interpreter is present. Then the tongue must be interpreted. It would be easy to see in such a case if a "false tongue" were cursing God. Private, "prayer tongues" are the main manifestation of tongues, and I believe that this is a gift from God that is available to every Christian. This kind of tongues is not a public gift and does not require or merit interpretation, but is simply a way to praise God and pray to Him. I think of it as a way of praying when you don't have the words to express what your spirit wants to pray. I also think that crying out to God with "groans" (as mentioned in Romans 8:19-27) is in the same category as "prayer tongues."

 

[Hisgirl]

To all....please understand I am just wanting your opinion on the article and also I want to know why we don't test tongues if we're told to try the spirits? Why would you not?

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

The problem that I've seen with 'testing the spirits' in this case is that it involves interpretation by another party. I think we've all seen instances where it is interpreted one way by one person and then a completely different way by another person. So how do we 'test' the interpreters? That was the main problem I had with the article. How do I know the interpreters interpreted correctly?

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

To all....please understand I am just wanting your opinion on the article and also I want to know why we don't test tongues if we're told to try the spirits? Why would you not?

I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't very clear. For me, testing the spirits is VERY important since I've seen so much awful stuff. So, at this point, because I am unable to test the spirits of tongues (and that seems to be where the Lord has me right now), I just don't speak in tongues at this time. But, like I said, I am back to square one and relearning about tongues. It's not what I used to believe it to be.

 

[TSIBHOD]

To all....please understand I am just wanting your opinion on the article and also I want to know why we don't test tongues if we're told to try the spirits? Why would you not?

I would say that the public gift of speaking in tongues should be tested, but private "prayer tongues" have no need to be tested. If it edifies a person (builds that person up in his faith), then it serves its purpose. I'm not sure why people wouldn't test tongues (or prophecy, for that matter), other than for the reason that they are afraid that it will be proven false, and that would hurt their personal/church reputation.

 

[Schmitty]

To all....please understand I am just wanting your opinion on the article and also I want to know why we don't test tongues if we're told to try the spirits? Why would you not?

This also bothers me!! Not testing them is like disobeying Paul kinda....

Heres how you test them. Find two people within your church/group that can truly interrupt the tongues. Have them by the person who's gonna speak in tongues, but seperated. Now when the person is speaking in tongues, have them the meaning down.

If the 2 don't match then one of them truly can't interrerpt. If they both could, then would match!!! And if you can't tell who can truly interrerpt, then how do you know for sure either can??? and so, you can't trust the interrerpations....

 

[brother daniel]

I have just skimmed through this thread and I have learned a lot.
My first experiance of speaking in tongues was they day I was batized "IN THE NAME OF JESUS" and "The Father, Son and Holy Ghost" in the Rio Linda creek north east of Sacramento,California. It came natural to me but I doubted it.
But I do still pray,and sing, in tongues. The way it works for me is that When I run out of words to say and I still need to pray I shift into the tongue headspace and let it go with no personal opinion, just quitness,or tears or laughter as The Holy Spirit shares those things we have no words for.

The Holy Spirits says try the spirits meaning test the spirits. watch and see what the fruit is.

I can see that as neighbors who fellowship daily on this board we begin to see each others spiritual condition and note the changes. From Glory to Glory Jesus is changing us.

With love in Christ Jesus, brother daniel

 

[Schmitty]

Watching for the fruit is a method of testing, but my method also works an so i think it should be used (correct me if i'm wrong)

nice testamony bro

 

[Jesusong]

This is my take on this. (btw, I haven't read thearticle yet, but I will after I post this) Tongues by themselves cannot be tested because no one knows what is being said. When the manifestation of tongues is followed by interprepation, then the it is then raised to the level of prophecy, and at that point it can be tested.That is why Paul stated that if someones comes with a tongue, and no interpreter is present, they should keep it to themselves.

 

[Jesusong]

Ok, now that I have read the article this is what I feel,

I don't give it much credibility. The whole idea of having a tongue speaker stand before a tribunal (I know that's not what the writer called it, but it reminded me of one anyway) to test if his or her gift of tongues was genuine is really a stretch.
Then having demons manifest themselves by the names of Halleluijah, and Jesus?

Personally, I think that the article is written by a person who has demon-phobia. (The idea presented in the article that a demon would go by the name Jesus seems pretty far-fetched, since the name of Jesus has power over demons.)

My sentiments exactly

 

[NacDan]

I would say that the public gift of speaking in tongues should be tested, but private "prayer tongues" have no need to be tested. If it edifies a person (builds that person up in his faith), then it serves its purpose. I'm not sure why people wouldn't test tongues (or prophecy, for that matter), other than for the reason that they are afraid that it will be proven false, and that would hurt their personal/church reputation.

I've been wrestling with the whole "tongues" thing for a few months now, and I've even noticed that I'm developing my own prayer language; however, I was reading the Worde the other night and this message hit me upside the head with the force of a leather bound family Bible:

For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. (The Message)

I took this to mean my PERSONAL prayer tongue, not necessarily my PUBLIC prayer tongue. The key is "pray that he may interpret what he says", not interpret what others say.


Danny

 

[Jesusong]

I took this to mean my PERSONAL prayer tongue, not necessarily my PUBLIC prayer tongue. The key is "pray that he may interpret what he says", not interpret what others say.

Prayer in tongues does not need to be interpreted. Paul stated in 1Cor14:14-17:

14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.

What's happening is this: when you are praying in tongues it is your spirit that is praying, and your mind is unfruitful because you have no idea what is being prayed, who's being prayed for, etc. Paul is saying that I will continue to pray in the Spirit (tongues) and I will pray with understanding (in normal language). When an utterance in tongues during public worship is given, then an interpretation must be given, if it is of the Holy Spirit. And this will only happen when a word from the Lord has come. If no interpretation is given, then it may mean that the utterance was of the flesh and not of the Lord. What this is also telling us is that when we pray in tongues, it should be done quietly, otherwise confusion will result. People will expect an interpretation when none should be given because it was a prayer and not an utterance of the Holy Spirit.

Now as far as interpretation of tongues is concerned, the person giving the utterance of the Holy Spirit in tongues should be the one who will interpret his or her utterance. If they aren't willing to interpret what is being said, they shouldn't be so willing to speak out. This gives a sense of accountability to themselves and to the church.

Just recently I concluded a teaching series in Sunday School on this very topic. I don't remember how many times I drilled this into the classes heads just to make sure that they understood why Paul put these types of restrictions on the manifestations of the Spirit, so to stop the spread of confusion.

 

[PoetSaskia]

I think the part where Jesus said, If he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? tells us that if you ask for the gift, you won't get something that's not of God.

 

[Hisgirl]

I totally hear what you are saying. I have asked for prophecy....are you saying then, that I can safely assume all prophecy I receive is from God?

 

[PoetSaskia]

Well sometimes I imagine God saying things to me and I know its just my imagination. That's just in my head. But when the Holy Spirit speaks through me, it's not in my head. The Holy Spirit is actually speaking through my mouth. Just like with tongues, only it's English. That I know is from Him. I believe that if you have asked for prophecy and you are prophecying then it's of God.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

I totally hear what you are saying. I have asked for prophecy....are you saying then, that I can safely assume all prophecy I receive is from God?

See this is where I now have a problem and no longer believe gifts are ours for the asking. According to Romans:

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[b]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

And out of 1 Cor 12
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

I feel strongly about this because I went that route too. I did not (or would not) recognize the gift I'd been gift and sought after other gifts. God let me and after time, I fell hard. It took me years to recognize my gift and it is a difficult one. I also believe God gives and takes away gifts as he chooses. But, I do believe that the Lord places these gifts on those whom He has chosen. Our job is to find our gift and use it to bless Him. I also believe if it is truly a gift from God, you will use it correctly. If it is prophesize, you will prophesize correctly. If it is healing, healing will be instantaneous so on and so forth. If your track record is dubious, it is VERY doubtful that gift is from the Lord.