Question on speaking in tongues

[sparrow]

Hey
I've been wondering recently about speaking in tongues. It's something I've never tried and I don't really understand it. I've heard people say that you can speak in tongues during prayer, but I don't really know where to start or what exactly to do! What exactly is it? What does it mean? Can somebody help me? I'd greatly appreciate it!

Claire

 

[sparrow]

Hey
I've been wondering recently about speaking in tongues. It's something I've never tried and I don't really understand it. I've heard people say that you can speak in tongues during prayer, but I don't really know where to start or what exactly to do! What exactly is it? What does it mean? Can somebody help me? I'd greatly appreciate it!

Claire

 

[good_news]

"speaking in tongues"? Sounds to me like they're talking about speaking other languages...

 

[Redeemed1]

Before we start, can we please not allow this to become a "tongues" debate, but rather an encouraging discussion.

Claire, first I would read the scriptures that talk about the gifts which is 1Corinthians chapter 12. Do people in your church speak in tonuges? If so, I would encourage you to talk to your pastor, or a mature Christian about it. Then, I would say, begin to ask God for the gift. If you are seeking all that God has for you, believe me, He will not disappoint you!

 

[Fisher of Men]

This is a great question clairy,While most people dont understand tongues,it the language of GOD.It is meant mostly for unbeleives.Its something you cant do any time you want to do it,also when this gift happens there are often 2 people this happens tone is the speaker the other the translater.The thing that gets me is when people just start speaking when they want too,in tongues and that is not truely tongues,but tongues can be a gift and truely is one of the many gifts from GOD.

 

[Andrew]

clairywairy,

I think what you should be looking up is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with tongues as a sign. I must warn you that this is a very controversial topic and it'll prob escalate into a war here!

Pentecostals and most charismatics believe that when you are Baptised in the Holy Spirit (as in Acts 2) you can speak in tongues. Of course, there are many other denominations who would go so far as to tell you that tongue speaking is of the devil.

I belong to the former category.

 

[Nick_Loves_Abba]

Well Baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs once we ask Jesus into our hearts right?

Second, I believe that Speaking in TOngues is just one of those gifts given by the Holy Ghost. It isn't required to do in order to be saved. SOme people say it is a sign that you're (I'm) saved. I don't think so. I believe the Holy Ghost gives the gifts as he sees fit, not as other Christians see fit.
There's many more gifts than Tongues.

 

[Andrew]

Well Baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs once we ask Jesus into our hearts right?
----------------
Well, most traditional Christians believe that but not the Pentecostals and most charismatics. To them its a separate experience subsequent to salvation (although the 2 can occur simultaneously as in Cornelius' case).

Yes, some Pentecostals and charismatics believe that one must speak in tongues to be saved, since they believe that w/o the Holy Spirit, one is not saved (that's true) and that THE sign of having the Holy Spirit is being able to speak a heavenly lang or tongues.

Other Pentecostals and charismatics reject this. They take the "middle road" ie when you are born again, the Holy Spirit resides in you, but then there is more, an empowerment for service which is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, whereby the sign is tongues. The common analogy used is "well of water springing up into eternal life vs rivers of water". I belong to this category.

peace

 

[Timothy51150]

Being a Christian who has been in penecostal and charismatic circles for years. I also talk in tongues.

It is just one of the many gifts of the Holy Spirit. There is so much senseless debate about it. It is nothing that you have to do, but like any gift given it is up to the person if he wants to use it or not. I was filled with the Holy Spirit for a long time before I received the gift of tongues. It is a wonderful gift, but has been abused much.

You do not have to talk in tongues to go to heaven. You do not have to talk in tongues to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirt, but the gift is there if you want it. It is a tool to use in our spiritual warfare. It makes us better equip to combat evil in my opinion.

 

[sparrow]

Hi everyone!
Thanks for your replies.
Redeemed1 - People in my church don't speak in tongues so I don't know who really to speak to about it.

So is "tongues" like a language you can speak to God in? How will I know when I have the gift, if I get it? I'm still a little confused! I have been baptized so does that mean I can get it?

And sorry - I didn't mean this to become a big debate! Just an innocent question.

Claire

 

[Andrew]

Hi clairy,

When tongue speakers speak of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, they are not refering to water baptism. What they are refering to is the event that occured in Acts 2. You might want to read that chapter first. Basically, its being soaked in or filled up with the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit baptism thingy, is of course, as controversial as the tongues part.

Is tongues like a language? Well I've heard all sorts of tongues, from single-syllable chanting to cooing and wooing to language- like ones with many syllables and words. My stand is, God can do as He pleases, and He does not have to conform to the world's definition of language.

Basically, Pentecostals teach that you have to ask for the Holy Spirit. Read Luke 11:11. Then by faith you believe you receive. Then by faith you begin to speak forth. The thing is, YOU HAVE TO use your lungs, mouth and tongue to just begin speaking whatever strange syllables that arise from your spirit. It's not like the Holy Spirit comes upon you and takes over control of your tongues and starts wagging it. It doesnt work that way. That wld be like demonic possesion. No He's a perfect gentleman, and if you dont want to open your mouth, rest assured nothing is gonna happen.

Of course there's more to it. That's just the jist of it. I believe also that there must be some sort of hunger for more of God. A desire to go deeper. IOW, you're not doing this out of curiosity.

peace

 

[Nick_Loves_Abba]

Some people don't even know some of their gifts are just that, gifts. So you could possibly posses a gift from the Holy Ghost, and not fully well know it is from him. I know I have gifts of the Holy Spirit, but to be specific on them, I can't.

And trust me, if you have accepted Jesus into your heart he isn't going to let you into hell. I believe like others that accepting Jesus into ones heart also instantaeously braings baptisms of the Holy Ghost. I mean, John 3:16 says that whosoever believith will not parish but have everlasting life. Belief leads to salvation which I believe is linked to Baptism of the Holy Ghost.

 

[Redeemed1]

Clairy - for me, it was a matter of my desiring to have more of God in my life, to have all that He had for me. And for quite some time I struggled with why I didn't pray in tongues, and I'd keep asking and wondering why nothing was happening. And then, I decided that I would just not worry about it anymore. I had asked, and when God wanted to give it to me, He would. Not long after that, I was in the middle of worship, singing my little heart out, and suddenly I began to sing syllabals and sounds that I had never done before. I wasn't even thinking about it or anything, they just began to flow! Took me totally by surprise, and blessed my socks off! Now, I have what many Charismatics refer to as a prayer language. I don't speak out in church in tonuges (which requires an interpretation), so I don't have that kind of tongues. But I sing, and pray, very often in tongues. My point to all of this, is that I sought God and all He had for me, and then had to relax and trust Him for it. It came when I wasn't expecting it!

 

[Debbie]

Clairywairy, Beware of false doctrine for it defiles the temple of the Holy Spirit. False doctrine is when someone says that Jesus' work on the cross was not enough for salvation, such as,"tongues is a sign of salvation".
There are christians who speak in tongues whenever they want to. There are non christians who speak in tongues also. So you must be careful that if you desire the gift, that you are not seeking a "spiritual manifestation". If you want a manifestation most, you might recieve it from elsewhere.
There is no danger in prayer to God. But there is danger at other times. I have seen such. NOt all people who speak in tongues recieved their gift from God. THis is a fact. Several posters here have explained tongues to you very well, while other posts are so wrong. I am very cautious about this because I have seen all sides.
Some claim that tongues is not for today, & that is obviously false. If you want the gift pray for it, but dont dwell on it. There are so many misconceptions about it, from those who speak in tongues, it could fill up volumes. I think it's like any other gift in Cor: if God wants you to have it, you will. You recieved the Holy Spirit baptism when became saved, per scripture. Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not "speaking in tongues". We are only baptised by the Holy Spirit once. These people speak in tongues several times a week & call it "the baptism" & say it's evidence of salvation. Scripture does not say this, this is a false doctrine. Tongues is the least of all gifts, per Cor. & FOR A REASON many rules apply in scripture. It is for the benefit of the person's prayer, it does not help the church unless someone can interpret. The other gifts help the church, yet many people think tongues is the greatest gift, ignoring scripture saying it is the least.
I know people like that who make no attempt to help save a person, but as soon as someone gets saved, they insult their spirituality by proclaiming they are more spiritual because they speak in tongues. I know people who force themselves to learn how to speak in tongues & become good at it. Practice makes perfect!!! lol
I do not have the gift of tongues, but was made to feel less spiritual by multigifted tongue speaking folks. I prayed & fasted for the gift of tongues. Then after a day of prayer & fasting, as I lay asleep, I began recieving the gift which awoke me.
As for myself, I will only accept it if it comes naturally during prayer. If I feel something happening at any other time, I disregard it.

 

[Fisher of Men]

Great post Debbie,i agree 100%.I see so many well respected people on tv and other places start to speak in tongues when they want too,and that just isnt right.Th e best thing to do is just pray about.

 

[Redeemed1]

Very good post. And for the record, I am in agreement (as is my church, which is charismatic), that tongues (or any of the other gifts) has absolutely nothing to do with salvation, nor is it an indication of salvation in any way.

 

[Mandy]

An important thing to remember is that not everyone has the gift of tongues. We are given gifts according to the will of God. We are members of the body of Christ and we are not all meant to be the same. Also just because some may speak in tongues doesn't mean that they are closer to God or are more favored.

 

[Timothy51150]

On Baptism of the Holy Spirit. You do receive the Holy Spirit at salvation, but that has nothing to do with Baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you read Acts 4:23-31 you will see where the Apostles were praying for boldness, after the prayer, And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

I do believe that the Apostles were already saved at this time, yet they were filled again with the Holy Spirit. As far as the word baptism or filling most penecostals use either one to describe the experience.

Many penecostals, me included, believe that a person can be filled many times, but the inital filling sometimes has the evidence of speaking in tongues as a sign of that filling. It does not have to, but it can. As I and others have already stated. Tongues has nothing to do with salvation. I have heard very few who claim that it does.

I speak in tongues when I want. Where does it say that I cannot. Many times as I am praying I am not sure how to pray. I begin to pray in tongues, many times the way I need to pray just shows itself, so yes, a person can pray in tongues when he wants to.

 

[Andrew]

Tim,
-----------------
You do receive the Holy Spirit at salvation,
-----------------

I believe this too. Most Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is received "AUTOMATICALLY" at the point of born-again. But then I wld have difficulty reconciling such verses:

A) Samrians had already believed and been baptised, yet no Holy Spirit---
Acts 8:14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into[1] the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money...

B) I believe Saul was already a believer, having 3 days to think about it after being blinded!, yet no Holy Spirit ---

Acts 9:17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

C) Here's one clear eg: You have disciples who had believed for many years already, then were baptised by Paul when he met them, yet only received the Holy Spirit after Paul placed his hands on them.

Acts 19:1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[1] you believed?"
They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
3So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.
4Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5On hearing this, they were baptized into[2] the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[3] and prophesied.

Again, my question is, if it's automatic, how come they didnt receive automatically. Suffice to say there is more to the Holy Spirit after salvation.

Also, the passages give me the impression that these believers did not have the Holy Spirit yet. It also does not give the impression that they have "some" of it but then needed more of it.

peace

 

[Timothy51150]

I think that at salvation that the spirit of man is reborn or recreated. We are able once again to communicate with the creator through our spirit. The filling or receiving or baptism of the Holy Spirit is when we begin to allow the Holy Spirit complete control of our lives. I have done a really good study on this area and taught it in our church. It was well received and my Sunday School class stayed packed out through the whole series.

The reason I think that we speak in tongues is that the tongue is one of the hardest things for the Christian to control. James tells us that in the first chapter. In my opinion tongues is just giving the Holy Spirit control of the tongue. Like I said that is just an opinion.