Still can't speak in tongues, very discouraged...

[PastorMikeJ]

Wew must remember that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God...When we ask for this gift God gives it to us..no strings...just accept the gift...relax and let the Holy Spirit work in you...

We I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit I didn't receive the gift of tongues right away...But I knew that when God gives me a gift He doesn't take it away...Sooooooo a couple of nights later around 3 am I jump up and begin to pray in tongues..sure surprised me....LOL

 

[Reazzurro90]

Wew must remember that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God...When we ask for this gift God gives it to us..no strings...just accept the gift...relax and let the Holy Spirit work in you...

We I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit I didn't receive the gift of tongues right away...But I knew that when God gives me a gift He doesn't take it away...Sooooooo a couple of nights later around 3 am I jump up and begin to pray in tongues..sure surprised me....LOL

That's a fascinating experience, really. It's amazing how the Lord works. Heh, "relaxation", that's probably about the last thing I know how to do. I can't wait for my turn for the gift.

 

[Balugon]

When i got Baptized in the HS, we were in a youth meeting, and after a teaching about the whole Baptism thing, they asked any youth that wanted to come up, to come up. I went up with about 6 other youths. Some others started to talk in tongues before i did, and i think i was one of the last couple of them that actually did.

But with me, I didnt just start pouring out the words right off the bat. It sounded weird to me to, but the pastor said "The Spirit is all over u, all u have to do is start speaking." So i just spoke a syllable, like the clucking of my tongue (and a word kept coming into my mind everytime i thought of what I should say (or what i should try to speak anyway- "Contra."), and after i made that syllable, i kept repeating it over and over, and then i just felt part of my being/mind wanting to slur that syllable into another syllable, and then i think i said those two syllables for a bit, and then when the i felt an urge (inside myself) to do a third syllable with those two, i did, and then it was either shortly after the third that i just started flowing in it, or as soon as the fourth one came out, that i started to flow in it. Either way, there was no "the Spirit overpowered me and it just spouted out". I did it by will when i was Baptized in the HS, and my pastor even said that that is why it took his mother so long to get to speaking in tongues- because she thought she had to be overpowered by the HS and then it just happened, when he said that it is something that we are just supposed to do sometimes.

Like someone said already (and in my case)-," it wasnt some magical occurance" - where the HS opened and closed my mouth for me, lol. I willfully chose to open my mouth, willfully chose to make a clucking sound with my tongue and then to start speaking words/syllables after it (which included that Contra word, which i even though it was just me making it up as some fake Spanish word or something [until it kept coming in my mind everytime i thought about what to say]), and i willfully chose to shut my mouth when i wanted to.

Not to mention that u have to willfully choose to pray in tongues probably most of the time (though there can be exceptions) after u get Baptized in the HS anyway, no matter how u first started speaking in tongues. So i guess the HS decides to bestow the gift how He wants to. Some get it without effort at first, some dont.

U could even probably start speaking in tongues now if u wanted to. Just say "Holy Spirit, Baptize me in urself." And then do what i did- no matter how stupid or babyish it sounds, or even if u think ur makin it up (cause even i controlled my tongue to make the first syllable, the following syllable/words, and still can/do control my tongue to the extent that i want to- if i dont want to just cause my own tongue (through me moving the muscles) to make perfectly random sounds to come out, then i dont, i can alter the sounds that come out of my mouth when i am speaking in tongues.), just go with it. Keep going with it. Even if its just one word, or one syllable. Just keep saying it over and over, and the second u feel the urge to slur that word/syllable into something else, or to say a different utterance entirely, go right ahead. U could find urself blabbing in tongues like nothing in no time. Or it might take a little while, but, just keep going at it. U can/could do it.

And yea, my pastor supports slowing down ur tongue talking so u can hear what ur saying (even if doesnt make sense), and i think he said something about listening to the vocab ur saying, but i havent focused on listening to the vocab much, as i find my relationship and just communion more important (than worrying about what i am actually saying physically) and i have my interests more focused on other things.

Hoping the best for u, bl.

 

[Reazzurro90]

But with me, I didnt just start pouring out the words right off the bat. It sounded weird to me to, but the pastor said "The Spirit is all over u, all u have to do is start speaking." So i just spoke a syllable, like the clucking of my tongue (and a word kept coming into my mind everytime i thought of what I should say (or what i should try to speak anyway- "Contra."), and after i made that syllable, i kept repeating it over and over, and then i just felt part of my being/mind wanting to slur that syllable into another

Well that kind of feels relieving. In church I occasionally would "imagine" or "think" strange words - blurry, mind you - but I always rejected them as possibly being tongues.

syllable, and then i think i said those two syllables for a bit, and then when the i felt an urge (inside myself) to do a third syllable with those two, i did, and then it was either shortly after the third that i just started flowing in it, or as soon as the fourth one came out, that i started to flow in it. Either way, there was no "the Spirit overpowered me and it just spouted out". I did it by will when i was Baptized in the HS, and my pastor even said that that is why it took his mother so long to get to speaking in tongues- because she thought she had to be overpowered by the HS and then it just happened, when he said that it is something that we are just supposed to do sometimes.

Well, I've always had the impression that we should be overwhelmed by the Spirit.

Not to mention that u have to willfully choose to pray in tongues probably most of the time (though there can be exceptions) after u get Baptized in the HS anyway, no matter how u first started speaking in tongues. So i guess the HS decides to bestow the gift how He wants to. Some get it without effort at first, some dont.

Yeah, I realize that. I'm pretty much struggling with that, except I can't say I've had a syllable or even a word.

And yea, my pastor supports slowing down ur tongue talking so u can hear what ur saying (even if doesnt make sense), and i think he said something about listening to the vocab ur saying, but i havent focused on listening to the vocab much, as i find my relationship and just communion more important (than worrying about what i am actually saying physically) and i have my interests more focused on other things.

Hoping the best for u, bl.

Thanks, that was interesting and a helpful testimony!

 

[Balugon]

Well that kind of feels relieving. In church I occasionally would "imagine" or "think" strange words - blurry, mind you - but I always rejected them as possibly being tongues.

Yea, that very well could be the HS giving u words to speak. Especially if those words keep popping back in ur mind when u think about what u should/are supposed to say when u go to willfully speak in tongues (the first time). And until u get past like 3 or 4 syllables/words, He might also give u more words in ur mind to speak, before u can just spout them out with really thinking about them at all.

Thats how it was with me. "Contra" just kept popping up in my mind everytime i would be thinking about what i should willfully try to speak (like i said, my thoughts were "if i am willfully speaking some word, how can it be the HS?"). And so, i eventually just said "ok" to that word that was coming to my mind, and i spoke it. And i went from there. And it did help to have a good amount of people there who were encouraging me that all i had to do was speak what i felt like speaking (that wasnt a language that i knew).

And "Contra", i think, was even part of the name of a video game i had heard of. I think that game was called "Contra 3" or something. But it had been soooo long since i had played that game, and i wasnt even sure if that was the exact name of it or not, so that also helped me to just speak it and go on.

And lastly, after i started speaking phrases without having to think about what i was saying (though i still stopped speaking it the second i wanted to, and could start and stop whenever i wanted to thereafter), my pastor came up to me and said "Gee, that sounds like its Japanese or something."

The thing was, before i started speaking in tongues, at some point during that service that i got Baptized in the HS, a mental picture came in my mind, and it was inside a Japanese home. One with that really low table, and some candles, and that weird wood/bamboo walling and stuff. Whatever they are made out of. I knew it was Japanese. So i believe that the HS was giving that mental picture to me to confirm later in the service that I actually was speaking in tongues, and that it was His gift, and not just me making it up.

Not saying u will get anything prophetic like that, but just saying it happened for me.

And everything that i mentioned about the whole Japanese stuff and everything was all during the same service i was Baptized in the HS, so i know that the pic wasnt just something i thought up after my pastor said it or something. As i was even wondering what the pic meant before he came up to me and said that, so i know it wasnt me. anyway, u can get there, just keep after it, bl.

 

[leftbehindreject]

i have a question, in the bible it talks about a whole bunch of spirtual gifts, but what if your gift isnt to speak in tounges, but to inturpit(sp),or furture.....i am a penacostal but this has been somthing i have been wondering and i would love some info on

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

i have a question, in the bible it talks about a whole bunch of spirtual gifts, but what if your gift isnt to speak in tounges, but to inturpit(sp),or furture.....i am a penacostal but this has been somthing i have been wondering and i would love some info on

If you are not sure about where God is leading you concerning the baptism of the Spirit and the gifts, then you need to continue waiting on God until you know His will for you. Knowing God's will for you is the way forward for you.

 

[Balugon]

i have a question, in the bible it talks about a whole bunch of spirtual gifts, but what if your gift isnt to speak in tounges, but to inturpit(sp),or furture.....i am a penacostal but this has been somthing i have been wondering and i would love some info on

1 Corinthians 12:28-31 "28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way."

This is the passage i believe everyone keeps referring to when they say "Not everyone was meant to speak in tongues."

What they dont see is that this passage isnt talking about giftings, as in, just getting some spiritual gift or ability. This passage is talking about different positions of ministry. The passage says "God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third ......., and those speaking in different kinds of tongues"

These positions are not the same things as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11. U can see that urself. What the Bible does teach is not everyone has the ministry of tongues, like one would be called to be a prophet. Or an apostle. That is a position. Its a leadership role. Its doesnt have to be a single spiritual gift (i.e.-word of wisdom, gifts of healing, speaking in tongues, etc). But in the area of tongues, it very well could be.

Now i also believe that God can use anyone (who is Baptized in the HS) to give a message in tongues to the assembly. But this also doesnt mean that they have the ministry of tongues. I think maybe if God uses a person on a regular basis (like once a month or more in the main Sunday service), or possibly if they are just the only one God is using to give messages in tongues to the general assembly, then i think it could be very possible that those people have the ministry of tongues, and not just the gift of it.


Now, about the gift of tongues, this is what the Bible says:

1 Corinthians 12:10-11 " 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. "

What does this passage say? It says the Spirit gives the gifts of the Spirit "just as he determines." The passage doesnt say- 'the Spirit only gives one gift to each person and thats it.' The Spirit decides what gifts we get, or what gift we get, in this area. And we can also get them by asking God for them, and if He wants to give us one we dont have already, He can. And Scripture backs this up:

1 Corinthians 14:1 " 1Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy."

Why would Paul tell people to eagerly desire spiritual gifts if they couldnt get them?

1 Corinthians 14:5 "5I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified."

Why would Paul say this if everyone wasnt capable of getting the gift of tongues?


So, as u can see, that "not everyone can speak in tongues" only originated from a passage that was talking about ministry positions. Like Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers. Just because it mentioned people who speak in tongues as their ministry (though it doesnt directly say ministry), everyone just assumed that it meant that not everyone was to speak in tongues in general. And this isnt true. Everyone can have the gift of tongues, as long as they are baptized in the Holy Spirit.

My church even teaches that speaking in tongues is a sign that u have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, and that that is how u can know for certain that u are baptized in the Holy Spirit.

And when i got Baptized in the Holy Spirit, there were like five or six other kids that got Baptized in the HS also, and we all spoke in tongues when we did. So i dont think it is just some "only some people get it occurance." We all got it when we went up, it wasnt "well, some prophesied, some just praised God real loud, and then others started to speak in tongues when it happened;" it was "we all started to speak in tongues." So hopefully all this helps,

bl.

 

[CrazyforYeshua]

I agree, if you have asked for it, you have received it. I went to a conference after being saved all of 6 months. They asked people to come forward who wanted this gift. I prayed, nothing happened. After speaking with my pastor, he said all we have to do is receive it in faith, just like our salvation. Some time later, I don't remember how long, I was in my living room in prayer, just worshipping God, and took a step of faith, and I received my prayer language. God says in His word, if we ask, we receive. We have to start believing that.

 

[leftbehindreject]

yea that makes alot of sense balugon, thanks

 

[leftbehindreject]

well that answerd my question..haha

 

[Balugon]

yea that makes alot of sense balugon, thanks

np, LBR.

 

[takemedeeper]

I have been baptized in the Holy spirit (spoken in tounges) and i was searching forit for a bout 3 weeks. I started to get discouradged so i asked my youth pastor why i havnt recieved. He told me not to seek for the Toungs but simply seek for the spirit. He said the toungs would come with it. So i gave this a try, i stopped praying to God saying let me speak in tounges and i started praying fill me with your spirit. About a week later at Youth i was filled with the holy spirit for the first tiome and i was speaking in tounges.

 

[JamesBurrow]

I can speak in tongues (sometimes, not always), and the first time I ever did it I didn;t realize I was doing it at first. Pray. fill yourself with the Holy Spirit. Get to the point where your mind doesn't even regester what is being said, only your heart. Once you reach that point, your ability will blossom.
Of course, speaking in tongues isn't important (read I Corr. 14). What is important is the fact that you accept Christ as the savior and that you worship the LORD with all you are.

 

[ed2]

To have any gift of the Holy Ghost, I believe you must first have the baptism of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in tongues. just my opinion

 

[Heinrich]

I just love this forum.
there is always a thread or 2 on tongues
(not that that is a bad thing.)

I have this kewl testimony to share: (Well actually of my brother)
I was baptized in Holy Spirit about 8 months before that. Then I talked to my brother. told him about Holy Spirit with a few small scriptures.
He had some bad experience at school with tongues. People telling him he aint a christian if he doesn't speak in tongues. (kwak like that I hate)
Anyways I just told him to not worry about tongues. It's about the spirit. So we prayed. The first kewl thing is that he FELT is physical manifestation right there and then.
This gave me some peace: Because my dad is a theologian that doesn't believe in this. So I didn't want him running of to my dad later.
Anyways this was evening. Then we went to sleep. He later told me that he couldn't sleep. He just was so filled with the spirit and was just kept awake praying and so on. And the best part he even started praying in the spirit (tongues) by himself that night. How cool is that!?!

I love God.

 

[shaslove]

i think tougues is just something the Lord blesses you with...it really has to be a time when you are not trying to force it. for me, when i got it, it was a very relaxed moment. a time when the Lord was blessing me and it just happened. so relax...it will happen in his timing.

 

[irenemcg]

Desire tongues but seek first that you will prophesy, seek Jesus, seek His Presence.

Like the Psalmist did thirst for Him, hunger for Him.Cry out to Him, Praise Him with your whole heart everything else will follow. Don't seek an experience, seek the author of it and the Holy Spirit raining down on you.

 

[fwGod]

Hey guys...I've just been wondering, that since I have been praying for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit for a long time, and have even had hands laid on me in prayer so I could speak in tongues...The only thing came up was Italian, my native tongue (the others thought it was tongues but that's another story). Then a week or so ago the youth was called up to lay hands on some people and pray for their afflictions. While we were praying, these words came up "Yeshua Hamashia," and "tamech." I already know that the two words mean "Jesus is Messiah" in Hebrew, and I think that tamech was just a result of my obsession on speaking in tongues, so I know that I didn't achieve anything. But is there anything I'm doing wrong? Anything else I should be doing?

forgive me but.. yes. i think that there is. you are discounting whatever you get. you let your mind decide what is and isnt tongues.

i suggest that you dont pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit anymore. but instead. in faith praise and thank God that you have it already.

i dont know if you've done this yet.. but go through every scripture that assures you that speaking in tongues, singing in the spirit is promised to the believer. and receive by making confession that it belongs to you.
worship Him in it. sing about the faith reality that you have been/are baptised and see yourself praying, singing in that unknown tongue.

see yourself flow with it. hands raised. tears of joy coming down your face. to be able to speak to God from your innermost being.
look for songs that mention worshiping in a tongue. theres some around. get them and sing along. or make up your own.

spend your time on the "i have it now" side. and no longer on the "i just cant get it" side.

and dont ever discount even one word or syllible that is or isnt from some language that you already know.

and... i'd use those words "Yeshua Hamashia" and "temech". because they came while someone had prayed for you.
some people have spoken "halelujah" and launched off from that.

i dont know if you've tried any of these already. but i say these things to encourage you.

><>

 

[Reazzurro90]

forgive me but.. yes. i think that there is. you are discounting whatever you get. you let your mind decide what is and isnt tongues.

I won't forgive you...considering you did nothing wrong.

i suggest that you dont pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit anymore. but instead. in faith praise and thank God that you have it already.

That's a bit of a troublespot, considering that I've been brought up that I have to ask for the Baptism. When I raised the possibility of receiving it in some way other than that, my mother was especially outraged.

see yourself flow with it. hands raised. tears of joy coming down your face. to be able to speak to God from your innermost being.
look for songs that mention worshiping in a tongue. theres some around. get them and sing along. or make up your own.

You mean 'making my own tongue'?

and dont ever discount even one word or syllible that is or isnt from some language that you already know.

What if it isn't tongue but simply a manifestation of my own mind?

and... i'd use those words "Yeshua Hamashia" and "temech". because they came while someone had prayed for you.
some people have spoken "halelujah" and launched off from that.

i dont know if you've tried any of these already. but i say these things to encourage you.

><>

And I appreciate your encouragement, thank you