Why would we
even consider the possibility of utilizing the Gift of Tongues? It sounds silly, Alien, and unrecognizable. It really does
takes a leap of faith on our part to even allow it to manifest in our lives.
The
definition of tongues is glō's-sä or glō’s-sō-lā-liä - The Greek word
translated tongues literally means “language(s).”
Here is the
definition from the Strong’s and Thayer‘s dictionaries:
Strong’s Definition: “glossa”,
pronounced “gloce'-sah” Of uncertain affinity; the tongue; by implication a
language (specifically one naturally unacquired): - tongue.
Thayer Definition: “glossa”
1) The tongue, a member of the body, an
organ of speech.
2) A tongue.
1a) the language or dialect used by a
particular people distinct from that of other nations.
Many
established charismatic denominations have required a person to speak in Tongues
as evidence (or proof) that they have
received “the baptism of the Holy Spirit”, These charismatic people fail to
realize that first and foremost that “Tongues” is a gift, not a badge of
acceptance in the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” club, but a wonderful gift given
to communicate with the Lord.
The gift of
tongues is deeply personal, and intimate.
 |
| Pastor L.E. Romaine |
I remember
when I was a young Christian growing up in Southern California, I attended Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa back in the early 1980’s. This was a time when the “Jesus People”
movement was in full swing and many young people were coming to the Lord Jesus
in droves. During my time at Calvary
Chapel there was an extreme emphasis on bible study and personal relationship
with Jesus. Speaking in Tongues was
never discouraged because it was believed that the gifts had not stopped operating
since the time of the apostles and were available to us as believers in our day and time. At Calvary Chapel, one of the most practical
and encouraging Pastors I have ever met was Pastor Romaine. Romaine had said many times in his teachings
that “…I speak in tongues a lot, but
you’ll never hear me, because it is none of your business”. That may seem like an arrogant statement to make,
but actually it isn’t. He was trying to
make a point that “Tongues” was a private prayer language between Him and God,
no one else needed to know or critique his gift. He was promoting intimacy with this gift, not
a public display.
1 Corinthians 14:15-19 (NKJV)
15
What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray
with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with
the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how
will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of
thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed
give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18
I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the
church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach
others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
As I grew in
my faith, I received the gift of tongues in my prayer life with the Lord. I had taken Pastor Romaine’s advice and kept
my “prayer language” within the confines of my personal relationship with Jesus, for
Tongues is for the purpose of actually speaking to God and glorifying Him when I run out of actual known words to express my deepest thoughts or emotions. (See Acts 2) The scriptures do say that the Spirit speaks through us with words or uttering's too deep for words. Tongues has
always been coupled with praise, prayer and intercession.
Romans
8:26-27 (NKJV)
26
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we
should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us
with groaning’s which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the
hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for
the saints according to the will of God.
Tongues are normally
for expressing praise or exalting the beauty of the Lord. Tongues are not for Prophesying. I have been in too many meetings where a
Tongue is spoken out loud and there is not an interpretation, or an
interpretation is supposedly given which it is actually a prophecy, this is totally
out of order. Again, Tongues is not
prophecy, prophecy is prophecy. Tongues
is an expression of praise or worship to the Lord, any interpretation of
Tongues should reflect that fact.
1
Corinthians 14:27-28 (NKJV)
27
If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in
turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let
him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.
Because of
the abuses of the gifts of the Spirit in times past, there has been a general move
away from teaching about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, either because of fear
of people veering off track from the scriptures and acting weird, or because of
a general sense of loss of control of leadership or understanding of the operation
of the gifts of the spirit and incorporating them into the life of the Church.
After all, how
do you teach something you are not practicing or experiencing?
The bottom
line is to teach the Word, and not our experiences.
When the “early”
church the apostles started they flourished when they did the opposite. Their whole approach to building the early Church
was demonstrated through experiences, this is why the book of Acts is called
“the Acts of the Apostles”, and not “the teachings of the Apostles”. The teachings were the letters or epistles sent by Paul and others when the Churches needed
encouragement, or correction when they veered off into error or heresy.
There is the
physical manifestation of God’s spirit within our natural lives which brings
the actual demonstration of God’s presence into our world. This paradigm, is accomplished in part through the gifts of the Spirit
as Paul explains in this passage below:
1
Corinthians 12 (NKJV)
1
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2
You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you
were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the
Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord
except by the Holy Spirit.
4
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are
differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are
diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to
another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another
faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning
of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the
interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all
these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
12
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one
body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit
we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or
free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact
the body is not one member but many.
15
If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it
therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I
am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were
hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the
members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if
they were all one member, where would the body be?
20
But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye
cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the
feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of
the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members
of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater
honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our
presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater
honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism
in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26
And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is
honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27
Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God
has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations,
varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of
healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly
desire the best gifts…
Now my
intent here isn’t to encourage anyone to veer off track of the scriptures and
engage in risky or questionable behaviors which compromise or challenge Church
leadership or authority, my intent is for us to hear from the Lord as He speaks
to us through His word, and also as He speaks to us through our individual
prayer lives as we seek Him daily.
Life as we
know it is not static, we are always growing and changing.
As we grow
individually and corporately we all experience times (or seasons) of growth and change in
our lives, spiritual gifting gives us opportunities to stretch our knowledge,
understanding and experience beyond our own abilities to trust God and His abilities to build His church (Christ in us) when
we cooperate with the Holy Spirit.
I have heard
many people ask “what is the gift of Tongues” like?
When we talk
to the Lord in prayer or worship we can normally get caught up in speaking a
lot of verbiage.
Tongues are
not a protracted attempt of the mind to create a bunch of nonsensical words to
fill the air. It is more a letting go of
control of the mind by allowing the Holy Spirit to flow freely through us without
the restrictions of our mind to control how He would desire to be praised or worshiped.
Many years
ago there was a saying I used to quote…”Let go, and let God”. The same could be said for the gift of
Tongues.
My desire
for you is that you would allow the Holy Spirit reveal to the word of God to
you in ways that challenge you, and cause you to trust Him in profound ways which further demonstrate His love for you which can draw you into deeper fellowship
with Him.
Jesus is the
best gift of all.
Stephen
Barnett
God is good
all the time―all
the time God is good!
Verse 1
All consuming fire
You're our heart's desire,
Living flame of love
Come baptize us, come baptize us 4X
Verse 2
Let us fall more in love with You 4X
Bridge
We want to know how high,
How deep,
How wide,
Is love, love, love 4X
All consuming fire
You're our heart's desire
Living flame of love
Come baptize us, come baptize us
Forerunner Music © 2007
The lyrics above are copyrighted by
the respective artists and are demonstrated here for educational purposes only
and not for profit.
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