Tongues are given by the utterance of the Holy Spirit after one has received the
Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
John 14:16
Many claim to have
the Holy Spirit and be a Christian, but they are not in a place of repentance.
You can fake the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in front of people. However, faking a subsequent (or
simultaneous) experience of the Holy Spirit that is reserved only for believers
is a bit more difficult. That is because
there is supernatural evidence. He will
not send the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
with the evidence of other tongues until you fully repent.
Acts
Acts 5
32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom
God has given to those who obey him."
Here are some ideas from scripture:
1. Ask the Father for
the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence
of other tongues:
Matthew
7:11
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts
to those who ask him!
Matthew
7:10-12 (in Context) Matthew
7 (Whole Chapter)
2. Ask someone who can to lay hands on you:
Acts 19:1-7
1
While Apollos was at
2 and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
3 So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied.
4 Paul 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."
5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
7 There were about twelve men in all. (NIV)
Acts
8:18
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles'
hands, he offered them money
Acts
8:17-19 (in Context) Acts
8 (Whole Chapter)
Acts 9:17-20
17 Then 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."
18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
19
and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with
the disciples in
20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. (NIV)
Here, the only initial evidence mentioned are scales falling off of Paul’s eyes. Does that mean that Paul did not speak in tongues? Well, as he tells us later on:
1 Cor 14:18
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. (NIV)
3. Hear some anointed preaching:
Acts 10:44-48
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God
4. Wait, pray with obedient believers, and catch some violent wind:
Acts 2:1-8
1 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 as the Spirit enabled them.
I numbered these biblical examples in order (based on my
experience): From the most common to the
least common circumstance of initial reception of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the
evidence of other tongues.
Not everyone speaks in tongues right away, even when they follow the scriptural practices outlined above. However, there is more the story of Acts 2:1-8.
Luke 24:48-50 (New International Version)
48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
Acts 1
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
"Do not leave
How did they wait
for the gift? Notice how in the
context of the passage:
Acts 1
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began
to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after
giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After
his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs
that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke
about the
6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at
this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates
the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a
cloud hid him from their sight.
10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when
suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11"Men of
Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky?
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the
same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
12Then they returned to
Then they replaced Judas,
so all 12 of them were ready for the next step.
The next thing the bible records is this:
Acts 2
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one
place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came
from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They
saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each
of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak in other tongues[1]
as the Spirit enabled them.
The immediate effect
in Acts Chapter 2 of this Baptism was powerful SOZO ministry:
Acts Chapter 2
38Peter replied,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all
who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them,
"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those
who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand
were added to their number that day.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was
filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the
apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in
common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone
as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the
temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and
sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the
people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
As these passages show, the purpose of the Baptism
of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of other tongues is empowerment for evangelistic church
planting, many wonders and miraculous
signs.
Acts 1 records the
resurrected Christ’s last words:
4On one occasion, while
he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave
6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at
this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates
the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in
How did they wait?
14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Many evangelicals might say that it is a waste of time to pray and wait for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of other tongues. They think that you should just go out witness without it. This is the opposite of what Christ commanded above in Luke 24:48-50, and Acts 1:4-5.
This command to wait is still practiced today by Pentecostals around the world. They may refer to this Acts 1:14 type of meeting as a “tarry meeting”. This is because the Pentecostal movement is older than the recent translations of the bible that translate the word “tarry” as “wait”.
At house church meetings that I’ve led, I or others have
felt led by the Holy Spirit to lay hands and pray for new believers to speak in
tongues. We try to be sensitive to new
believers, knowing them personally in a house church setting. Many new believers feel like they are in the
slow class compared to other mature Christians. They feel “on the spot”
speaking in tongues (especially for the first time) alone. Also, sometimes their prayer language sounds
rough at first, which embarrasses them.
Therefore, I don’t see a problem if the others pray in tongues out loud
with no interpretation along with the initial recipient. I figured that God would not have given the
candidates the tongues in these cases above if He was that concerned with the
lack of interpretation upon initial reception.
I realize that I say this only from personal experience, having led less
than 20 new converts in the initial reception of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial
evidence of speaking in tongues.
However, scripture gives two examples (Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:1-7) where
the apostles required no interpretation from the new believers/initial
recipients. Therefore, I personally
believe that forbidding “tongues without interpretation” in such a case is
indeed disobeying Paul’s other command to not forbid tongues (1 Corinthians
14:39)
Should every Church meeting be a prayer meeting where you speak “ten thousand words in a tongue?” No--especially not if the attendants never agreed to be involved in that type of meeting. This type of meeting favors loud praying in tongues as the status quo. Even if you had an interpretation or a prophecy, you would have to yell over the tongues (or rather, loud prayer languages). So this meeting style MAY favor tongues over prophecy and interpretations. That is why Paul made the distinction that “one who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues”: To say that those praying loudly in tongues should yield the floor to a word of instruction from God.
There are biblical examples of meetings in which no interpretation of tongues is mentioned (Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:1-7). Both cases involved believers’ initial reception of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues. Neither of these meetings were regular church meetings. Paul himself was there in one case, and he did not require the new believers to “interpret or be quiet” like he did when correcting the Corinthian’s regular church meetings. These cases may have been orderly and fitting exceptions that Paul was referring to when he wrote:
1 Corinthians
14:39-40
Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in
tongues. But everything should be done
in a fitting and orderly way.
It’s hard to describe a miracle, but know this:
1 Corinthians 14:32-34 (New International Version)
32The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
So you control when to start and stop speaking in tongues. God has not promised to just take over your will via your spirit and MAKE you do something. Your spirit is subject to your control. If your spirit is also subject to the Lord’s control, then you will eventually speak in tongues—unless you are not seeking the gifts from the Giver:
On the other hand, maybe you are seeking the gifts, but not the Giver. This would be the case if you are not in a place of repentance. Do not expect to receive anything from God if you are not truly born again.
These scriptures make it clear that you should seek the Giver AND his gifts. This is not an either/or. Anyone who is truly seeking the giver will also obey the above commands to seek His gifts. His gifts are given to empower us to do his will. Why would he be stingy?
The only thing between you and receiving all of God’s spiritual gifts is YOU. The father is willing:
Matthew
7:11
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts
to those who ask him!
Matthew
7:10-12 (in Context) Matthew
7 (Whole Chapter)
Luke
11:13
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask
him!"
Luke
11:12-14 (in Context) Luke
11 (Whole Chapter)
If the problem of reception must be on your end, and not God’s, then what could the problem be? Let’s say that you have obeyed the above scriptures, and still cannot speak in other tongues as given utterance by the Holy Spirit.
What is the problem?
Let’s say that you read all that, attempt to practice it, and still cannot speak in other tongues as given utterance by the Holy Spirit. Suppose you even ask God what the hold-up was and did not get a response from Him. Maybe there is a reason why you are not hearing anything from Him. So then, why not try seeking Him this way?
Psalm 139:23-25 New King James Version (NKJV)
23Search me, O God, and
know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
A great way to check for a wicked way in you is this: Compare your current level of obedience to scripture with that which scripture commands.
We all fall short, but as long as you are
then He will usually respond by giving you the grace you need to follow Him.
Isaiah
66:2
Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?"
declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite
in spirit, and trembles at my word.
Isaiah
66:1-3 (in Context) Isaiah
66 (Whole Chapter)
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues is a miracle, like miracle healing or any other miracle. So the question of “why you have yet to receive it” is not always an easy question. The same blockades that prevent healing could theoretically prevent any other miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. So my last recommendation in receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues is to make sure that you do not have any blockades.
The doorway
However, speaking in
tongues is also different than the other miraculous gifts of the Holy
Spirit. Since it is the initial evidence
of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is viewed as the first among many gifts,
in terms of order or reception. Some
call it the “doorway” gift, or the first gift of the Holy Spirit that one
receives during their Baptism in the Holy
Spirit.
After the disciples received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, their ministry was radically transformed. Before they received it, they did minister salvation by the authority of Christ:
But they all fell away when
He was killed. After they received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial
evidence of speaking in tongues, they
became a growing and viable church, operating boldly in all the miraculous gifts of the spirit. The following is the tail end of Peter’s
explanation of his experience of the Baptism
in the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2
36"Therefore let
all
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42They
devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and
many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
The easiest miracle
to receive
God is not stingy, and will give grace (or empowerment) to all who will forsake everything and call on His true identity (his name). Peter makes it clear that the promise in verse 38 is for every generation (v39). Peter never made a promise like this about any other miraculous gift of the spirit. He never said “God wants to heal all of you people right now”. He offered them the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Some may quibble about whether the “the gift of the Holy Spirit” Peter is referring to here is the same thing as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues. If the fact that Peter is explaining that very outpouring as such is not enough, then here is another witness:
Acts 10:45-47 New International Version (NIV)
45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues[a] and praising God.
Then Peter said, 47"Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."
Paul gives specific instructions on how to “pray in a tongue.”
1 Cor
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. 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.
You can pray (1) in a tongue, (2) with your spirit, and (3) with your mind at the same time. Anyone with a prayer language should know that you can pray in tongues quietly enough not to freak people out, or disrupt a church meeting with loud public prayers (Matthew 6:5).
1 Cor
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? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Paul contrasts the various appropriate uses of the same gift. As far as our private prayer life though, we are commanded thus:
1 Cor
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. 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.
I pray in tongues silently to myself and God. When I do, I try to obey this command. However, I do not always get an interpretation. The ones I have received are usually only prophetic to me. This should be no surprise. If I feel led to share it, I will. I generally don’t do that though. I share public prophecy/tongues/interpretation with the public, and I share individual interpretations with myself. It is very simple.
You can pray in
tongues silently by yourself at any time.
You can pray in tongues out loud, as long as it does not bother anyone,
or disrupt a church gathering. Why do it out loud in church-- unless you or
someone else interprets it for everyone?
1 Cor
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 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. 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? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.
You can “pray in a tongue” or be “praising God with your spirit”, or sing in a tongue. That’s fine. But do it on your own time.
1 Cor
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. 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. 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? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is
not edified.
I thank God that I speak in tongues more
than all of you. But in the church I would rather
speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a
tongue.
You can pray/”praise God with your spirit” at any time. The context of verse 16 tells us that this involves tongues. We who pray in tongues know that we can do it silently—without anyone noticing. Paul commands us to do so quietly in the absence of an interpretation at a church meeting:
28If there is no interpreter,
the speaker should keep quiet in the
church and speak to himself and God
He did not tell him to stop praying, or to quit speaking in tongues: He only told them to be quiet in the church--if there is no interpretation. If we could not speak in tongues quietly, then how would we obey these commands?
Eph
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (NIV)
Jude
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
But if you are in church, don’t be so loud as to create disorder by broadcasting your own private prayer language. It seems that the Corinthians had a habit of doing just that. That tongue is for your own edification, unless God tells you to speak it out—and there should be an interpretation if He does.
More scriptures on how to speak in tongues from http://www.believers.org/believe/bel108.htm. I liked their research on tongues. I don’t recommend their view on prosperity, and I don’t know much about them. The rest of this document is just their article.
You Can Receive The Gift
Of The Holy Spirit
* It is God's will for
you.
JOHN 7:38-39 NKJ
38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart
will flow rivers of living water."
39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would
receive . . . .
ACTS 2:17 NKJ
17 `And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of
My Spirit on all . . . .'
ACTS 2:38-39 NKJ
38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are
afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
EPHESIANS 5:18 NKJ
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with
the Spirit,
JOHN 20:22 NKJ
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit."
MARK 16:17 NKJ
17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will
cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
The only qualification
for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is to belong to Jesus Christ. Jesus
must be your Lord.
* In Bible days they
received, and spoke in tongues; and God does not play favorites. (Acts 10:34)
ACTS 2:4 NKJ
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
ACTS 8:14-20 NKJ
14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received
the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the
Holy Spirit.
16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the
Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
19 saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may
receive the Holy Spirit."
20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought
that the gift of God could be purchased with money!
ACTS 9:17 NKJ
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him
he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as
you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the
Holy Spirit."
1 CORINTHIANS 14:18 NKJ
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
ACTS 10:44-47 NKJ
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all
those who heard the word.
45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came
with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the
Gentiles also.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have
received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"
ACTS 19:2,6 NKJ
2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you
believed?" And they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether
there is a Holy Spirit."
6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and
they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
Expect to speak in
tongues, just as they did in Bible days.
* You do not have to be
a "special" Christian to receive. The Holy Spirit is a gift
you receive by faith.
GALATIANS 3:2 NKJ
2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works
of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
ACTS 2:38-39 NKJ
38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are
afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
JOHN 14:16-17 NKJ
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that
He may abide with you forever,
17 "even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it
neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and
will be in you.
* You do not have to
convince God to give you His Gift. He has already given.
Now you must receive.
Nowhere after the day of Pentecost do we find any record in Scripture of
believers asking God to give them the Holy Spirit. Instead, we always
find them praying that people would receive the Holy Spirit already
given.
ACTS 2:33 NKJ
33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received
from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you
now see and hear."
ACTS 8:15 NKJ
15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the
Holy Spirit.
ACTS 10:47 NKJ
47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have
received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"
ACTS 19:2 NKJ
2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you
believed?" And they said to him, "We have not so much as heard
whether there is a Holy Spirit."
* Everyone who asks
receives.
LUKE 11:10-13 NKJ
10 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who
knocks it will be opened.
11 "If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a
stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
12 "Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask
Him!"
Believe you receive when
you pray, and you will have. (Mark 11:24)
* Do not be afraid.
Relax. There is no danger of you receiving anything bad. You can trust
your Father God. Come as a child trusting Him. The Holy Spirit is a perfect
Gentleman.
LUKE 11:11,13 NKJ
11 "If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a
stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask
Him!"
* You will do the
speaking, not the Holy Spirit. The supernatural part is not that you speak, but
that you speak in a language you have never learned.
ACTS 2:4 NKJ
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
ACTS 10:46 NKJ
46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:14 NKJ
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is
unfruitful.
Definition: Speaking in tongues is
your spirit (which is the real you), speaking in a language you never learned,
as the Holy Spirit within gives you the utterance.
You must lift your voice
in faith and give sound to the utterance within you. The Holy Spirit will not
violate your free will. He will not force you to speak in tongues. You must
freely and willingly surrender your tongue to Him in faith.
* Quit speaking in any
language that you know. Refuse to do it. You cannot speak in two languages at
the same time.
* Open your mouth and
speak. You cannot speak with your mouth closed. The more boldly you speak the
more confidence you will have that you are filled. As you act in faith, the
evidence and assurance will follow.
PSALM 81:10 NKJ
10 I am the Lord your God . . . Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
* Speak forth in faith,
boldly, whatever sounds or syllables come out. Expect the Holy Spirit to give
you utterance. He will. You cooperate by boldly speaking out in faith
whatever sounds seem easy to make.
There are hundreds of
different languages here on the earth. Unless you know them all, you are not
qualified to judge what the Holy Spirit gives you to utter.
Do not let your brain,
and the limited knowledge it contains about languages, be your guide. Trust
that whatever utterance comes, is what the Holy Spirit is giving you. God is
pleased when you step out in faith.
* Feelings are not
important. You may, or may not, experience some different feeling. Remember
this is a spiritual experience, not an emotional experience.
However, the way
different people react to the Holy Spirit can be as varied as the way people
react to anything else. Some may act emotional, but that is their choice.
* Do not base your
belief on whether your experience is the same as someone else's. We may all
have differing experiences, but the Bible is our guide.
The Bible never says,
"They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and felt like they thought
they ought to feel, so they knew they were filled." They were filled with
the Holy Spirit and spoke with tongues, so they knew they were filled.
Do not base your faith on your feelings.
* When you speak in
tongues you are speaking to God.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:2 NKJ
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one
understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
You are not speaking to
yourself. If God likes the sound of it, why should you care what it sounds
like? It may sound like "goo-goo" to you, but that may mean, "I
praise You God!" in some language.
* Speaking in tongues,
although important, is not all there is to receiving the Holy Spirit. You are
receiving a divine Person into your life. You should acknowledge His presence
and live in the light of it.
However, yielding your
tongue to the Holy Spirit's prompting does show your willingness to yield to
Him. Your ego, dignity, pride, stiffness, traditions, bashfulness, and culture
all must yield as you trust the Holy Spirit to guide your speech.
Speaking in tongues is
also a witness to you of a Supernatural Being's presence within, for you are
now able to do something you could not do before: speak in a language you have
never learned!
* Do not be surprised if
satan tries to stop you -- because this is powerful. If he cannot get you to
quit entirely, he will try to get you not to do it much. Resist all temptations
to doubt; just continue to act on the Word of God.
* Continue to speak in
tongues regularly. The more you privately speak in tongues, the better. You cannot
do it too much.
* Now that you have
received the Holy Spirit, He has come to live in you forever. Now He is there,
ready, willing, and able, to give you utterance according to the perfect will
of God anytime. You must choose when you will speak in tongues, just as
you choose when you will speak in your native language. The Holy Spirit never
takes away your freedom to choose.
JOHN 14:16-17 NKJ
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that
He may abide with you forever,
17 "even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it
neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and
will be in you."
1 CORINTHIANS 14:14-15
NKJ
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is
unfruitful.
15 What is the result 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.
Sample Prayer:
Dear God in Heaven, I acknowledge
Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for forgiving me and cleansing me
from all sin by the precious blood of Jesus.
Heavenly Father, I now
ask for, and by faith receive, the gift of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus' Name.
Thank you for filling me with your Holy Spirit. By faith, I now say that I am
Spirit-filled.
Since I am filled with
the same Holy Spirit as they were in Bible days, I expect Him to give me
utterance just as He did them. So I will lift my voice and speak whatever
utterance you give me, Holy Spirit. I will now speak in tongues, in Jesus'
Name. (Now do it!)
For more information on
the benefits of speaking in tongues, read our paper, You Should Speak In
Tongues.
To answer any objections
you may have, read our paper, Answers To Objections To
Speaking In Tongues.