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Gifts
of the Holy Spirit 9
The Gift of Tongues
by Pastor John Hamel
We
are studying the three Utterance Gifts. The three Utterance Gifts say
something.
We have now come to the
second Utterance Gift.
This Gift is called the Gift of Tongues.
There’s much confusion and even ridicule concerning this precious Gift
of the Holy Spirit. This should not be so. This Gift is clearly
outlined in the Bible.
Think about the
following.
There are only two
subjects in all of Scripture that have an entire chapter devoted to them.
The first subject is love and that is found in First Corinthians chapter
thirteen.
The second subject
is praying in other Tongues. The entire fourteenth chapter of First Corinthians
teaches on that subject and that subject alone.
If the subject of
praying in other Tongues is that important to Holy God, no one should ever oppose it
for any reason. Those who do, find themselves opposing Almighty God.
Supernatural
Utterance Inspired by God
The Gift of Tongues
is a supernatural utterance inspired by God and spoken in an unknown,
Heavenly language, or at least a language that is unknown to the
speaker.
Some have been known to speak other earthly languages, which
they were not trained in. However, speaking in an unknown Heavenly
language is most often the case.
The Holy Spirit has
been in the Earth since even before Creation. (Genesis 1:1-2)
However, the Gift of
the Baptism with the Holy Spirit as evidenced by speaking in other Tongues,
did not come into the Earth until the Day of Pentecost.
Pentecost means “Fifty.” The
Day of Fifty came fifty days after Jesus rose from the dead. On that
day there was a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit, which was promised
by Jesus before He returned to Heaven. (John 7:37-39; 15:26; 16:7; Acts
1:8)
On
the Day of Pentecost the Earth was filled with the roaring sound of a
tornado. People came running from every direction to see what was
happening in Jerusalem. When they
arrived they found that 120 of Jesus’ disciples were engulfed in Holy
flames of fire and were speaking in languages they had never spoken
before.
"And
when the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in
one place. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing
mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there
appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of
them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4)
Isaiah
Prophesied the Rejection of Tongues
Everything written
in the Book of Acts is a blueprint for the New Testament Church of all
ages. Therefore, the pattern the whole Church should follow is to be
baptized with the Holy Spirit and speak in supernatural Tongues.
One may ask, “Well
then, why do so many Believers reject this supernatural experience?”
The Prophet Isaiah answered this question about 800 years before it was
even asked.
“For with
stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people
… This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the
refreshing: yet they would not hear.” (Isaiah 28:11,12)
Many who truly love
Jesus regretfully reject this experience as Isaiah prophesied they
would. This is such an unfortunate indictment of Holy Scripture!
Through this Gift
one may commune with God in ways that only God understands. It is
actually the Holy Spirit praying through the Believer.
The
Apostle Paul Made Much of Praying in Other Tongues
"Likewise
the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities (inability to pray the way we
should): for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit
Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And He (Jesus) that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will
of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:26-28)
Here
the Apostle Paul makes it perfectly clear that although we do not always
know how to pray, the Holy Spirit always knows how to pray through us in
other Tongues. Praying in other Tongues is always praying according to the
perfect will of God.
Have
you ever known that you need to pray, but you didn't know how to
pray?
This
is when praying in other Tongues comes into play, for it is always praying
according to the perfect will of God. We may not know what we are
praying as we yield to the Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit
always knows what we are praying when we are yielding to Him in this
manner.
Oftentimes
He even gives us the interpretation
of what we are praying.
Paul
also makes it perfectly clear here that when we yield to praying in other
Tongues, allowing the Holy Spirit to pray through us according to the will
of God, the end result will be all things working together for
good.
I always say, “If the Holy Spirit is allowed to pray
through an individual, that prayer will never go unanswered and things will
always work out.”
"For
he that speaketh in an unknown Tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God:
for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh
mysteries." (1 Corinthians 14:2)
Here
the Apostle Paul reveals that praying in other Tongues is praying directly
to God the Father.
Paul
also reveals that praying in other Tongues is praying out
"mysteries." Although what the yielded vessel is speaking in
Tongues may be mysterious to him or her, there is nothing mysterious at
all about what they are speaking to God, Jesus and the Holy
Spirit.
As
we just read, praying in other Tongues is always praying according to the
perfect will of God in any given situation. So although what we are
praying may be mysterious to us, it is by no means mysterious to God.
Praying
in other Tongues is a "Hotline to Heaven." It is a direct
line of communication to God the Father which cannot be understood by Satan
and demon powers and is thereby impossible for them to thwart or to
interfere with.
This Gift was
vitally important to the Apostle Paul. He said, “I will pray with the
spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with
the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” (1 Corinthians
14:15)
He also said, “I
thank my God I speak with tongues more than ye all.” (1Corinthians 14:18)
If Paul spoke that
much in other Tongues we should all take the hint and at least incorporate
some praying in the Spirit (Tongues) into our daily praying with our
understanding.
Through this Gift
one can confidently pray during a crisis when they would not know how to
pray otherwise.
Again, the Holy Spirit is actually doing the praying
through them. (Romans 8:26-28; 1Corinthians 14:2)
The
Holy Spirit knows all
things and, therefore, knows exactly where one’s faith and prayer needs to be directed
when the Believer does not.
Praying
in Tongues Lifts, Brings Joy & Wisdom
This Gift in
operation also brings joy and wisdom to the
Believer who yields to it during times of confusion, depression or sorrow.
"He
that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself." (1 Corinthians
14:4)
Although one certainly does not have to be confused,
depressed or sorrowful to pray in other Tongues and receive its benefits.
For decades I have prayed in Tongues under my breath off and on during
the day just to keep my spiritual battery charged up and energized. It really works!
"But
ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the
Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 20)
If you are Born
Again, ask God to baptize you with the Holy Spirit as evidenced by the
speaking with other Tongues.
You will find help receiving this precious
Gift of God by clicking on “Receive the Holy Spirit.
One Good Thing Leads to Another.”
We
have studied the operation of the Gift of Tongues that is for use only in the Believer’s
private and corporate prayer life.
There is another operation of the Gift of Tongues that is a special and a
separate Gift intended for use only in public gatherings.
We will briefly
touch on how to interpret both operations of Tongues in the tenth and final
lesson of this series, “The Interpretation of Tongues.”
Be Blessed … John and Barbara Hamel
How
to Be Born Again (Receive Christ as Your Savior)
How
to Receive The Holy Spirit & Power
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