PRAYER INTENTIONS

1. Pray for the Holy Spirit to continue to assist you so that you can exhibit good character and walk in the ways of God

2. For those who desire the gift of tongues- pray for it

3. For your own personal intentions

IS IT COMPULSORY FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN TO SPEAK IN TONGUES🤔?

When the Day of Pentecost -A.D. 31 came, Christ’s disciples must have been filled with anticipation, not knowing exactly what was going to happen. Christ had appeared to them several times during the 40 days after His resurrection, then told the apostles and other leaders to wait in Jerusalem “ for the Promise of the Father ”—the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:3-5).

So they were gathered together to keep the holy day when some rather unexpected events took place. Visitors from all around the Roman Empire were in Jerusalem for the festival. Suddenly, many of them were drawn to the area where the disciples were by “a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind ” (Acts 2:2).

Then they saw tongues of fire 🔥 seeming to dance on the heads of the disciples. As if that weren’t enough, the disciples began speaking, yet everyone present could understand them in his or her own native language (verses 3-6)!

As the crowd grew and listened in amazement, someone said, “ Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born ?” (verses 7-8).

Undoubtedly God did these miracles at that time to show everyone that what was happening was beyond human means—God Himself was directly involved with this group, the very beginning of the New Testament Church.

Let's analyze the spiritual data

Firstly, we are not sure historically what speaking in tongues was like.

Secondly, the gift of speaking in tongues was a frequently given gift in the book of Acts when men and women were filled, or baptized, in the Holy Spirit for the first time (see Acts 2:4, Acts 10:46 and Acts 19:6). As a result some Christians therefore believe that every believer, once filled with the Holy Spirit, will be given the gift of speaking in tongues.

However, the stories we read of in Acts are NARRATIVE portions of the Bible. They are DESCRIPTIVE but not necessarily PRESCRIPTIVE (i.e. they tell us what happened and what people did, rather than what should always happen, and what we should always do). We should therefore look for more information in the Scriptures.

IS SPEAKING IN TONGUES THE TEST OF CONVERSION?

Some religious people have taken this speaking in tongue incidents, and some later statements by the apostle Paul, to mean a Christian today should be able to speak in tongues if he or she has the Holy Spirit. In other words, for such people, the inability to speak in tongues is the absence of the Holy Spirit.

... And so there are churches where various individuals seem to spontaneously break out in “ tongues ” (sometimes called glossolalia), speaking in a manner that is completely unintelligible to the audience.

Sometimes there will be someone else in the audience who will stand up to “ interpret ” what was said into the native language of the audience.

What is the purpose of such displays? *Is this what is described in the Bible? Is this what God desires and expects of His people once they receive His Holy Spirit?

We need to know the answer. Put your emotions aside and allow God's spirit to teach you. Let’s take a closer look at these miracles in Acts 2. God did several things to draw attention to the disciples so people would listen. Hearing the sound of a fierce wind, focused on one location, made people curious. Then seeing what looked like fire dancing on the heads of the disciples, yet not burning them, made sure the crowd’s attention was riveted. Something very odd was happening!

Then the disciples began to speak “ with other tongues ” (verse 4). The original Greek word for “ tongues ” used here is glossa. According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words , it means “ the supernatural gift of speaking in another language without its having been learnt .” It wasn’t babbling or unintelligible speech; it was literally another language that some of those present had grown up speaking.

Today, as in New Testament times, people who travel internationally on a regular basis may learn several languages. They have a native language, but they learn another language or languages in order to be able to communicate effectively when they travel. Almost always the traveler will have the greatest level of comprehension in his or her native tongue, since nothing gets lost in translation.

So on that Day of Pentecost, God ensured that each person there from around the world was able to hear the message of “ the wonderful works of God ” (verse 11) in the language with which he or she was most familiar. It seems the miracle could have been as much in the hearing as it was in the speaking—very different from what is called “ speaking in tongues ” today.

WHAT ABOUT PAUL’S WRITINGS?

In 1 Corinthians 14 the apostle Paul wrote quite a bit about speaking in tongues. Corinth was a cosmopolitan crossroads with people from many areas who spoke many languages, and a gift like tongues could be useful there. But it appears this gift had been misused in Corinth. Some brethren had even become vain about this ability, perhaps feeling they were more spiritual than those who couldn’t speak in tongues. So Paul had to point the congregation in the right direction. He explained that what was important was the building up of the congregation, not showing off the gift for self-aggrandizement.

Lest his words be misunderstood, he wrote: “ Unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me ” (1 Corinthians 14:9-11).

The gift of being able to speak and teach in another language was real and from God, but it was given for the purpose of helping someone who spoke another language understand the truth of God.

The real evidence of having God’s Spirit should be displayed through our change of character as we begin to develop the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Paul went on to tell them that this gift was a sign to those who didn’t believe—just as it was in Acts 2. It wasn’t a sign to the disciples, who already knew God was involved and doing some dramatic things. It was intended to capture the attention of those who didn’t yet believe (1 Corinthians 14:22). Then Paul went on to say, “ Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? ” (verse 23).

God never intended it to be used by everyone or all the time. It was to reach people who spoke the other language—not those who couldn’t.

DIVERSE TONGUES - 1 Corinthians 13--

3 TYPES OF TONGUES

1. Tongues for PERSONAL EDIFICATION and GROWTH - 1 Corinthians 14:2 not unto men but unto God.

2. SIGN to UNBELIEVERS - (Acts 2:4-12) earthly languages …every language was represented

3. Ministry GIFT for the EDIFICATION of the BODY of CHRIST (1 Cor 14:4-5) I wish you all spoke in tongues- it is this third part that brings the confusion- tongues as a ministry (1 Cor 14:4-5) , so let’s focus on it- the gifts of diverse tongues is a supernatural communication- prophecy in unknown language - be it heaven or earth- communication in an unknown language- from the people of God- in a language not known by the speaker- communicates a word from the Lord- came in a language not known by you- someone must therefore understand it- and break it down-

The third one- as a ministry gift for the edification of the body- that’s the diverse gift of tongues and this is only beneficial if there is an interpreter- take note it is for the purpose of edification- the gift can come upon the communicator but there must be an interpreter- if there is no interpreter then it must be a sign to unbelievers- or just for personal edification and growth-

So when I say pray in tongues it could be for 1.) Personal edification, 2.) As a sign to unbelievers or 3.) As a ministry gift for the edification of the body-

SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO NOW?

The Holy Spirit of God is very real and very powerful. It is the force by which God created the heavens and the earth (Psalm 104:30), and it is the same force by which He opens our minds to His Word and empowers us to repent and change. If you have repented, been baptized and had hands laid on you to receive God’s Spirit (Acts 8:17), then pray and ask God to use His Spirit to change your HEART and MIND. As you study the Scriptures, ask Him to open your understanding to the things recorded there and help you see how to apply them to your life now.

Contrary to what many believe, the ability to speak in tongues is not described in Scripture as the proof that a Christian has the Holy Spirit.

The evidence of having God’s Spirit should be displayed through our CHANGE of CHARACTER as we begin to develop the fruits of the Spirit —love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

We have so many tongue speaking Christians who are the complete opposite of love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control- we have tongue speaking Christians who are ruthless, wicked, troublesome, unfaithful, lack self-control etc.

Living a life of faith and developing righteous character are far more important than speaking in a foreign language.

So in summary, not every Christian should necessarily speak in tongues, though we must be careful that we do not swing to the opposite view and DESPISE the gift of tongues in any way - in fact, later in 1 Corinthians Paul says I wish you all spoke in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:5). The gift of tongues is a good gift that God gives to many of His children, and there is no problem in seeking the Lord for that gift.

However let me finish with these words But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way (1 Corinthians 12:31) It’s easy to let idea of the gifts of the Holy Spirit take over our lives, so that we become consumed with them. God never wants that to happen, and so in 1 Corinthians 13 he shows us the more excellent way - and that way is LOVE!

TO BE CONTINUED...

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