Tuesday, November 6, 2007

"Speaking In Tongues" from a New Testament Perspective

There are two distinct types of supernatural languages described in the NT, commonly termed "speaking in tongues".

One is a personal, private prayer language, for speaking to God, in which we speak the mysteries of God, and is most useful when we do not know what or how to pray (Romans 8:26). See also 1 Cor 2:7, 1 Cor 13:1, 1 Cor 14:2, 4-6, 14-15, 18.

It also has a secondary, but equally important role in "building us up in our most holy faith" as
described by Jude (Jude 20). In other words, God gives you this prayer language for you to use as often as you want, whenever you want, for your benefit!

We receive this prayer language when we are "baptised in Holy Spirit" (or as Jesus put it, "endued with power from on high" - see Luke 22:49, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-21).

This ability is under your control - it's as if your inner man/spirit has been given a language to talk to God, and you need to open your mouth and let your spirit pray to God in this new language. It may sound like babbling or gibberish, but as you listen, you will begin to discern
words, sentences and cadence like any other language. It will sound different at different times, even to the point of being a completely different language. The important thing is that this is Holy Spirit praying the perfect will of God through you, either for you or for someone else, or for a specific situation.

You can also, before you start to pray, talk to Holy Spirit and ask Him to pray through you for a specific matter (for yourself or someone or something else) and then, in faith, believe that what you are praying in your tongue language is exactly what is required.

You may get a measure of understanding in your mind, if Holy Spirit allows this, but not always - it may be that you are praying for yourself, and God does not want to you to know the details - it might distress you or shock you, or it may be that God needs to do a work in your life, and this is how He will be be able to implement it - because you spoke it out, and gave Him permission to do so. If this sounds scary, it is not - God is a gentleman, and will only do what ever is necessary to build you up and bless you.

One important note - ONLY God can understand this language - nobody else, not even the devil - unless God gives the hearer understanding.

The second type is the one referred to in 1 Cor 12:7-9, where what are commonly described as the "gifts of the Holy Spirit", but better called the "manifestations of Holy Spirit" are cataloged.

If you read carefully the latter part of v9, it says that these manifestations are "as the Spirit wills". The way these 9 "gifts" operate is completely different from any other gift. They are intended to build up the Body of Christ, and are for use in a congregational setting.

Holy Spirit seeks out believers who are both willing and able to operate in one or more of
these gifts (they are not given to individuals except for that particular manifestation), and Holy Spirit gives them the anointing (power) to operate the specific gifts (or gifts) for the benefit of the whole Body. Certain people who stand in the office of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher are often able to operate in multiple gifts - in particular you will see an evangelist operating in the "working of miracles", the "gift of [special] faith", "gifts of healings", and the "gift of prophecy" accompanied by a "Word of Knowledge" or "Word of Wisdom". Apostles, Pastors and Teachers often operate in all of the oratorical gifts (Prophecy, Knowledge, Wisdom), and will have a specific anointing to operate regularly in one or more of the other gifts, such as the "gifts of healings", "working of miracles" and "special faith" - commonly called the power gifts.

The specific use of the "gift of tongues" and the accompanying "gift of interpretation" are twofold:
a) as a sign to unbelievers - those who do not necessarily believe in the operation of the
"gifts", not necessarily non-Christians (1 Cor 14:22-23)

b) as an alternative to the manifestation of the "gift of prophecy" - often this will occur when a
church has newcomers, or visitors, or even unbelievers in the congregation, and God wants to speak to them for a sign.

This second type of "tongues" can have a variety of expressions. These tongues can sometimes be heard by the listener as being in their own language - the tongue is NOT in their own language, they just hear it in their own language - as if God had inserted a translator in between the person's ears. This is what happened on the day of Pentecost - the hearers all heard in their own languages, but the disciples were speaking in supernatural tongue languages. I think that this also qualifies as "the working of a miracle" - another of the 9
manifestations of Holy Spirit.

I have witnessed this in our own church, when one of our pastors gave a message in tongues,, followed by an interpretation (NOT a translation). A visitor to our church afterwards came and thanked her for giving her a word in her own native tongue - Portuguese. What had been spoken out in the tongue language was most definitely NOT Portuguese, and what was given in interpretation was also not what the woman had heard - this was for the church as a whole.

I have also spoken with several people who have been ministering in foreign countries, not knowing the language, yet feeling very strongly that God wanted them to speak to someone - a
complete stranger - and stepped out in faith and began to speak using their private tongue language. In on instance, two YWAM girls - both American, were in Moscow (Olympic Games '78??), and a lady walked into the lobby of their hotel, sat down beside them as started to speak in Russian. Neither girl spoke Russian, but they looked at each other and started speaking in their private tongue languages. They had a 45 minute conversation with the lady, and to this day have no idea what they said, but she went away very happy and excited.

The second occurrence was very recent, when a Canadian minister was visiting Russia
(again), and was asked to pray for a Russian family of believers. Not quite knowing what else to do, she started to pray in her private tongue language. Afterwards, the pastor of the church she was ministering in came and told her that the family wished her to know that she had prayed exactly what they needed, in perfect Russian!

I personally pray a lot in my tongue language - I just like chattering to Go in it, knowing that, even if I do not have specific purpose, I am being "built up", and there will be results that come from that time of prayer. It also builds my faith - I liken it to doing exercises - just
as one does to strengthen one's body.

If you want the experience, just read the Word where it talks about the baptism of Holy Spirit, and ask God to give this gift to you. Then, in faith, believe you have received the gift of the baptism, and open your mouth and start to pray - you will be pleasantly surprised. It's easier and quicker to do it than explain it.

It will also revolutionize you faith and your walk with God - everything will become clearer, brighter, more intense, and you will have a much deeper relationship with God as a result.

John