The TRUTH about speaking in Tongues

Sunday October 6th , 2013

Man, this blog post is long since overdue. But this is a very important blogpost to dis-spell some of the myths, misunderstanding, and the TRUTH about speaking in Tongues and the power of the Holy Ghost that has been really distorted in Christendom.

This past summer I came across a scenario in the home of a Brother I know. The mom and I were discussing an activity her daughter was interested in doing. The activity was white water rafting. We were all talking about the thrills and scares of the activity. The daughter then discloses to her mom, she may be scared; her mom then says don't worry just speak in tongues.

Let's start our conversation from there. The bible does not encourage us to go straight to speaking in touches when in fear. But before I explain why, let's get an understanding on what speaking in tongues is, where it originates from, and how one gets it.

Mark 16:16-17

 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Acts 2:1-4

When Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Passover, came, all the believers were together in one place. 2 Suddenly, a sound like a violently blowing wind came from the sky and filled the whole house where they were staying. 3 Tongues that looked like fire appeared to them. The tongues arranged themselves so that one came to rest on each believer.4 All the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

[What is the pentecost? Pentecost or Shavuot has many names in the Bible (the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Harvest, and the Latter Firstfruits). Celebrated on the fiftieth day afterPassover, Shavuot is traditionally a joyous time of giving thanks and presenting offerings for the new grain of the summer wheat harvest in Israel.]

1 Corinthians 14:1

 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.

Acts 10:44-46

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came to everyone who heard his message. 45 All the believers who were circumcised and who had come with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured on people who were not Jewish.46 They heard these non-Jewish people speaking in other languages and praising God.

WHEW! A-lot of scriptures right?! I was trying to make sure you understand that the meaning of the Holy Spirit and tongues comes straight from the Bible, and not from my own understanding.

So, what is speaking in tongues?

It is the evidence of the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost(Spirit). If one receives the Holy Ghost how ever, it is true they may not receive the confirmation or manifestation of tongues. You can find this in 1 Corinthians 12:130. But what is the gift of the Holy Ghost (spirit)? It is God's third part of the trinity. A comforter to all believers, a gift from God who put's us in remembrance of all truths; the truth is the WORD OF GOD the BIBLE. The Holy Spirit gives believers the boldness to preach the gospel and minister about Jesus. The Holy Spirit allows signs and wonders to be done through miracles to show others the truth of the Bible, when one seeks for that gift of healing, which is a separate gift on its own. A CONFIRMATION of being baptized with the holy spirit is you speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is not to be done if you do not have the Holy Spirit or because your church emphasizes or someone tells you to. I will speak more into this.

How does on receive the gift of the Holy Ghost?

1. You must receive salvation and become Born Again.
2. You must be converted. Meaning recognizing you were a sinner(salvation), knowing with sin comes death, choosing to forsake, repent of your sins, receive Jesus, and finally be transformed through his words.
3. You  must be sanctified. Sanctification is being totally separated from your past life and the world. Your adamic (sinfull) nature dies (2 Thessalonians 2:13 ) You have received the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5: 22-21) There is a clear difference you are a changed person through the grace of Jesus Christ.
4. You must thirst, pray, and hunger for this gift. In saying that ,it is not given to you by a man, church, or whomever if you don't desire it. You cannot just catch it if you hadn't prayed or had a thirst for it.
5. After all these, God finally is able to entrust you with this gift. So God sees you will use it to advance his kingdom.

Those are steps  outlined in the bible on how to receive the Holy Spirit. A measure is given to one at salvation (when one confesses their sin and receives Jesus into their lives) as a comforter. But the increased power, listed above, is given after  two to five are adhered to.

Again, there is a lot of confusion in Christendom about number 4. Many ministries are in error.No one in the bible received an increase power of the Holy Ghost unless they truly were longing and sought after Jesus, physically and spiritually. Therefore people didn't just start speaking in tongues randomly because they were told to. Tongues comes when one manifests the gift of the Holy Spirit in it's entirety.

Lets go into speaking in tongues.

So we now know how speaking in tongues comes about. In the verses above it is clearly recognized speaking in tongues comes from the Holy Spirit. No one should be able to tell you to start speaking you get on cue. It is ushered in on it's own by God and should always come as a pleasant surprise to believers today as it did back then. Paul also tells us in 1st Corinthians it is not promoted to speak in it in public unless there is a translator. Why? Because it's an heavenly language only you and God can understand. So why does that profit another person? He said it showed a sign of unbelief if one spoke in tongues without a person whom had the gift of translation. The power of prayer is in the book of Life, meaning speaking the words of the bible.

What is more powerful than speaking in tongues though is speaking and praying the WORDS of the bible. Whether it be English, Hebrew, or Greek all which the bible have been written in, or any other language the bible has been translated in. The speaking of tongues comes again as a confirmation of the Holy Spirit. How did one even understand the Holy Spirit ? It was through reading the Bible. Let's take account of Jesus for example. Before he was taken up to heaven he had the Holy Spirit, he himself is the Holy Spirit. Not once was it recorded in the bible that he spoke in tongues to receive anything special. Praying with the bible and to God accomplished all he asked for. A prayer to God should always include the word of God, the bible, first and foremost. Jesus used the words in the same Bible (old testament, back then) many times in prayer and to fight away the adversary. To fight any case, brings comfort to your soul, and ministers to others the word of God has a solution to all.

To explain why the mother should NOT have encouraged her daughter to speak in tongues if she was scared has now been dispelled. If she is scared she should be reassured of the verses in the bible, that she one understands, God recognizes and hears, and one minsters to her soul. She should speak those verses out loud!
Some verses for example to declare in time of fear:

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

1 John 4:18

 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Romans 8:15

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

I pray this finds believers in good spirits. If one lacks knowledge of the words in the bible but prays in tongues all the time and first, this is an INCORRECT. If others cannot see the fruits of the spirit in a person that speaks in tongues, but is unruly to others on the outside this is INCORRECT. A ministry emphasizing on the speaking of tongues above knowing the words in the bible, is INCORRECT!

This post DOES NOT seek to disprove the fact that the Holy Spirit ushers one to speak in tongues at any time of ones prayers; whether it is in the beginning, middle, or end; And in certain situations automatically. But again it is not forced and the word of God is sufficient enough! The word of God says:

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 (With World recognized Senator of Nigeria and Evangelist of the Gospel Dayo Israel)

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From your Sister in Christ with a Servants Heart,

Janet Adeola Songonuga

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