What happened to the was a one time occurrence. No one else in the Bible experienced tongues of fire or a rushing mighty wind at their conversion.
Be careful of trying to make one time occurrences be the norm because they are not. The resembled people who were drunk because they were full of joy. Drunken people shout, dance, sing, and act out of normal character. Read Acts ; The Gentiles received the same Spirit but they did not have the same exact experience as the There were known languages being spoken to the Jews and there may have been worship tongues, too. This is when God gives some Christians the ability to speak to Him in ecstatic speech or a heavenly language that the speakers did not previously know for the purposes of intercession, worship, and prophetic revelation.
Read I Corinthians People with the gift of tongues can pray and sing with their mind and their spirit. Absolutely not. All the gifts of the Holy Spirit are important and serve a very needful purpose in the body of Christ. Another important aspect, aside from the accurate function of one of the Holy Spirit's gifts, is the release of those who have, or who could "move in," the interpretation of tongues.
Someone who gives utterances in tongues for the edification of the body is instructed to "pray that they might interpret. Nevertheless, if one does give utterances in tongues for the benefit of the body of Christ but is under the impression that the interpretation should be prophetic, it is likely they will not be open to an interpretation that is directed to God.
Without knowing the interpretation should be something directed to God, they may be conflicted. God is not the author of confusion but it is entirely likely that an interpreter will miss the accurate interpretation if prophecy is expected.
In conclusion, prophecy is God speaking to man. An utterance in tongues given during corporate worship is a mystery spoken to God that needs interpretation. Accurate interpretation glorifies God and brings a deeper dimension to our corporate worship.
Let us pray that the body of Christ will be blessed with this wonderful gift in greater clarity. Kerry Johnson is a Christian business owner and Bible teacher involved in various ministry activities including street evangelism. Over the past 35 years he has helped establish two new churches for which he served as associate pastor. Johnson may be reached at plantdoctor agrahort. Great Resources to help you excel in !
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But if you are desiring a gift, seek for the gift of prophecy more than for the gift of tongues. There is a certain amount of mystery about the gift of tongues, as all those who have received the gift will acknowledge - if they are honest.
We do not know everything about it. We know only in part 1 Cor. As one who has spoken in tongues for the past 45 years, let me add a few words concerning what I presently understand about the gift, from my own experience.
When a person speaks in tongues, his spirit heart speaks forth syllables directly from his heart to his mouth, bypassing his mind and thus he pours out whatever is in his heart to God - whether that be an overflow of joy or a burden caused by sorrow or discouragement. Thus the pressure on his heart is relieved.
That is how he is 'edified'. As we saw earlier in Acts , when anyone speaks in tongues, it is the person himself who speaks, and not the Holy Spirit. The believer forms the syllables himself, just as he does when speaking in a known language. The only difference is that now, he does NOT use a known language to pray, but concentrating on the Lord, speaks forth syllables with his mouth, straight from his heart, bypassing his mind - knowing that God understands the longings and pressures in his heart, even if he cannot understand himself what he is saying.
Unburdening himself like that in moments of pressure helps a believer, especially if his mind is too tired to pray in a known language. We may not be able to explain how this works, but it does. Let us now look at the gift of interpretation: As we have already seen, interpretation of a tongue is equivalent to prophesying.
So this gift will usually be given by the Spirit to one who has the gift of prophecy as well. In a church-meeting, if someone speaks in a tongue, one of those having the gift of prophecy usually one of the elders , if he is walking in the light of God, will find a thought being impressed on his mind, if the "tongue" is genuinely from God.
He speaks forth that thought in his own words - for it is not a translation, but an interpretation. If another elder who also has the gift of interpretation had interpreted the "tongue" , the interpretation would have been the same although couched in that elder's own words. This would be the case if both elders were in perfect touch with the Lord. Since no revelation from God can contradict what is written in the Bible, the interpretation will be in accordance with Scripture - just like all true prophecy will also be in line with the Scriptures.
Some who are sceptical of spiritual gifts have asked this question: If a "tongue" that was interpreted in a meeting, is copied on to a tape and someone else with the gift of interpretation in another p lace is asked to interpret it, will the interpretation be the same as the first one?
The answer is: It should be, if both interpreters had a perfect understanding of the mind of the Lord. If the interpretation is different in content, and not just in words , that would only indicate that one or both interpreters are not in such perfect touch with the Lord as to understand His mind perfectly.
That is not abnormal, because no believer in the world is in such perfect touch with the Lord as to know His mind perfectly. The following example will prove this fact beyond any doubt: Suppose you have to speak in a meeting and you have a particular message on your heart which you feel is the burden of the Lord for that meeting.
Then, if you are unable to be at that meeting and someone else speaks in your stead, strictly speaking, he should give the same message as you had on your heart even if it be in his own words. If that brother doesn't give the same message as you had on your heart, it would indicate that one of you did not have a perfect understanding of the Lord's mind for that meeting.
So we see that believers could fail such a test even when giving a message in a known language. That's why the Bible tells us to judge even a prophet's message 1 Cor. Similarly, we should judge, all messages in "tongues" and their "interpretations". What should we judge in such cases? Just this: Whether our spirit witnesses that the utterance prophecy, tongues or interpretation was Scriptural and from the Lord or not. We are warned in 1 John not to believe every spirit but to "test the spirits whether they are of God".
So every time, we hear "tongues" or interpretation in public, we must test it in our spirits. Many of the "supernatural utterances" we hear may not be from God. We must always reject a prophecy or any part of it , a "tongue" , or an interpretation, if we feel uneasy about it in our spirits, for any reason. It is the unquestioning acceptance of everything supernatural and abnormal that has brought tremendous confusion into Christendom in this century - and tremendous dishonor to the Lord's Name as well.
Today however, in most places, none of the above characteristics are found. Only where the gift of tongues is spontaneously received without any coaching, can we conclude that it could be genuine.
Of all the "speaking in tongues" that I have heard, my spirit has borne witness to only a small percentage of it as genuine. Most of the rest I have felt was an attempt to imitate the gift - either to be accepted by others in a group or to impress them.
A small percentage could even be of demonic origin. My observations are based on the fruit and the results that I have seen in the lives of many people in many lands. Speaking and singing in tongues often appears to be a form of "exhibitionism" in many churches - and exhibitionism is characteristic of little children. It is also a well-established fact that, at this present time, the maximum exploitation of believers for financial gain is practised by those preachers and pastors who claim to "speak in tongues".
Most of the cults in the 20th century have also developed from tongue-speaking groups. My advice to all believers therefore is: "Avoid churches that major on the gifts of tongues and healing - because many of them go to dangerous extremes and usually don't have spiritually-minded leaders.
Seek instead for fellowship with a church that emphasises holiness and disciple-making primarily,that accepts the genuine gift of tongues and that does not covet your money or seek to control your life. It is recorded in Acts 19 that when the disciples of John the Baptist trusted Christ, as a result of Paul's ministry to them, they spoke with tongues and prophesied. So there again both gifts were in evidence as they were on the day of Pentecost when the disciples spoke with tongues and Peter prophesied.
Make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
On the other hand, he who prophesies speaks to men for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless some one interprets, so that the church may be edified.
I have supplied an outline of the chapter to facilitate our study. Throughout this outline, you will notice, I have consistently used the noun "prophesying" instead of "prophecy," found in the Revised Standard Version, in order to avoid confusion, because "prophecy" these days is usually taken in the narrow sense of "prediction," of predicting the future.
But its root meaning is broader. It comes from two Greek words: pro and phaino. Pro means "before," and phaino means "cause to shine. So a "prophet," essentially, is one who stands before the Word of God and causes it to shine. Peter uses the term this way. He says, "We have a more sure word of prophecy which shines as a light in a dark place," 2 Peter KJV. A prophet is one who takes the message of God and illuminates it, makes it shine out so that it attracts and motivates people.
That is the ministry of prophesying. In II. I have given the definition: "Prophesying -- Expounding of the relationships of truth. In the outline I have entitled the first five verses, "I.
Superiority of Prophesying to Tongues for the Church. This is very clear because he consistently refers to them this way, and addresses them collectively. For example, when he says, "Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy," the "you" is plural, i. His first admonition to them is that these spiritual gifts are given as a channel for love. He has just written extensively about love.
In Chapter 12 he has listed the spiritual gifts. Then he moves to love in Chapter Now he moves right back, tying the two together. He says, "Make love your aim, but earnestly desire the spiritual gifts. Love is not a spiritual gift. It is a part of the character of Christ, a fruit of the Spirit.
So here is a helpful relationship between these two categories -- the gifts and the fruits of the Spirit. Paul says, "It is proper to desire that all the gifts be manifest among you, but especially desire prophesying. The best gift to be exercised in church is prophesying. Now he moves to contrast these two gifts. Three elements of contrast are given to us: As to those being addressed by each gift, as to those who are edified by each gift, and as to the value of the gifts to the church.
In the first Paul says that tongues are addressed to God while prophesying is addressed to man. That is a very helpful identifying feature of the gift of tongues. It is always addressed to God. It is to be used as praise and thanksgiving and prayer addressed to God. It's origin is by the Spirit. The speaker speaks mysteries either "in the Spirit" or "by the Spirit" -- the Greek can be translated either way. Its content is mystery, not necessarily in the nature of what is said so much as in the fact that it is uttered in a language which is not understood.
Praise, thanksgiving, and prayer are not mysterious as to content unless they are uttered in a language that is not understood. So this is what Paul means by "mysteries" here. But he says that prophesying, on the other hand, is addressed to men. And it has a threefold effect: it is for edification, for encouragement, and for comfort. Therefore, it obviously would be superior to tongues in the church. As to those who are edified, Paul says that the speaker in tongues edifies himself; there is some effect upon the person who does this.
I will say more about that later, but for the moment we can recognize the distinction that the speaker in tongues edifies only himself while the one who prophesies edifies the whole church. Therefore, obviously, prophesying is the better gift to exercise in the church. Then as to the value of gift in the church he says that tongues are desirable, but prophesying much more so.
He who prophesies is greater as far as the church is concerned, is of greater value to them, than he who speaks in tongues. Tongues does not edify the church unless it is interpreted. Now brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how shall I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will any one know what is played?
And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves; if you in a tongue utter speech that is not intelligible, how will any one know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning; but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.
So with yourselves; since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
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