Mumbai Christian Diary: Speaking in Tongues

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Speaking in Tongues

I urge you to read the earlier posts on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit before you read this one. This post is continuation of what I wrote about there. One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the gift of speaking in tongues. There are many other gifts but I want to speak about this one because it is consistently spoken of in the Bible as a sign that a person has received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

A lot of people ask this question: Do I have to speak in tongues? But it is like one preacher says: You do not have to speak in tongues you get to speak in tongues.

When you receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit you have the ability to speak in tongues. If you refuse to use this gift, that is ok too, but you will miss out on all the benefits of speaking in tongues in your Life.

Acts 2:1-6

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.

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

In the above verses, you see the disciples of Jesus Christ who were gathered in the upper room being baptized in the Holy Spirit. And one of the signs that followed the baptism of the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongues. Now the Holy Spirit will not force you to speak in tongues and it will not go against your will. But if you decide to open your mouth and speak in tongues, the Holy Spirit will you to utterance.

Now in another we see how Philip preached Christ in Samaria and many who heard him believed and were baptized. Then Peter and John came down from Jerusalem and prayed that they receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. In this verse it doesn't say they spoke in tongues but it can be understood indirectly. It says Simon, the sorcerer saw that through the laying on of the apostles hands the the Holy Ghost was given. (Acts 8:18) What did Simon, the sorcerer see? We can assume that he must have seen the people speaking in tongues based on other scriptures in the bible.

Acts 8:14-19

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

In another verse we see Peter preach Christ to Cornelius and his family and they all received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues. Peter even used the sign of them speaking in tongues as evidence that they were truly converted when he was explaining himself to the disciples in Jerusalem. (Acts 11:15-18)

Acts 10:44-48

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

I am giving all these verse to show you that speaking in tongues was a sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit throughout the history of the 1st century church and it is even today.

Let us look at another verse:

Acts 19:1-6

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Even in this verse, we see that the people of Ephesus spoke with tongues when they received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Now look what Paul says in the following verse:

1 Corinthians 14:18-19

I thank God, I speak with tongues more than ye all

Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that my voice might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

Paul tells the people of Corinth that he speaks in tongues more that all of them put together when he is by himself. Paul in the his letter to the Corinthians clearly encourages the believers to speak in tongues as often as possible.

1 Corinthians 14:39

Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

If you want to understand all the gifts of the Holy Spirit I urge you to read 1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14.

Now what are the benefits of speaking in tongues?

There are times when you do not know how to pray about certain things. That is when you can pray in tongues believing in faith that the Holy Spirit will give you utterance. Other benefits include: