Tag: Baptism with the Holy Spirit

Speaking in Tongues…what are we saying?

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When God inaugurated the church on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, speaking in tongues was part of the kickoff celebration.  Every believer that was there was speaking in tongues.  It was given as a free gift to every follower of Jesus.  And this gift is still available to every follower of Jesus.

Speaking in tongues is a way to communicate with God that goes beyond the limits of the human intellect.  Without supernatural revelation from the Holy Spirit, we don’t normally know the exact content of what we are saying when we speak in tongues.  However, we can see from Scripture that it will usually fall into one of three general categories.  Those are categories are:  praise, prayer, and proclamation/declaration.

 

PRAISE

Acts 10:44-46

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.  And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.  For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.  Then Peter answered…

1 Corinthians 14:15-17

What is the conclusion then?  I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding.  I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.  Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?  For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

Ephesians 5:18-19

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,  speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…

 

Speaking in tongues is a wonderful way to praise and glorify the Lord.  It allows your spirit (the part of you that was born again) to give glory and honor to God in ways that you are not capable of when you are limited by your human brain.  This is likely a part of what Jesus was talking about in John 4, when He told the woman at the well “the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”

Personally, this is one of my favorite ways to worship Jesus.  It gives me a way to express things to Him with my spirit that go beyond mental abilities.  Sometimes, I just run out of words in my natural mind, so I go into the spirit and give Him glory supernaturally.

 

PRAYER

 

1 Corinthians 14:15

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

 

Ephesians 6:18

…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints–

 

Romans 8:26-27

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

 

Speaking in tongues gives you a way to pray when you need to go beyond your rational intellect.  When you don’t know how to pray, or even what to pray for, then pray in the spirit.  That is one of the reasons God gives us this ability.  He knows that we need it, and He wants us to use it.

I use this very often, and often I get to see tangible results.  Through praying in tongues, I can receive insight and wisdom for different situations.  It is tool that God has given me to use when these situations arise.  Sometimes I see things in a new light, sometimes I get revelation on things I didn’t even know I was asking about, which is extremely exciting and awe-inspiring..  This is because I am praying with my spirit, and not with my natural mind.  There are things that are revealed to us in our spirit that our natural minds do not comprehend without some supernatural assistance (see 1 Corinthians 2:14).

We should take Paul’s advice. We should pray in tongues, and we should pray in English (or whatever your natural language is). It is good to do both. It is biblical to do both. It is effective to do both.

 

PROCLAMATION/DECLARATION

 

Acts 2:4,11b

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance….

…”we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”

 

1 Corinthians 14:2

For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries (Greek musterion: the hidden wisdom of God).

 

There will be times when you are speaking in tongues that you are announcing how awesome our God is.  You may also be declaring His wisdom into a situation.  You are making declarations that our God is mighty, and you are speaking His will out into the earth.

Sometimes, even though you can’t understand it, you can tell when you are doing this because of what is going on inside of you, and because of the way your speech changes tone.  You will notice that you are not speaking in a way that sounds like you are asking for help.  Instead, you are speaking with authority and you sense that something powerful is happening.  It can sometimes be accompanied by strong emotion and forcefulness, almost like the way a police office would deal with a criminal who is resisting arrest.  This can difficult to describe to someone who has never experienced it, but if you have done this before you will know exactly what I am talking about.

 

SUMMARY

These are three general descriptions of things you might be doing when you are speaking in tongues:  praise, prayer, and proclamation.  Praying in the spirit is not limited to these three, but these cover a large part of what is going on while you do it.  The more you pray in the spirit, the more you will experience each of these.  All of them are great, and all of them are for us to use in our life.

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Why Speak in Tongues?

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Why would anyone want to speak in tongues?  What is the point?  What good is it?  What’s the big deal?

Those are questions I used to wonder about, and it all seemed so strange to me.  Then one day I received the power to do it myself when I was baptized with the Holy Spirit, and my opinion changed.

Once I started doing it, I began to see things change in my life.  Some changes were subtle, but others were huge.  I spent a lot of time studying the subject, and I found that the Bible has a lot to say about it.

If you have received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit and you have started speaking in tongues, then I believe this article will be of great help to you.  If you are simply curious about the subject, then I hope this will help you on your journey to learn the truth.

Here we go….

1 Corinthians 14:14

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

Notice here that when you speak in tongues, it is your spirit that is doing the talking.  It is not your mind or your emotions, and it is not the Holy Spirit.  It is your spirit.

Your spirit is the part of you that was born again when you believed in Jesus and got “saved” or “born again.”  The spirit of a Christian is also known as “the new creation” (2 Cor 5:17) or “the new man” (Eph 4:24).  When you become a Christian, your spirit is made brand new, spotless, and intimately connected to God (1 Cor 6:17).  Praying from your spirit means praying from that place of righteousness, holiness, perfection, and communion that was created inside of you by God.

When you speak in tongues, you are speaking audibly from your born-again spirit  You are going beyond the limits of your intellect, praying and talking to God is ways that you could not do otherwise.

This kind of prayer is a spiritual exercise that gives your spirit greater influence in your life, because you are making your mind, your body, and your emotions submit to your spirit.  It gives you a way to practice spiritual actions in a tangible way.  This alone is good enough reason to speak in tongues as much as possible, and I believe it is one of the reasons that Paul the apostle said “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all” (1 Cor 14:18).

1 Corinthians 14:2

For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

Speaking in tongues give you a way to speak to God that goes beyond your mental abilities.  You can pray with your spirit, without being limited by your intellect.

1 Corinthians 14:2

For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

The word that is translated “mysteries” is a Greek word that means the hidden wisdom of God that has not been revealed yet.  Praying in tongues allows you to speak God’s wisdom over the situation you are praying about, without being limited by your ability to comprehend it.

1 Corinthians 14:4

One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.

When you speak in tongues, you are “edifying” yourself. It is a way to strengthen or build yourself up that works supernaturally.  When you need strength, you can receive it by speaking in tongues.

Jude 20-21(NET)

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life.

Speaking in tongues is a faith building exercise, since it can only be done by faith.  Every time you do it, you are operating in faith, and your faith is strengthened as a result.

Ephesians 6:18

…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

This passage comes at the end of a section in Ephesians where Paul is giving instructions on how to “be strong in the Lord” and to “stand against the wiles of the devil.”  The instructions include putting on the whole armor of God.  Praying in tongues is a powerful tool for us to use in spiritual warfare.

Romans 8:26-27

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Praying in the spirit provides a new way for the Holy Spirit to aid you when you don’t know how or what to pray.  He works in you helping you pray the things that are needed, even if you don’t know what those things are.  This passage is also another example of a reason to pray in tongues when you are weak.

There are many reasons to speak in tongues, and there are many benefits that come as a result.  Like Paul says in Ephesians 6:18, I encourage you to pray in tongues at all times.  It is a great blessing that God has given us, but it is only as good as our willingness to put it to use.

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>> Next in Series:  Tongues…what are we saying?

The Importance of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit

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I am writing this to offer a perspective on the value and importance that we should place on the experience known as “the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.”

It is my belief that after someone receives Jesus as his/her savior and is born again to eternal life, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit should be the very next thing on the list of priorities.

I believe that it should be a part of any “new believer’s class” and it should be taught regularly in every Christian assembly.

Here are four reasons why I believe this way…

1 – The Baptism with the Holy Spirit was a high priority to God the Father

In Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:7-8, Luke 3:16, and John 1:33, we read this statement from John the Baptist:

“I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

God sent John the Baptist to announce the beginning of the ministry of Jesus.

Of all the things that He could have had John announce, the one that He picked was the fact that Jesus would “baptize with the Holy Spirit.”

And God made sure that this announcement was included in all four gospel accounts in the New Testament.

This is amazing to think about.  John could have been sent to say any number of things, but a main part of his function was to announce that Jesus will baptize people in the Holy Spirit.

This aspect of the ministry of Jesus is not something that should be set to the side.  It should be near the center of our thinking.  We need to understand what this means, and share this understanding with others.  To say that “the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a big deal” is an understatement.

2 – The Baptism with the Holy Spirit was a high priority to Jesus

Jesus personally trained His disciples for 3 years (many of them at least).  These individuals received hands on personal training and daily interaction with the perfect Son of God.

They heard all of His teachings in person.  They watched Him do healings and miracles and cast out demons.  They had opportunities ask Him questions about things he said and did, to get more insight and instruction.  They had the privilege of operating as apprentices and receiving direction and correction from Jesus Himself, in the flesh.

However, among the last instructions from Jesus to His disciples was to wait for the Holy Spirit baptism before they get started on their mission. (Acts 1:4-8)

 Acts 1:4

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

These were the last words of Jesus before He ascended and was glorified at the right hand of the Father.

As crazy as it sounds...being trained in person by Jesus was not enough. They needed something else if they were going to have maximum effectiveness.  And this not something I am making up.  It is straight from the mouth of the risen Lord Himself.

We should not be so arrogant to assume that we do not need this same equipment.  We can go to seminary and study doctrines, memorize the entire Bible, go to conferences, listen to sermons, fast, pray, and who knows what else. Learning, studying, receiving training, praying, and fasting are all good and helpful and important…but learning and training are only part of what is needed.

We will never come close to our potential if we neglect the supernatural empowerment that was spoken of by Jesus and is freely available to us even now.

3 – The Baptism with the Holy Spirit was a high priority to the early church at Jerusalem

Acts 8:14-17

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

In this story, a disciple name Philip has gone to Samaria and “preached Christ to them” (Acts 8:5).  His preaching was accompanied by demonstrations of of the power of God in healings, signs, and casting out demons.

Many people believed the gospel and received Jesus as their savior and were baptized in water (Acts 8:12).

Word got back to Jerusalem about what was going on. When the believers in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans were getting saved, the first action they took was to send Peter and John on a ~40 mile trip to minister the baptism with the Holy Spirit to the new believers.

This shows the priority that was placed on this by the early church at Jerusalem. It was at the top of their list for new believers to receive this. They wasted no time in bringing this Holy Spirit baptism to the new Samaritan believers.

This attitude is one that we should emulate.  We should think about this the same way they did.  Whenever someone believes in Jesus and receives salvation, the very next thing that we should tell them about is the baptism with the Holy Spirit.  It is crucial, and the early church knew it.

4 -It was a high priority to Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles.

Read Acts 19:1-6.   Here is a summary:

Paul goes to a place named Ephesus. He meets some people there that call themselves “disciples.” Paul assumes they are Christians and his first question to these new “disciples” was “did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?”

They answered “no, we didn’t even know there was a Holy Spirit.”

Paul is perplexed and asks more questions.

He learns that they are disciples of John the Baptist, but they haven’t heard the gospel yet.

So Paul does the following:

1 – Explain (preach) the gospel of Jesus to them

2 – When they believe and receive, he baptizes them in water

3 – When they come up out of the water, he places his hands on them to receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit…and they speak in tongues as they receive it.

Take a look at Paul’s attitude here. This is around 25-30 years after the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, and the very first thing he asks new believers about is the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.

When he finds out they aren’t actually Christians yet, he leads them into salvation in Jesus, and then water baptism.

And then the next step is the Baptism with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues.

This is our pattern. This is our blueprint. This is what it should look like.  This attitude is consistent through the book of Acts, and I believe we should have the same attitude today.  After salvation through faith in Jesus, the next most important thing for any human being to receive is the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

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