Sons and Daughters of the Living God
Title: The Nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Subject Matter: An overview of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
Speaker: Neal Leazer
Recorded February 11, 2015 at Spirit Filled Living – a local church in Apex, NC
You can download the audio by right-clicking on the following link: The Nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Title: The Baptism with the Holy Spirit
Subject Matter: Teaching about the Holy Spirit Baptism, and instructions on how to receive it
Speaker: Neal Leazer
Recorded January 21, 2015 at Spirit Filled Living – a local church in Apex, NC
You can download the audio by right-clicking on the following link: Baptism with the Holy Spirit
Title: Baptism with the Holy Spirit
Subject Matter: An overview of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, along with my own personal testimony.
Speaker: Neal Leazer
Recorded October 15, 2014 at Spirit Filled Living – a local church in Apex, NC
You can download the audio by right-clicking on the following link: Baptism with the Holy Spirit
In this post, I am addressing one of the biggest points of confusion that I find when discussing the Baptism with the Holy Spirit with people. It is the misunderstanding of the use of speaking in tongues.
There is an entire chapter devoted to this subject in the Bible, and it should not be confusing at all. However, because of wrong teaching (or a lack of teaching) there seems to be a large number of Christians that really do not understand this very important subject. Read more
Title: Holy Spirit Baptism FAQ
Subject Matter: In this teaching, I answer some frequently asked questions on the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, and provide an opportunity for people to receive this Baptism
Speaker: Neal Leazer
Recorded May 7, 2014 at Spirit Filled Living – a local church in Apex, NC
You can download the audio by right-clicking on the following link: The Holy Spirit Baptism FAQ
I am writing this post to show from the Bible that the power to speak in tongues is part of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Everyone that receives the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is given the ability (power) to speak in tongues. The ability to speak in tongues (aka pray in the spirit) is a very powerful tool that Jesus made available to His church, and it is very important that Christians understand, receive, and use this gift.
Consider these facts from the Bible:
1 – Every time that we see people speak in tongues for their first time in the Bible, it happens when they are receiving the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:6
2 – Conversely, every time that we see people receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, we see that something happens that is noticeable to any observers that are present. There is a definite tangible evidence that makes it obvious that something has taken place, even if we aren’t told what this evidence is. Acts 2:4, Acts 8:17-19, Acts 10:44-46, Acts 19:6
3 – In every instance that we are provided additional details about the “tangible evidence,” we find that it is speaking in tongues. Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:6
4 – There are no examples where we are told that some of the recipients of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit spoke in tongues but others did not. It is always 100% of those receiving the Baptism with the Holy Spirit that are doing it.
5 – In the letters from the apostles to the churches (aka the Epistles), we see several places where the believers are being encouraged to “pray in the spirit” (aka speak in tongues…see 1 Cor. 14:14). We see this in 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, and Jude. It was assumed that the recipients of these Epistles were able to speak in tongues. The believers were being encouraged to make it a regular practice. This shows that it was common, normal, and expected that nearly all of the believers in any given church would have this ability. Otherwise, it would be useless to encourage them to do it if they were not able to. 1 Cor 14:14-15, Eph 6:18, Jude 1:20
So, according to the Bible, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit includes the power/ability to speak in tongues. (Note: I know that there are a lot of people who disagree with this statement. There are many great men and women of God that disagree with this. There are entire denominations and religious organizations that disagree with this. But, it is better to believe the Bible rather than human tradition.)
It may be helpful at this point for the reader to take a closer look at all four places in the Bible where the experience is described with some level of detail. Not all four accounts have the same amount of information, but they do present a consistent picture. The rest of this post is devoted to pointing out those consistencies.
I will approach this in the following manner. I will begin by showing the first and last examples we have in Acts. They occurred approximately 20 years apart, and they will serve at “bookends” that show that nothing changed even after all those years had passed. Next I will point out some things from the other two examples that occurred in the years in between.
Read Acts 2:1-4. This is the day first time that God made the Baptism with the Holy Spirit available to the church. In this account, the writer makes the following statement:
Acts 2:4 – And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
On the day that the Holy Spirit is poured out on the church, the says that they “all” spoke in tongues. So, 100 percent of the people that were baptized with the Holy Spirit spoke in tongues. Another way of saying it is “there was not a single person that was baptized with the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues.” And yet another way of saying this is “every single person that spoke in tongues was a recipient of the baptism with the Holy Spirit.”
These are very powerful statistics. 100 percent. The entire Christian church was baptized with the Holy Spirit, and the entire Christian church spoke in tongues. 120 of out 120 people present spoke in tongues when they received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
I have heard people who try to downplay the power of this passage by saying something like this: “It only happened like this because they needed to speak in other languages to preach to the foreigners that were present.” Acts 2:5-12 is used in support of this argument.
There are two big problems with that line of thinking.
1 – The passage doesn’t mention anything about preaching the gospel in tongues. Instead, it says that they were “speaking the wonderful works of God.” They were worshiping, not preaching. Their exuberant means of worship caused a crowd to gather around. Then Peter started preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in a common language they all understood. He begins his “sermon” by commenting on the event that just took place, indicating that the “tongue talking” was over now and it was time to preach.
2 – We will see in the other examples in Acts where people spoke in tongues and there were no unbelieving foreigners present that needed to hear the gospel message in a different language.
Nowhere in the Bible does it say that people preached the gospel in tongues to foreigners. Sometimes it is a sign that draws attention, but it is never mentioned as a way to preach the gospel. The gift of speaking in tongues is given as a blessing and a gift to the person that is receiving the Holy Spirit baptism. It is part of the “power” that Jesus promised us in Acts 1:8.
To summarize quickly, here is what we have so far. The first time that the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is mentioned in Acts, 100 percent of the people that received it spoke in tongues. There were no exceptions.
Read Acts 19:1-7. This is the last recording in Acts where we get some details about people getting baptized with the Holy Spirit. This takes place 20-25 years after the day of Pentecost, but as you will see, the experience is exactly the same.
In this story, we are told that there are about 12 men present (verse 7). It says that all 12 of them spoke in tongues when they were baptized with the Holy Spirit (verse 6). 100 percent of the people that were baptized with the Holy Spirit spoke in tongues.
There are no unbelieving foreigners present, and there is no mention of any interpretation or anything else like that. It just says that they “spoke in tongues and prophesied.”
It is very simple. The ability to speak in tongues is included as a part of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit
Read Acts 8:4-24. This is the story with the least amount of detail, but here is a brief summary:
Philip preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Samaritans. They believe and get baptized. The church at Jerusalem finds out about it and immediately sends Peter and John to them to lead them to receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. They are successful on their mission, and we do not have much more information outside of that.
We aren’t told anything else about the people that received the baptism. There is no information provided. So this story does not say anything about speaking in tongues directly.
However, if you read verses 17-19 carefully, you will notice something. A bystander name Simon observed what happened and he was so amazed by it that he offered to bribe them in order to be able to do the same thing. This tells us that something happened that was definitely noticeable to anyone present. It also tells us that it was something powerful enough to prompt Simon to act in this way.
So there was some kind of “evidence” that could be observed by a bystander, and this evidence was something very unusual. Since all three of the other examples in Acts say specifically that speaking in tongues was a result of getting baptized with the Holy Spirit, it is not a stretch by any means to assume that was the case here as well.
Read Acts 10:44-48 and Acts 11:15-18.
Here we have an entire household getting baptized with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. In this story, I want to point out two passages. Both of these are quotes from Peter.
Acts 10:45-48 – 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, “can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have ?”
Acts 11:15-16 – And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
When Peter hears these people speak in tongues, he immediately thinks of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. He associates the two together. According to his logic and to his thinking, a person speaking in tongues is a person that has been baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Peter was present on the day of Pentecost, and he was also present in Samaria. Of all the human beings that have ever walked the earth, Peter should know whether or not speaking in tongues is a part of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. And he has made it clear in these two passages that this is what he believes. Peter associates speaking in tongues with the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. They go together. The are a part of the same experience.
It is plain to see beyond any reasonable doubt. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit includes the power to speak in tongues.
One of the questions that people often have when talking to me about the Baptism with the Holy Spirit goes something like this: “Do I have to speak in tongues when I get baptized with the Holy Spirit?”
This question makes it sound like speaking in tongues is something you wouldn’t want to do unless you had to. But the only reason that a Christian would not want this gift and ability (at least in my opinion) is because he/she does not understand it. Unfortunately, I have found that a large percentage of the Christians I talk to have a very poor understanding of this subject. (If this is you, please read my posts about the PURPOSE and BENEFITS of the experience.)
So, that being said….my answer to the question “do I have to” is simply this: “no, you don’t have to…you GET to.” You get to speak in tongues when you receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. It is included as part of the experience, and it will change your life forever.
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>>Next in SERIES: Why Speak in Tongues?
Title: Principles of the Spirit Realm
Subject Matter: In this class we discuss some of the different ways the Holy Spirit interacts with us, and some of the ways that we can choose to cooperate with Him.
Speaker: Neal Leazer
Recorded April 23, 2014 at Spirit Filled Living – a local church in Apex, NC
You can download the audio by right-clicking on the following link: Principles of the Spirit Realm
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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>> Next in series: “Prayer Language” or “Spiritual Gift?”
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?