In Part One, we covered the Person of the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, the Purpose of the Baptism, and how tongues was the initial sign of the infilling with the Holy Spirit. In this segment, we’ll cover
- What tongues are
- Different kinds of tongues
- Why every believer should speak with tongues
- How to be filled with the Spirit
What Tongues Are
Tongues are the doorway to the Gifts of the Spirit
Part of the “power to be witnesses” comes in the Gifts of the Spirit, which are supernatural endowments of power for a specific length of time to perform a specific task.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
The Bible actually has quite a bit to say about tongues. The apostle Paul devotes an entire chapter to the subject, plus there are other references scattered throughout the New Testament, and even a couple of references in the Old Testament! One of the reasons people who aren’t filled with the Spirit get confused is because the Bible describes different kinds of tongues, each with its own characteristics and purposes.
There are different levels or uses of tongues:
- The simple gift of tongues, also called the prayer language, or praying in the Spirit
- The manifestational gift of the Spirit of tongues and interpretation, to be used in a church service, which is equivalent to prophecy
- Another manifestation of the Spirit, where a person speaks in a language they don’t understand, but is understood by others, as a sign
- The ministry of tongues and interpretation
The Simple Gift of Tongues
You receive the simple gift of tongues when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit; it is the initial sign of being filled with the Spirit.
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.
Tongues are meant as a form of communication from the believer to God. In your human spirit, where the Holy Spirit dwells, He gives you the words to a supernatural language (or the utterance) that bypasses your brain and is directed toward God. This language is not understood by other people who might be listening, and not even understood by the person who is doing the speaking! This is because he speaks not to men, but to God; it is a mystery (something hidden to be revealed at a later time).
1 Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
Some people call the simple gift of tongues a prayer language. You can pray in tongues. After all, isn’t all communication with God prayer in some way? Note that the verse says my spirit prays. It is a form of communication that goes directly from your spirit to God. Since the words originate in your spirit as the Holy Spirit aids you by giving you the utterance, your mind or your “understanding” is not in on it, and does not understand what you are saying.
What good is it to pray in a language you don’t understand?
1 Corinthians 14:4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself…
The word edify means to build up, or charge like a battery. You can charge your spiritual batteries by praying in tongues (see the section of Why every believer should speak with tongues for more benefits of speaking in tongues).
Let me clear up a common misconception here: once you have been filled with the Spirit, the simple gift of tongues, or prayer language is under your control. I can start or stop speaking in tongues any time I want. I don’t have to feel any special way, I don’t even have to feel particularly “spiritual”; certainly I don’t have to be in some sort of “spiritual ecstasy”.
It was not a one time thing I did when I was first filled with the Spirit (another misconception), but something I do on an on going basis. In fact, I’ve learned to pray in tongues under my breath while my mind is concentrating on other things, so I can do it continually.
1 Corinthians 14:32 The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
The Holy Spirit does not “take you over” and make you speak with tongues. It is a joint effort, and you must cooperate and yield yourself to the Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 14:32 Paul was explaining how a prophecy can be held for an opportune time, so it is with tongues.
The Manifestational Gift of Tongues
The simple gift of tongues as described previously is for your own private communication between yourself and God, and is under your control. Another form, or level, of tongues is the manifestation of the Spirit of different kinds of tongues, as listed in 1 Corinthians 12:10.
The manifestational gift of tongues is meant for public use, such as in a church service. It therefore has a different set of rules governing it than the simple gift of tongues. In fact, Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 14 in order to clear up some confusion and mistakes the Corinthians were committing regarding the public use of tongues, versus private use.
To understand the public use of tongues, you need to understand what prophecy is.
1 Corinthians 14:3 But he who prophecies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
Prophecy is an inspired message in a known language, with the purpose of bringing edification (the same building up as tongues does), exhortation (encouragement, admonition, instruction) and comfort from God to people. Note that this works in the opposite direction as the simple gift of tongues, which is from the individual towards God.
The public use of tongues should be coupled with the interpretation of tongues; then it is the equivalent of prophecy, just as two nickels equal a dime.
1 Corinthians 14:5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
One of the things the Corinthians were doing is that they would all get together in a church service and just speak/pray in tongues. What you have there is just a bunch of individuals edifying themselves; there is no ministry going on.
1 Corinthians 14:23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
In a public service, there should be ministry going on towards the people. There is a time and place for “believer’s meetings”, or prayer meetings, where most of the praying is done in other tongues without any interpretation. But usually these are not open to the general public, and it is understood that the purpose of the meeting is not to minister to the people, but for the people to minister to the Lord.
1 Corinthians 14:26-28 26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.
28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.
The Bible puts a limit on the number of prophecies or tongues/interpretations in a public service, with two or three as a guideline. That is, the whole service shouldn’t be taken up with people prophesying over one another. If someone stands up in a public service and begins speaking with tongues so as to draw the attention of other people, it should be interpreted. It should be considered a message, and what good is a message if it is not understood? If there is no one to interpret, the person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and God (which is a description of the prayer language).
There are proper times in a service when it is appropriate to prophesy or give a message in tongues. Certainly it would not be proper for someone to jump up in the middle of the pastor’s sermon, interrupting him, to give forth a message. That would not be “decent and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). The Holy Spirit does not interrupt Himself.
Back when I was pastoring I handled it this way: during the praise and worship, or after the preaching, my wife or I might sense that the Lord wants to bring forth a message, so we tell the people by saying something like, “if anyone has something from the Lord, just give it out.” Someone then might give a message in tongues. We then wait on the interpretation.
Who should interpret? 1 Corinthians 14:13 says “let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.” Therefore it could be the person who gave the message in tongues. The Holy Spirit will move on various people to give the interpretation. Sometimes an individual will “chicken out”, so He’ll move on to someone else. If no one steps out to give the interpretation, the Holy Spirit will generally give it to the person who is running the service.
The type of tongues we have been speaking of here, where a message is given and an interpretation is expected, is by the will of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:11). That is, a person must be inspired by the Holy Spirit to give a message in tongues or a prophecy, it is not something you make up on your own. In that way it is different than the prayer language, which you have control over.
We’ve kind of hip-hopped through 1 Corinthians 14. Read the entire chapter now, keeping the things we’ve said in mind.
Singing in the Spirit
Occasionally in a charismatic service, the congregation may sing in other tongues for a while, without any interpretation. This usually occurs within the praise and worship part of a service. Is that scriptural?
1 Corinthians 14:15 What is the result, 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.
Notice the use of the word will – I will pray with the spirit, I will sing with the spirit. The type of tongues that is under the control of your will is the simple gift of tongues, which can be spoken or sung. Remember that in the simple gift of tongues, the direction is from the individual toward God. It is acceptable for a congregation to sing in tongues to the Lord as an act of corporate worship for a period of time. The key is that everything should be done decently and in order. If I suspected that there is someone in the congregation who might not understand what was going on, I would take the time to explain it.
Different Kinds of Tongues
“On the Day of Pentecost, when the believers in the upper room spoke with tongues, the people understood them. Why was that?”
1 Corinthians 13:1 talks about speaking “with the tongues of men and angels”. On the Day of Pentecost, they were speaking with the tongues of men. The languages being spoken were not understood by the people doing the speaking, but they were understood by people listening.
This was done as a sign to the listeners. Indeed, it was a source of amazement to them that the uneducated Galileans would be speaking in the very dialects to which the listeners were born. Usually when the Holy Spirit gives an utterance in the tongues of men, it’s because there’s someone around who understands it (without a supernatural interpretation).
1 Corinthians 13:1 also speaks of the “tongues of angels”. For example, what language is spoken in heaven? Such a language would be understood by the angels (and by the demons, for that matter).
God can also give a prayer language that is understood by Him alone. And this is a great advantage – because the devil can’t understand it! Coded messages!
The Ministry of Tongues and Interpretation
The ministry gifts (Greek dokimion) are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:5. The mostly widely recognized of these are the five-fold ministry gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher as listed in Ephesians 4:11.
The difference between the ministry gifts and the manifestational gifts of the Spirit, is that a person is called by God to the ministry, and that calling is irrevocable (i.e., it doesn’t go away).
A further list of ministry gifts appears in 1 Corinthians 12:28-30:
1 Corinthians 12:28-30 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
Note that Paul begins with three of the ministries, or offices, that are also in Ephesians 4:11 – apostles, prophets, teachers. There are also some ministries that are duplicates of the manifestations of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 – working of miracles, gifts of healings, varieties of tongues, interpretation of tongues.
When someone operates in the office or ministry of say, gifts of healings, it means that it is not a once in a while thing – whenever they are in the Spirit and are ministering, that gift operates through them on a regular basis. For example, Oral Roberts in his tent crusades of the 40’s and 50’s, Kathryn Kuhlmann in the 60’s in 70’s, and in the present, Benny Hinn, Randy Clark, and others operate in the ministry gifts of healings.
In a similar way, there is a ministry gift of tongues and interpretations. You don’t see it that often, but this would be someone (or often a couple such as a husband and wife) where tongues and interpretation is an integral part of their ministry.
Like specialists, they are more finely tuned and accurate in their gift. You can see and hear the correlation between the tongue and its “translation”. The tongue comes out with expression and nuance, maybe even hand and body motions so you can almost “understand” it even before the interpretation is given. Then when the interpretation does come, it reflects the same nuances. There is more power behind the operation of the gift than in your typical Sunday morning tongue and interpretation. It is a prophetic gift in another form. It’s a bit hard to describe if you’ve never seen it in operation, but when you have, you can tell it is on a deeper level than average.
Reasons Why Every Believer Should Speak in Tongues
I’d like to give credit here to Kenneth E. Hagin and his minibook “Why Tongues”, from which I “lifted” this material.
ONE: Tongues is the initial sign of the baptism in the Holy Spirit
We saw the scriptural precedent, that when believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke with tongues. Do you have to speak with tongues?
No, God won’t force you, you have to yield to it. I know that there are believers who have been baptized with the Holy Spirit because they have asked, but never got a release in their tongues. Usually all that is needed there is a little instruction and encouragement.
Tongues are part of the package of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. You can buy a car without wheels, but something is missing.
I’ve heard someone say, “Yes, tongues; the least of all the gifts”. That is true, tongues is the “easiest” of all the spiritual gifts to operate in, because it takes the least amount of faith. But because of that, it is like the doorway into the other gifts. That is, if a person is hesitant to speak in tongues and operate in the “least” of the gifts, they probably won’t be open to operating in the “greater” gifts either.
Mark 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues….
If you don’t believe, then the sign of tongues will not follow you.
TWO: For Spiritual Edification
We read in 1 Corinthians 14:4 that “he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself”. Speaking in tongues helps you “tune in” to the Spirit. I like to call it “raising your spiritual antennae”. You see, God is always broadcasting, you just need to tune in to His channel to hear what He is saying. Praying/speaking in tongues increases your spiritual sensitivity, so you can hear that “still, small voice” on the inside.
When I go to pray for someone, I always start off in tongues and listen on the inside until I get God’s direction. Then I switch over to English.
THREE: Tongues remind you of the Spirit’s indwelling presence
Praying in tongues is not something which should be done only once when you receive the Holy Spirit and then never again. The Day of Pentecost was not the only time the apostles were “filled with the Spirit”.
Ephesians 5:18-19 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
The literal Greek is in the present continuous tense: be being filled with the Spirit. There should be many fillings!
If we are more conscious of God’s indwelling presence, this will:
- Enable us to walk in the Spirit better; we therefore won’t be walking in the flesh. (Galatians 5:16) “Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” For example, if you are going to lose your temper, instead of counting to 10, start praying in other tongues.
- Keep us from being afraid. The Bible’s answer to fear is to know that God is with us (Hebrews 13:5-6).
FOUR: Praying in tongues is praying in line with God’s perfect will
Romans 8:26-27 26 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.
27 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.
We do not always know what to pray for, even if we know how to pray. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness; the weakness being that we might only know the general “what” to pray in a given situation, but not the particular “what”. The Holy Spirit knows the mind of the Father and the Father knows the mind of the Holy Spirit – so He can give us the words to pray that are directly according to the will of God.
“Groanings which cannot be uttered”. The literal Greek says “groanings which cannot be uttered in articulate speech.” This can be tongues, but sometimes when in deep intercession it’s not even words – just groanings. This is also called travailing in the Spirit, because you’re trying to bring something to birth in the spirit through prayer. The key is that the Father understands what is being prayed.
A prayer in tongues, since its source is the Holy Spirit, is always according to the will of God.
1 John 5:14-15 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
FIVE: Praying in tongues allows us to pray for the unknown
Since the source of the prayer language is the Holy Spirit who gives the utterance, and since it bypasses our minds, we can pray for things of which we have no knowledge. If we yield ourselves, God can use us as instruments of intercession to pray for others whom we’ve never met, clear across the other side of the world!
Praying in tongues is also a good way to get guidance for yourself. You can pray in tongues and then pray that you may interpret (1 Corinthians 14:13). The verse doesn’t say it only works in a church service.
Oral Roberts said he got most of his guidance this way.
SIX: Praying in tongues stimulates faith
Jude 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit….
Tongues are a supernatural phenomena. They help you trust in God for His supernatural intervention in your life. They increase your spiritual sensitivity.
SEVEN: Pray in tongues as a means for keeping free from worldly contamination
When you are in the world (secular job, etc.), you cannot help from being exposed to worldly things that you see and hear.
(1 Corinthians 14:28) You can speak in tongues to yourself and to God, under your breath. This puts a “buffer” between you and the things that you hear so you don’t get to feeling dirty by having your ears used as garbage pails.
EIGHT: Spiritual Refreshing
Isaiah 28:11-12 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people,
12 To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear.
Anxiety and tension is caused when you get too caught up in the problems of the world. You can “take a rest” wherever you are.
NINE: Praying in tongues is a good way to praise God
In 1 Corinthians 14:15-17 it says we can pray / sing / bless with the Spirit as well as the understanding. Verse 17 says that in the Spirit “you give thanks well”.
When praising God, there are only so many ways to say “thank you Jesus praise God hallelujah glory to God….” English is limited. But praising in the Spirit opens up new vistas.
How to Receive the Holy Spirit
One: Make sure you’re born again.
God has promised the Holy Spirit only to those who have accepted His Son. If you are in any doubt at all about your salvation, accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The words you pray are not as important as the heart commitment you make.
Two: You must convince yourself that it is God’s will that you be filled with the Spirit.
I have presented enough scripture here; go over them so faith can come. The gift of the Holy Spirit has already been given; you just need to receive it.
“But I open myself up to the Spirit, what if the devil tries to get in there?”
Luke 11:13 If you then, being evil (or, “as bad as you are”), know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!
God will see to it that if you only get what you ask for, the Holy Spirit.
Three: Ask the Father to fill you with the Holy Spirit.
Make a “formal” request. Quote some scripture that promises the Holy Spirit. “Father, you told me to not be filled with wine, but be filled with the Spirit. You said that power to be a witness would come upon me when I was filled with the Spirit. Therefore I ask You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit.”
Four: Thank God that you have been filled with the Spirit.
It is good to have a point of contact, a specific time where you believe you are being filled. Having someone who is filled with the Spirit already lay their hands on you is a good point of contact. When I pray for people to be filled, I have them take a deep breath and imagine they are breathing in the Holy Spirit.
Start thanking God that you have been filled. What is the basis for this? Not some feeling, but faith in God’s promise that He would fill you when you asked.
Five: Because you have been filled with the Holy Spirit, you can now speak with tongues.
We saw from the scripture that speaking with tongues accompanies the baptism in the Holy Spirit. So you can.
In Acts 2, when the disciples in the upper room were filled with the Holy Spirit, it says they began to speak with tongues – the disciples, not the Holy Spirit. It’s your tongue that has to do the speaking, your vocal chords. The Holy Spirit is not going to just take you over. You have to yield to it.
Start saying whatever words or sounds that seem to come up. Be bold, and speak them out, no matter how silly you feel. Most people are hesitant and feel silly at first. When I pray for someone to be filled, I begin speaking with tongues so they can hear me. Sometimes I tell them to copy me. This is like “priming the pump” (sometimes you have to put water into a water pump to get water out of it – that’s priming the pump).
As the words begin to come, have faith that you’re really speaking with tongues. I can guarantee you that the devil is going to tell you that you’re making it up. Tell him to shut up, and keep speaking. Don’t be concerned if it doesn’t flow right out of you at first – you’re like a baby speaking his first words. Sandy Brown, an evangelist, said that when she was first filled with the Holy Spirit all she could say for a couple of days was “yabba-dabba-doo” (Fred Flinstone tongues?).
Six: Practice
Keep it up. When I was first filled with the Holy Spirit, I felt embarrassed to do it in front of anyone, so I locked myself in the bathroom to practice.
People’s experiences in being filled with the Spirit vary. Some people have this glorious spiritual experience where the presence of God just saturates them. Others have to take it entirely by faith.
I was one of the latter. I didn’t feel much of anything when I was filled, which was in my bedroom at my parents’ home with my girlfriend (who is now my wife) praying for me, and she had only been filled with the Spirit for about a month.
For about a week I wrestled with the thoughts, “you’re not really filled, you’re just making this up”. Finally I just made the decision, “No, the Bible says that if I asked I would receive; I asked therefore I received.” As soon as I made that decision, my tongues opened up and began flowing.
Conclusion
I hope this study has been helpful. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is just as real and valid an experience for the believer today as it was to the 120 in the upper room.
I’ll close with these words of Paul:
1 Corinthians 14:39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.
