Countless numbers of believers today testify that they too have been baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoken in tongues. They see themselves as standing in the line of Jerusalem and Caesarea (and, later, —Acts 19:6). For them, speaking in tongues is not so much “proof” as it is supernatural evidence of the Holy Spirit’s powerful presence and activity.
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Speaking in tongues is only one of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit but still the sign of receiving the HS or filled with the HS was always tongues. Now the New testament Bible records that people spoke in tongues when the Holy Spirit came upon them, it means that everyone must then speak in tongues when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.. or do you use another false Bible?
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The Bible also says in 1 Cor. 12:10, “and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” Notice that Paul is teaching that the Holy Spirit gives different gift to different people. One person has the effecting of miracles, another prophecy, another distinguishing of spirits, etc.”
Do you even know the true benefits of speaking in tongues, as yo why this gift is so valuable.
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“ Here are 10 reasons to prove why we need this wonderful gift.
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1. The manifestation that came with the gift of the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongues. It wasn’t the wind, fire, noise or feeling of God’s presence that was evidence of the gift being received but a spirit language—believers began speaking languages of the Spirit they didn’t understand. It was God’s plan for the gift to function as a spirit language for His children (Acts 2:4, 11; 1 Cor. 14:2).
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2. Jesus commanded us to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus commissioned the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promise of the Father, He didn’t say, “Do this if you feel led to do so, or if it fits in your doctrinal or denominational beliefs, or if you have the time, or if you are so inclined, or if you feel comfortable about it.” No! Jesus commanded them to wait until they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Since Jesus put such importance on their receiving this gift, that’s more than enough reason for every Christian to seek God until they receive it too (Acts 1:4; 5:32; John 14:16-17; Eph. 5:18).
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3. The Scriptures exhort us to be filled with the Spirit and to pray in the new tongues of our spirit language. Our spirit language enables us to live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, be led of the Spirit, have the fruit of the Spirit, manifest the gifts of the Spirit and go from glory to glory until we are transformed into His same image (Gal. 5:22-25; Rom. 8:14; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; 14:15; Eph. 5:18; Acts 19:2; 2 Cor. 3:18).
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4. A spirit language is the greatest gift the Holy Spirit can give a believer. Jesus is the greatest gift God could give for the redemption of the world, and the Holy Spirit is the greatest gift Jesus could give to His church. Of all the resources in heaven and the eternal universe, nothing is more valuable, beneficial or important for the Holy Spirit to give the individual child of God than her own spirit language (1 Cor. 12:31; 14:4).
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5. Our spirit language enables us to have spirit-to-Spirit communication with God. Humans are spirit beings clothed with flesh-and-bone bodies. While man’s sin deadened the spirit, Jesus brings the spirit back to life by imparting His everlasting life into us. The Holy Spirit gives us a spirit language so we can communicate directly with God (John 4:24; 1 Cor. 15:45; Gen. 2:7; Rom. 5:12; John 3:3-5, 16).
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6. Praying in tongues builds and increases our faith. Faith is the medium of exchange for all heavenly things, just as money is the medium of exchange for all earthly things. A major way to increase our faith is to pray in the tongues of our spirit language (Rom. 12:6; Jude 1:20; Mark 9:23; Matt. 9:29).
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7. Praying in tongues activates the fruit of the Spirit. It’s vital and beneficial to have each of the spiritual attributes become active and mature in us. Praying in tongues helps us fulfill God’s predestined purpose for us to be conformed to the image of His Son (Gal. 5:22-23; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Cor. 13:1-13; Rom. 8:29).
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8. Praying in our spirit language is the main way we fulfill the scriptural admonition to “pray without ceasing.” Christians can pray in tongues at any time. If we are in a place where it isn’t convenient or wise to speak out loud in tongues, we can pray with our inner man without making an audible sound (Eph. 6:18; 1 Thess. 5:17; Matt. 26:41; Luke 18:1; 21:36; 1 Cor. 14:15).
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9. The Holy Spirit directs our spirit language to pray in accordance with the will of God. Probably the only time we can be assured that we are praying 100 percent in the will of God is when we are praying in our spirit language. God always answers requests that are made in alignment with His will (Rom. 8:27; 1 John 5:14-15).
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10. Praying in tongues quiets the mind. When Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist, compared brain scans of Christians praying in tongues with Buddhist monks chanting and Catholic nuns praying, the study showed the frontal lobes—the brain’s control center—went quiet in the brains of Christians talking in tongues, proving that speaking in tongues isn’t a function of the natural brain but an operation of the spirit (1 Cor. 14:2, 14). “Adapted from Seventy Reasons for Speaking in Tongues by Bill Hamon .
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The people who say they have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues tend to have no visible evidence of it..
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HOW TO PRAISE THE LORD IN TONGUES
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After we have given our lives to Jesus as Lord and received the Holy Spirit, we begin to realize that the purpose of our existence is to praise the Lord (Eph 1:12). Most of our earthly life will pass away, but praising the Lord will last forever. Although praising Him is our heart’s desire and our eternal destiny, we have difficulty living a life of praise.
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1) Giving thanks is the beginning of praising the Lord. We enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts (Ps 100:4). Those who are not familiar with praising the Lord should begin by thanking Him.
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2) We naturally move to praise from thanksgiving (Ps 100:4). We move from focusing on the works of God to the God of works. We come to realize He is worthy to be praised (Rv 5:12).
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3) After thanking and praising the Lord for a few minutes, we run out of ways to express ourselves. Not that there isn’t more to say in praise of God, but our consciousness, memory, and vocabulary are limited. When someone or something exceeds our ability to communicate, we usually try to extend our powers of communication by shouting or singing. We may even get into non-verbal forms of communication, such as clapping, dancing, and liturgical actions such as lifting our hands, bowing, etc.
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4) But even if we have the best Biblical vocabulary and are free and talented enough to shout, sing, and dance; we cannot sustain praising God for more than a few minutes. We need the Spirit’s gift of praising the Lord in another language, the gift of tongues (1 Cor 12:10). As with our native language, we form the words but the Lord provides the motivation. We pray in other tongues in obedience, simply because we believe the Lord is telling us to do so.
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Reason Number One
The Word of God teaches that when we are filled with the Holy Ghost, we speak with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance. Speaking in tongues is an initial evidence, or sign, of the baptism of the Holy Spirit: “And they were all FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and began to SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4).
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Reason Number Two
Paul encouraged the Corinthian Christians to continue the practice of speaking with other tongues in their worship of God. He also encouraged them to speak in tongues in their individual prayer life as a means of spiritual edification, or building up. The Bible says, “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself . . .” (1 Cor. 14:4).
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Paul also stated in First Corinthians 14:14, “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, MY SPIRIT PRAYETH, but my understanding is unfruitful.” Notice he said, “My spirit prays.”
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The Amplified Bible reads, “My spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays . . . .” God is a Spirit. When you pray in tongues, your spirit is in direct contact with God, who is a Spirit. When you speak in tongues, you are talking to Him by divine, supernatural means.
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Reason Number Three
A third reason people should speak with other tongues is that speaking with tongues keeps us continually aware of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling Presence. Not only is speaking with tongues the initial sign or evidence of the Holy Spirit’s infilling, but continuing to pray and to worship God in tongues helps us to be ever-conscious of His indwelling Presence. And if you are conscious of the indwelling Presence of the Holy Ghost every day, that is bound to affect the way you think and live.
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Reason Number Four
Speaking in tongues eliminates the possibility of selfishness entering our prayer life. For instance, if I pray a prayer out of my own mind and out of my own thinking, it may be unscriptural. It may be selfish.
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Paul wrote to the Church at Rome, “We know not what we should pray for as we ought. . .” (Rom. 8:26). He didn’t say we didn’t know how to pray, because we are instructed to pray to the Father in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:23–24).
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But just because I know how to pray doesn’t mean that I know what to pray for as I ought. So Paul said, “We know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself [Himself] maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26).
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The Holy Ghost is not going to do our praying for us. He is sent to help us pray. Speaking with other tongues is praying as the Spirit gives utterance. It is Spirit-directed praying. And it eliminates the possibility of selfishness in our prayers.
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Reason Number Five
A fifth reason believers should speak with tongues is that it helps them learn to trust God more fully. It builds one’s faith to speak in tongues. The Bible says, “Building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 20).
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Speaking in tongues stimulates faith and helps us learn how to trust God more fully. For example, faith must be exercised to speak with tongues because the Holy Spirit supernaturally directs the words we speak. You see, we don’t know what the next word will be—we have to trust God for that. And trusting God in one area helps us learn to trust Him in another area.
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Reason Number Six
A sixth reason every believer should speak in tongues is that it provides a way for you to pray about things that you wouldn’t think to pray about or aren’t even aware of. We already know that the Holy Spirit helps us pray for particular situations when we don’t know how to pray about those situations. In addition, the Holy Spirit, Who knows everything, can pray things through us for things about which our natural mind knows nothing.
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Reason Number Seven
A seventh reason why every believer should speak with tongues is found in James 3:8. “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison,” Yielding your tongue to the Holy Spirit to speak with other tongues is a big step toward being able to fully yield all of your members to God; for if you can yield your tongue, you can yield any member of your body to God.
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Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. God has given us this wonderful spiritual gift to bless us, edify us, and refresh us throughout our lives on this earth. Let’s receive what God has provided and enjoy the benefits of speaking in tongues!
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Why Should I Speak In Tongues? By Dr. John Wagner
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There are six purposes for speaking in tongues. These six purposes are divided into three categories: the initial evidence of Spirit baptism, personal edification, and corporate edification. It must be understood that the “tongues” being discussed in each case are the same tongues. It is their purpose in each situation which distinguishes them.
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Let me use the English language to provide a very simple illustration of what I mean. Some people are professional singers and use the English language to make beautiful music with their voices. Others, who have no ability to sing, may use the same English language to preach moving sermons in churches, teach excellent lessons in the classroom, or make powerful, moving political speeches. Still others may not be able to do any of those things, but still use the English language to communicate on a routine daily basis. In each of these situations it is the same language, but used for different purposes.
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INITIAL EVIDENCE OF SPIRIT BAPTISM
This is the broadest and most basic manifestation of the use of tongues. When Christians are baptized with the Holy Spirit they are enabled by the Spirit to speak in tongues. This is a language either “angelic” or “human” (1 Cor 13:1) that the individual has never learned. The “tongue” in this instance is the initial evidence of having been filled with (or baptized with) the Holy Spirit. There may be other evidences as well, but EVERYONE who is baptized with the Holy Spirit will speak in other tongues!
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There are three clear accounts in the Bible where people who were initially baptized in the Holy Spirit spoke in other tongues, and which provides the Scriptural basis for this being the pattern for everyone who is Spirit baptized:
Acts 2:1-4
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place…All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
Acts 10:43-46
“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.”
Acts 19:1-6
“…Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit’…When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”
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In each of these instances the disciples KNEW they had been “clothed with power from on high” according to Luke 24:49, or “filled with the Holy Spirit,” (Acts 2:4) because they spoke with other tongues! It must be understood that this impartation by the Spirit to speak in tongues is NOT the “Gift of Tongues!” The Gift of tongues will be discussed later in this article.
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PERSONAL EDIFICATION
The next four purposes for speaking in tongues are personal in nature and involve the individual edification (building up) of the believer.
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As Christians all of us should want to grow and be built up in our faith. The word edification means “building up.” One way of doing this is mentioned in:
1 Corinthians 14:4
“He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself…”
This personal edification is perfectly acceptable and necessary for a healthy Christian life. The four personal uses of tongues are:
Prayer
The first of these personal purposes is a personal prayer language. According to the Bible there are two types of languages: human languages and angelic languages.
1 Corinthians 13:1
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”
So, the prayer language, or tongue, that a person receives at their Spirit baptism may be a human language or an angelic language. Human languages are relatively easy to recognize. However, angelic languages are not that familiar to us. Generally, they are what we refer to as Glossolalia. Some say that glossolalia sounds a lot like gibberish. But trust me, it is not! But I want to repeat here, whether the language a person receives from the Holy Spirit is a human language or an angelic language, it is NOT a language they have learned.
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Often when we pray we run out of our own words and wish there were a better way to express our deepest concerns to God. It is at this point that praying in tongues or “praying in the Spirit” (synonymous expressions) becomes invaluable! The Apostle Paul explains in:
Romans 8:26-27
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”
1 Corinthians 14:2, 14-15 says,
“For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God…For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.”
When a person prays in tongues they don’t know exactly what they are saying, but the Spirit is praying in tune with God’s will. And God knows what is being said. Paul asks the question in verse 15 “So what shall I do?” and then answers it by saying, “I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind…”
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Being able to pray both in our known language, and in “tongues” (in the Spirit) is a distinct benefit of being filled with the Spirit! It is part of the power we receive when we are Spirit baptized.
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We are instructed by both the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Jude to pray in the Spirit:
Ephesians 6:18
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”
Jude 20
“But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.”
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Singing
In our personal worship of God singing is one way we express our love for Him. When we are filled with the Spirit we can sing in our own language and we can sing in tongues too.
1 Corinthians 14:15
“So what shall I do?… I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.”
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Praising God
Again, in our expressions of love for God we can praise Him in our known language or we can praise Him in tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:16-17
“If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?”
Paul is here explaining why, in a public worship service, a person should not praise God audibly in tongues. Nevertheless, praising God quietly, or privately in tongues is perfectly acceptable!
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And singing praises to God in the privacy of our own home in the Spirit, or in tongues, is to be encouraged! Do it often!
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Giving Thanks to God
As with praising God, after we are filled with the Spirit, we can also give thanks to God in either our known language or in tongues. Paul continues his instruction of the Corinthians in the proper use of tongues in a public worship service when he says,
1 Corinthians 14:17
“You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.”
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His primary concern is with everyone being built up in their faith when the whole church comes together. By giving thanks to God in tongues, an individual may be doing it well enough between himself and God, but because those around him don’t understand what he is saying they are not built up. So, giving thanks to God in tongues privately is very appropriate, but without an interpretation, it should not be done out loud in a public worship service.
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CORPORATE EDIFICATION
Finally, one purpose for the use of tongues is public and is intended to edify the corporate body of believers (the congregation as a whole).
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The “Gift” of Tongues
Each of the personal purposes of speaking in tongues mentioned before (prayer, singing, praising God, giving thanks to God) can also be used in a public worship service. However in the public worship setting, though they are the same tongues, they have a different function and their use is restricted by very clear biblical guidelines for their exercise.
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The tongues used in a public worship service are referred to as one of the “Spiritual Gifts.”
1 Corinthians 12:8-10
“To one there is given through the Spirit…speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.”
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These two gifts of the Holy Spirit (speaking in different kinds of tongues and interpretation of tongues) are to function together when the corporate body of Christ is in worship. When these two gifts function together in a service it is God speaking to the church directly through a Christian who has been baptized in the Holy Spirit.
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There are three primary differences between the personal and the public use of tongues.
First, whenever tongues are used audibly in a public worship service they are to be interpreted by someone so the entire congregation can be built up and not just the one doing the speaking. In private there is no interpretation of tongues.
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Second, the number of times an utterance in tongues followed by an interpretation can be given in a corporate worship setting is limited to two or at the most three.
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Third, though every Christian is to be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues, NOT everyone who has been baptized in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues, will be able to use their tongues in a public message, in a corporate worship setting, followed by an interpretation.
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Only those who the Holy Spirit specifically selects, out of those who have been Spirit baptized, will be used in giving a message in tongues in a church service. They are the ones who have been given the “Gift of Tongues.” http://www.openbibleministries.com/03hsbapt2.php#.Uu-9f2eEgbI
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