Using the Gift of Tongues

[Asaph]

I wanted to see what everyone's experience with the Gift of Tongues has been like. I myself have spoken in tongues only once and I interpreted what someone else had spoken once. Both were edifying experiences.

Please though, no debating about whether or not there is a gift of tongues. I want to be able to talk freely about the experience of the gift itself.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace,
Asaph

[Iosias]

I wanted to see what everyone's experience with the Gift of Tongues has been like.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace,
Asaph
I have never spoken in tongues...suprising since they ceased centuries ago;)

[Asaph]

I have never spoken in tongues...suprising since they ceased centuries ago;)
Really, please AV, I don't want any of that in the thread. I want a place where people can feel free to discuss their experience of the Gift of Tongues.

Thanks for your consideration,
Asaph

[Simon_Templar]

I have spoken in tongues on a numbe of occasions, pretty much all privately. For me it has never been a tingly mystical experience but edifying non the less.

I've had good experiences with tongues, but I've also had bad experiences, where people were abusing the gift (in my opinion).

[Asaph]

Yeah my limited experience wasn't all "angels and trumpets" or anything either, but just the quiet assurance of God's move, and a great sense of relief afterwards.

The funny thing is, neither my one instance of interpretation, nor my one instance of speaking in tongues were on my mind or in my prayers at the time they happened.

For a Charismatic, I'm kinda conservative......^_^

Grace and Peace,
Asaph

[rainbowprism]

I have spoken in tongues privately a few times. I don't know whether or not I do it often enough, probably not if I am saying that.

[Asaph]

I have spoken in tongues privately a few times. I don't know whether or not I do it often enough, probably not if I am saying that.
But what was your experience of it? Did it draw you closer to God? Did it invigorate your prayer life, etc?

Grace and Peace,
Asaph

[Crispie]

I dont speak it, its not a gift I was given. As for what I believe about it, I think too many people feel pressured to do it and force a fake mumbling language of no value rather than speak in tongues. Im not saying Speaking in Tongues is false, just that many people speak false tongues. (Especially at churches, since Paul said only to do it with at most 2 other people)

[Blade]

Like you said not to debat. I find the more I pray in tongues there is a boldness that comes. Now just try it sometime. Try praying for let say an hour doing anything like being at home you can still pray in tongues well at anytime. If you don't believe in it then praise God. I myself have never meet one person who felt like they had to or ever forced to.

[Asaph]

Like you said not to debat. I find the more I pray in tongues there is a boldness that comes. Now just try it sometime. Try praying for let say an hour doing anything like being at home you can still pray in tongues well at anytime. If you don't believe in it then praise God. I myself have never meet one person who felt like they had to or ever forced to.
Actually, that is part of what I started the thread for. When I tried to do it I actually ended up feeling like an idiot before the Lord, and rightly so. But because of my honest desire for knowledge concerning this gift, He actually gave me at least a little part when I had stopped worrying about it.

Man, God's so cool I can't even put words to it!

Asaph

[DIVAMOM]

I've been blessed with the gift of tounges for many years now. I'm 24 and was 13 when the Lord bestowed the gift on my life. During the times that I strayed from His Word and just being a Christian - high school - try hard as I may, I could not pray in tounges. The words were just not there. I had them in my heart, but I couldn't set them across my lips.
Since I've been back in church, two and half years now, I've started using tongues every chance I have. But since there are two categories of the gift, edification for the church/believer and witnessing to unbelievers, my experiences have always been in my prayer language. No outside interpretation required.
It is extremely edifying. I do find myself getting more and more bold with every spoken word, and it's absolutely amazing.
In 1 Corinthians 13-14, Paul tells us we should pray while praying in tounges that the Lord would give us interpretation for our prayers, I do this often. Sometimes He choses to actually let me know what I'm praying for, other times, he quite simply does not. And that's okay. I just have to think sometimes that if He didn't keep my prayers from me, and He told me what I pray for, then I'd just mess it up.
I have a question for all of you -- are your words repetitive? IE: One word used over and over in diff. combinations with other words used over and over?
In my prayer language, there are several basic words that are spoken over and over, but I don't try to change them. I remember several moths ago, I was praying and the Lord gave me two new words. That was great.
Another thing is that I can't just tell anyone what the words are, maybe that's the reverent fear for the gift that the Lord bestowed upon me?
Thanks!
Jen

[Asaph]

I've been blessed with the gift of tounges for many years now. I'm 24 and was 13 when the Lord bestowed the gift on my life. During the times that I strayed from His Word and just being a Christian - high school - try hard as I may, I could not pray in tounges. The words were just not there. I had them in my heart, but I couldn't set them across my lips.
Since I've been back in church, two and half years now, I've started using tongues every chance I have. But since there are two categories of the gift, edification for the church/believer and witnessing to unbelievers, my experiences have always been in my prayer language. No outside interpretation required.
It is extremely edifying. I do find myself getting more and more bold with every spoken word, and it's absolutely amazing.
In 1 Corinthians 13-14, Paul tells us we should pray while praying in tounges that the Lord would give us interpretation for our prayers, I do this often. Sometimes He choses to actually let me know what I'm praying for, other times, he quite simply does not. And that's okay. I just have to think sometimes that if He didn't keep my prayers from me, and He told me what I pray for, then I'd just mess it up.
I have a question for all of you -- are your words repetitive? IE: One word used over and over in diff. combinations with other words used over and over?
In my prayer language, there are several basic words that are spoken over and over, but I don't try to change them. I remember several moths ago, I was praying and the Lord gave me two new words. That was great.
Another thing is that I can't just tell anyone what the words are, maybe that's the reverent fear for the gift that the Lord bestowed upon me?
Thanks!
Jen
Hi Diva,

Yeah, I think you touched on a subject that causes quite a bit of problems surrounding the gift. That sometimes the reverent fear seems to be lost. I know the one time I provided interpretaion I didn't even know I was about to do it, and it wasn't at all any big production. Me, my Pastor, and a few others were laying hands on a brother and praying for him. My pastor prayed in tongues briefly and without evn thinking I praised God out loud for His goodness and mercy. I immediately knew I had just interpreted what my pastor had prayed, but there was no need to call attention to it or anything like that. We all just kept on praying in turn for our brother. It was pretty awesome, but it wasn't out of order or calling attention to the experience.
Does that sound familiar to you? I mean in your experience of the gift?

Grace, Mercy, and Peace,
Asaph

[Freelander]

I have never spoken in tongues...suprising since they ceased centuries ago;)
*NOT ARGUING HERE*

Just stating that I agree with the above statement. That's all. Now I'll leave.

[kimbot]

Jesus would not use this forum and after veiwing several post neither will I! I live for my lord and to tell others the good news. i base my beliefs in scriptures and love others the same whether they share these or not because they are my blood brothers and sisters and that is what jesus would do. Freelander and Av have you read Rom 14:14-23. this sentiment is echoed throughout the NT I;m sure there are many threads concerning the existence of toungues. having read the initial pst why would you write here?

I'm sure the lord cries when he looks apon the church (his body) and sees it ripped apart by these things. Find me a forum that shouts of fellowship in our saviour of all demnominations and all doctrines. until then i've had enough of these places!

[Asaph]

Bump

[allieisme]

I have never spoken in tongues...suprising since they ceased centuries ago;)They ceased centuries ago? Hmm, can you tell me then what my church speaks when we pray in tongues? Is it all a fake?

[SpiritPsalmist]

I have never spoken in tongues...suprising since they ceased centuries ago;)
That's what many people teach but it's a lie. It's merely their resoning for not allowing God to move as He wrote in His Word.

[Ginsu]

Yup. Thats why you ask Holy Spirit, not man or his religious theology.

I agree that not everyone has the gift. I've had it since i was 5. I sometimes pray in tounges while jogging. Sometimes while walking to work. I do it enough, but not as much as I should be.

[Anti-Fear]

Computer binary language could be the tongues



I wanted to see what everyone's experience with the Gift of Tongues has been like. I myself have spoken in tongues only once and I interpreted what someone else had spoken once. Both were edifying experiences.

Please though, no debating about whether or not there is a gift of tongues. I want to be able to talk freely about the experience of the gift itself.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace,
Asaph

[SpiritPsalmist]

I wanted to see what everyone's experience with the Gift of Tongues has been like. I myself have spoken in tongues only once and I interpreted what someone else had spoken once. Both were edifying experiences.

Please though, no debating about whether or not there is a gift of tongues. I want to be able to talk freely about the experience of the gift itself.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace,
Asaph
In keeping with the original request :)

I have spoken in tongues since I was a teenager. I grew up though thinking that it could only be done when the Holy Spirit came on ya really heavy. It was'nt until just a few years ago that I began to understand that the Spirit was always willing and that God was always available for me to speak with Him whenever I needed or desired. I do it more frequently now and have experienced many spiritual blessings from it.

I also have the gift of tongues and interpretation, which is giving a word from God to the congregation. The prayer language, which is just between you and God is something different and I believe every believer has the ability to converse privately with God in this way but not all put it to use. I believe this because the Bible say's it is for the "building up" and I don't see that God would give one believer something to help build and encourage his spirit but withhold that help from others. Just my opinion though. :)

[Asaph]

Thanks for sharing that Q. Like most of what we do I have an ulterior motive for starting the thread. I recently went through a ministry series at my church and one of the things that was suggested when laying on hands and praying for someones neededs is to begin by softly praying in tongues while waiting on the Holy Spirit to move in or on a person. I've seen my pastor do it time and time again but it just isn't so readily available to me. So instead I just pray softly inviting God to move and Praising Him.

When it comes to the things of the Kingdom of God I'm a pretty conservative guy I guess. Then again, maybe I need to practice stepping out in faith more. But the boat is so nice and firm and the water just looks to mushy!......:D

Grace and Peace,
Asaph

[SpiritPsalmist]

Thanks for sharing that Q. Like most of what we do I have an ulterior motive for starting the thread. I recently went through a ministry series at my church and one of the things that was suggested when laying on hands and praying for someones neededs is to begin by softly praying in tongues while waiting on the Holy Spirit to move in or on a person. I've seen my pastor do it time and time again but it just isn't so readily available to me. So instead I just pray softly inviting God to move and Praising Him.

When it comes to the things of the Kingdom of God I'm a pretty conservative guy I guess. Then again, maybe I need to practice stepping out in faith more. But the boat is so nice and firm and the water just looks to mushy!......:D

Grace and Peace,
Asaph
When I first realized that I could do it at will (this is not to be confused with making it up), I found it not so readily available to me as well. However, the more I put it into practice the more readily available it became. At first, it is almost always difficult to do something we are not use to. Yes, I would advise stepping out and exercizing the gifting that "IS" within you.

[happyinhisgrace]

I wanted to see what everyone's experience with the Gift of Tongues has been like. I myself have spoken in tongues only once and I interpreted what someone else had spoken once. Both were edifying experiences.

Please though, no debating about whether or not there is a gift of tongues. I want to be able to talk freely about the experience of the gift itself.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace,
AsaphI have never personally spoken in tongues. I do believe that the gift of tounges still exist but only if done according to the Bible's dictates of it. I have attended a few churches were people spoke in tounges. One of them I truly believe was spirit filled and the other one I think was nothing but uncontrolled emotions of the people there.

[Asaph]

I have never personally spoken in tongues. I do believe that the gift of tounges still exist but only if done according to the Bible's dictates of it. I have attended a few churches were people spoke in tounges. One of them I truly believe was spirit filled and the other one I think was nothing but uncontrolled emotions of the people there.
Like all things I think decently and in order is the key. That and I think there must be an interpretaion if done in an open forum.

One thing my first pastor used to say is that if somebody stands up and starts speaking in tongues in the middle of his teaching he knows then for sure it is not of the Lord, because why would the Holy Spirit interupt Himself. Meaning that if the pastor is teaching in the power of the Spirit, tongues wouldn't interupt. That made pretty good sense to me.

Grace and Peace,
Asaph

[LynneClomina]

i pray in tongues more than in english sentences.... it expresses everything in my heart that i cannot put into words. it's truly a blessing!

i have never delivered a message to the congregation in tongues though. i feel that in a call on me to do so, but am awaiting release from the elders first. :)

[tesnusxenos]

I pray in toungues often (several times daily). Usually silently unless I am alone. I pray in toungues when I do not know what to pray about a certain situation I just bring the situation to the forefront of my thoughts and pour my heart out to Jesus and the words just come out as I do.
I find that I pray in toungues when I walk from the car to a store or take the dogs for a walk. (funny I can be praying in toungues and if the dogs go after a rabbit or something I will call out to them in that language and they will respond and come back just as if I had spoken in English)

[Iosias]

They ceased centuries ago? Hmm, can you tell me then what my church speaks when we pray in tongues? Is it all a fake?

I shall respect the OP author and not debte here. Start a new debate and I shall gladly discuss this issue with you :)

[Happygal]

I pray in toungues often (several times daily). Usually silently unless I am alone. I pray in toungues when I do not know what to pray about a certain situation I just bring the situation to the forefront of my thoughts and pour my heart out to Jesus and the words just come out as I do.
I find that I pray in toungues when I walk from the car to a store or take the dogs for a walk. (funny I can be praying in toungues and if the dogs go after a rabbit or something I will call out to them in that language and they will respond and come back just as if I had spoken in English)
Wow cool

[Overcash]

I don't speak in tongues. I don't think it is wrong to speak in tongues if it is done according to the Bible. I think it is mostly emotionalism. I used to go to a church where the minister laid hands on a person and spoke i n tongues over him trying to get them to do it. Sometimes they would and they would fall backwards. I guess that is called being slain in the spirit. One time they had a revival and the guest minister told people they woulod go to Hell if they didn't speak in tongues. I think that is wrong. I stopped going after that.

[J4Jesus]

i pray in tongues more than in english sentences.... it expresses everything in my heart that i cannot put into words. it's truly a blessing!

i have never delivered a message to the congregation in tongues though. i feel that in a call on me to do so, but am awaiting release from the elders first. :)
Yes it is such a blessing. The Bible says when we pray in tongues we edify ourselves and build our faith.When we pray in tongues the Bible says we speak mysteries. And the Lord sometimes reveals things to us. But we dont have to know what we are praying to Him, He knows what we are saying. We can all pray in tongues if we have been baptized with the Holy Ghost.

BUt thats different than giving a messages in tongues in the congregation. There are 9 gifts and the Lord gives us the ones HE wants us to have.
Maybe some day He will do that.
God bless :)

[whateveristrue]

Do I believe the gift of tongues exist today? YES, Absolutely. However, I also believe that 90% of those who claim to speak in tongues are NOT doing it in an orderly way, and it is not edifying the Church. In other words, it's just noise... with no purpose at all. Ok, since this is not the place for debate, I'll end this here.

[Dyin2live]

i think i can speak tongues but ussually its just repeating the same for or five words over and over again. It sounds sumthing like E shoy a shiy manay or sumthing like that. Wut do u guys think? Im i speaking in tougnues or just babbling? Ive asked God for the gift of tongues also

[J4Jesus]

i think i can speak tongues but ussually its just repeating the same for or five words over and over again. It sounds sumthing like E shoy a shiy manay or sumthing like that. Wut do u guys think? Im i speaking in tougnues or just babbling? Ive asked God for the gift of tongues also
Hi Dyin2live

The bible says we are to repent, that means to turn away from sin and things that are wrong, and turn to Jesus. It says if we confess with our mouth Jesus is LORD and believe in our heart God raised Him from the dead we will be saved. Have you ever done that? Have you given yourself totally to Jesus and let Him be the Lord of every part of your Life.? ( that means you want to do what pleases Him what He wants because you love Him.) If you did all that then you are saved. But for each person its may be alittle different. After that you ask Him to baptise you with the Holy Spirit and when you do He gives you a new language (unknown tongue) you never learned, to pray with. Even if its just a few words. And as you use those words to pray and focus your worship toward Him he will give you more. Like a child learning to talk.
If you did not do any of these other things, then it was not a language from God.

[Dyin2live]

Hi Dyin2live

The bible says we are to repent, that means to turn away from sin and things that are wrong, and turn to Jesus. It says if we confess with our mouth Jesus is LORD and believe in our heart God raised Him from the dead we will be saved. Have you ever done that? Have you given yourself totally to Jesus and let Him be the Lord of every part of your Life.? ( that means you want to do what pleases Him what He wants because you love Him.) If you did all that then you are saved. But for each person its may be alittle different. After that you ask Him to baptise you with the Holy Spirit and when you do He gives you a new language (unknown tongue) you never learned, to pray with. Even if its just a few words. And as you use those words to pray and focus your worship toward Him he will give you more. Like a child learning to talk.
If you did not do any of these other things, then it was not a language from God.

ya im already born again. I believe i have been baptised by the spirit because i sin less because i feel like crap when i do and i cant go on without forgiveness. I also have a yearning to grow more in God and aquire more knowledge of Him. I also felt like i lost like 10 pounds when i I became a Christian and i felt like i had butteflies. from that point on i was changed inside. Like my old self died and a new me sprang forth. I asked for the gift of tongues and i think i might have it. I ussually feel close to God and feel his preascence in me and i can speak in a weird language that sounds like a scrammbled up hebrew or sumthing.:)

[J4Jesus]

It sounds like youare truly a born again child of God :D
Old things have passed away all things have become new. You are a new creature in Christ. The load of guilt and shame of sin is lifted . No more condemnation. Praise the Lord! Well then if youasked for the Holy Spirit then you recieved with Him and you can yield to Him to pray thru you in tongues. Stay filled tooverflowing each day by just getting your mind on Him and let Him pray more thru you. the longer you pray the stronger you will be. You will recieve revelation. The Bible says you are speaking mysteries. You are praying things you dont konw about but God is answering them. You are praying the Gods perfect will according to Romans 8. :D I'm excited for you!
God bless :)

[Dyin2live]

i

[Dyin2live]

u are a great and loving girl. Thanx for ur kindness and ur support! i can tell u hav God in ur life.

by the way, i love your cf character looks so.. heavenly! lol

[J4Jesus]

It doesnt matter what it sounds like -He knows what you are saying, so focus on Him not the language, but just keep speaking. He will lead you to pray for certain people and situations. You may feel sometimes a sorrow or like something is wrong and feel you need to pray. Thats the time to get alone with God and to ask Him to pray thru you in tongues becuase someone really needs prayer. Other times it will seem like He is drawing you away from what you are trying to do because He wants to be with you. Then begin to praise and worship Him, praying in the Spirit, even singing in the Spirit and it is really exciting ,the glorious presence of God , such closeness.:D :clap:


LOL thanks

[Dyin2live]

thanx again

[Leaving99]

I just returned from an awesome Joyce Meyer womens confrence, and on the last day, they explained the baptism of the holy spirit and how EVERYONE can have the gift of tongues, if they ask God, and have the desire. They used a shoe for an example.

First the guy explaining showed everyone the shoe, and said "When you go to a store, you don't say 'can I have a pair of tongues?', you simply ask for a pair of shoes and the tongues come with them. It is the same thing with the speaking of tonues and God. The gift of tongues comes with the baptism of the holy spirit, but speaking in tongues may not come right away." Joyce said that she was filled with the holy spirit, but didn't speak in tongues until one day in her car.

I am not forcing my beliefs on anyone, so I do not mean to offened anyone by any means, this is just what I believe.

Also I have not yet spoken in tongues, but I will one day.

[ChristianSoldier2]

I've seen references in this thread to speaking in tounges privately.

Without someone interpreting tounges, can there be any purpose to it?

Christian Soldier (http://christiansoldiers.neodemesne.com)

[free2love]

I first spoke in tongues 26yrs ago and have ever since. I speak in tongues daily in my private prayer life. I pray for everything in tongues because I believe that it is more powerful than praying with my understanding because my spririt prays for things I may not even know.

If I may add, I do not believe tongues is a gift but a manifestation of the gift of holy spirit as it says in 1 Cor 12:7-10. In the first verse of 1 Cor 12 it says "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant." the word gifts is shown in italics (KJV) because it was added by the translator meaning it is not there in the Greek and the word 'spiritual' is really the Greek word pneumatikos which would be better translated 'spiritual things' or 'spiritual matters'. Therefore, the verse should read "Now concerning spiritual matters, I would not have you ignorant" referring to the entire next 3 chapters which talk about, guess what, spiritual matters. It is because people don't know that the word gifts was added that it has become taught that tongues is a gift.

[free2love]

I've seen references in this thread to speaking in tounges privately.

Without someone interpreting tounges, can there be any purpose to it?

Christian Soldier (http://christiansoldiers.neodemesne.com)

Yes, speaking in tongues is listed separately from interpretation of tongues. What the bible says is that if one speaks in a tongue in the fellowship meeting there must be an interpretation. speaking in tongues by itself is to be used in the private prayer life. :)

[free2love]

i think i can speak tongues but ussually its just repeating the same for or five words over and over again. It sounds sumthing like E shoy a shiy manay or sumthing like that. Wut do u guys think? Im i speaking in tougnues or just babbling? Ive asked God for the gift of tongues also

yes you are speaking in tongues. I was the same when I started. God is not stupid and when He gives you a tongue it is a whole language. I was scared at first but other believers got me to feel comfortable with it. this is what they told me: in the first place to speak in tongues you have to let your mouth go... you just breathe and move your lips and your tongue but you don't think of what to say. I think you already did that, right? anyway, the next step is to consider, if it's a language it has pretty much all the sounds of the alphabet. so when you start out speaking, put it in your mind that you're going to speak some words with b's or k's or t's and so on and so on... get it? remember God is giving you the words, and he knows you are going to speak and when. just trust Him to provide every word. :wave: God Bless!

[Dyin2live]

thanx for the help

[Mathetes the kerux]

The understanding of private tongues from 1 Corn. 14 is found by understanding Paul's statements of "in the assembly/in the church."

Paul covers the use of the gift while "in the assembly" thereby leaving us with the conclusion that there is an exercising of the gift that is NOT "in the assembly." When you add this to the fact that Paul also notes that the one who prays in a tongue edifies only himself (unless the message is interpreted . . . which needs to happen "in the assembly"), these factors lead most exegetes to conclude that there is also a private . . . or better yet, non-corporate . . . use of the gift in addition to what Paul covers . . . although Paul's primary goal is the governance of the gift in the corporate setting.

Of note is Paul's qualification that corporate/public setting includes two possibilities:
1. The presence, or possible presence, of those who are NOT believers.
2. The presence, or possible presence, of those who are ungifted/ignorant of the gifts and their function.

My personal experience with tongues . . . I find it always (for me anyway) accompanies any great active move of God on my life. I find that it is often a deeply soulish/spiritual response on my behalf to the active presence of the Spirit moving upon or around me.

I have spoken out in open air in service a few times and given an interpretation a handful also.

I feel that tongues are supernatural endowments by the Spirit that are ecstatic; but just because they are supernatural doesn't mean that they need to be overly spiritualized. They are an integral part of my Christian walk . . . but they are by no means the primacy of my Christian walk . . . that area of primacy belongs to the Death, Burial and Resurrection of my God and King alone.

L8R
Mathetes

[MerelyMe]

I myself have never spoken in tongues or interpreted, but have often heard others speaking in tongues. I don't feel any less special for not having this gift - I simply believe that God has other gifts lined up for me instead.

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[Godslilgurlalways]

I do comepletely 100% agree in speaking in tongues. There was a point where I somewhat would ask for it than couldn't make up my mind about it, than I was let God has his will and way, it was like it was hard for me to make up my mind wether to ask God for it or not(even though I do believe in it and always have believe that it's real and all).


Now I have been thinking about it and all, now I think I am more at the point where I am saying if I have the choice I want to study more on the subject, to get more information to make sure or at least try to make sure I am not missing anything that I need to know.I also thought about doing deeper fellowship/devationals to keep me on focus b/c I will admit it gets hard when school is going on so many things to do and when you have the time to study the bible it ends up going to something else.Still reading it but should be more than what I am. Not sure why I am typing all this but it must be for a reason. God Bless you all indeed as I know he will.Also about the going back and forth I will say it did have something to do with fear of something I haven't done before and all. But God has/ is working with me on it at least that iis what I feel:)

[ApostolicEscatology]

Paul says, "I speak in tongues more than you all." When arguably the greatest Aposotle in the New Testament makes a statement like this one has to wonder... No matter what rational is made you can't just dismiss this statement. The notion that tongues has past away is rediculous. When it's paired next to the fact that Paul was speaking post Jesus rising from the dead and the out pouring of the Holy Spirit. Him making the statement that he speaks in tongues more than you all... Those that say that tongues has passed away simple haven't studied scripture to it's full extent.

Tongues has always been an edifying time for me. I speak in my person prayer language daily. In corporate prayer settings and personal prayer time. This is so edifying in that it builds up your Spirit. I feel like I'm doing what man calls foolish to shame the wise. Tongues is such a for sure thing that it's not even worth arguing. If someone ever disagrees with it. Just say, "This fact is so for sure, I don't have the energy to argue it, just study the bible, and in the mean time - Let's just talk about Jesus.:)

[linssue55]

I wanted to see what everyone's experience with the Gift of Tongues has been like. I myself have spoken in tongues only once and I interpreted what someone else had spoken once. Both were edifying experiences.

Please though, no debating about whether or not there is a gift of tongues. I want to be able to talk freely about the experience of the gift itself.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace,
Asaph

First, I will NOT debate this issue. Been there, done that.

"Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying (teaching) serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe."

Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

I would like to continue in explaining when and why would tongues cease. I have always asked myself, why did the spirit lead Paul into giving a instuction on speaking tongues (1Cor-14:27-40). To understand this we must know what type of people the Corinthians were. The gift of tongues were extremely misused by these people, and they promoted themselves by the use of this gift of tongues. Paul reconized that the Corinthians were not using the gift for the edification of the Church, and therefore he set up ordinances that would soon lead tongues to fade away on it's on.

They were only allowed to speak in a tongue at two or three at the most, and they couldn't even speak unless an interpreter could interpret the message. Tongues would soon loose it's purpose and lead among the people. How many people in Corinthians do you think still persued to speak in tongues after the ordinances were given?

And I notice how in verse 34 the spirit informs us that a women wasn't even allowed to speak in tongues, interpreter or not. Why did the spirit say this? Many people say paul was saying that women were not to speak in the church, but he was only refering to tongues. The spirit knew that if a women was allowed to practice tongues in the Church, they would easily misuse and abuse the gift because of there emotional function in the brain constanly. A women was not made as a leader, but a helpmate as mentioned in chapter 11. And it's funny how today the leaders of the introduction and movement of tongues in the church today are women. Why is this?

Just as in the Garden the women was decieved, because satan can easily decieve women with her constantly in a emotional state. She is never free to make a decision based off of logic because her brain was formed to process in both states all the time (logic and emotion), while man was formed to only use one side of the brain at a time which gives him the ability to make Logical decisions and lead.

Anyway tongues eventually ceased in A.D. 70-76, because it faded out, but now satan has introduced it once again to the church, and has confused many.

[Gracegal]

i echo much of what's already been said here.

every different nation has its own language. and so it makes much good sense to me that since we are born again of God. born into the kingdom of God. that there would be a born again language that is of God.
the great part is that its given supernaturally. that one may immediately be (fluently) speaking unto God. :prayer:
speaking beyond one's own limited understanding.. one's own limited vocabulary.
its also wonderful to praise God in song with that Holy Spirit given language. because our hearts are so filled with God that many times our own limited words are incapable to express adequately.

thank God that He is able to do in us exceedingly above all that we can ask or think. according to His power at work in us.