What is speaking in Tongues?

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At the moment you confess that you’re a sinner, repent and trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are filled with the Holy Spirit. The very fact that you have faith to do this is a gift of the Holy Spirit. No one can say Jesus is Lord apart from the Holy Spirit. That is why the same person can hear the same message a dozen times, but not respond to the message until they have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. 

1 Corinthians 12:3

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Paul said, “I would like everyone of you to speak in tongues. ” This could mean that those filled with the Holy Spirit have access to this gift of speaking in tongues, but some choose not to explore it. Another belief is that only some are given this spiritual gift. 

1 Corinthians 14:5

Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying

Paul also went on to say that we should not forbid speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is an act of the will. You choose to exercise the gift. This is why Paul told people when and when not to speak in tongues. There are certain settings where tongues can disrupt church order. 

1 Corinthians 14:39-40

Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

Acts 2:1-13

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Four Functions of Tongues

1) Tongues display the wonder of God

How is it that the apostles were babbling and all of the people who spoke various languages understood what they were saying? It’s a miracle. Some unbelievers were amazed. And of course there will always be skeptics; the people who thought the apostles were drunk.

2) Tongues used in the church body

1 Corinthians 14:26

When you come together share a Psalm, a teaching, a tongue, a revelation, an interpretation. It builds up the church body. Tongues is an evidence of the Holy Spirit dwelling in a believer, but not the evidence.

3) Tongues used for self-edification

1 Corinthians 14:4

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

It builds up and strengthens a person for service.

4) Tongues used in prayer and intercession

When you pray the OUR FATHER, there is one line where you pray Thy will be done. By doing this, you are asking for things that you are unaware of. It means you are not praying for what you want, but for what you God  knows you need. God answers 100% of the time. Tongues in prayer is like praying Thy will be done. You are praying in a language that you don’t understand. Sometimes what we see today is believers improvising in faith through the expression of tongues, like a Jazz artist improvising on an instrument (this is unlike what happened at Pentecost). If someone asks you to pray for them, but they give you no details of what to pray for. What do you pray? You pray for God’s will.

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