I normally don't write on these sort of issues but I must today. For the last 15 years there has been a religious movement that has swept the world. This movement is very organized and crafty to masqurade themselves as educated and professional. Their objective? Do everything you can to INSPIRE and INFORM the people from your pulpit. Most times inspiration, motivationa and information hide themselves so well that people mistake them for revelation.
The Apostle Paul prayed for "an abundance of revelations". You too should pray this way.
There are the critical voices who have said that tongues and the moving of the spirit is a lack of self control. This could not be any further from the truth. The spirit of error has fallen and decieved many, keeping them from what seperates us from every religion on the earth today: a true spiritual experience from Jesus.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues was foretold in the book of Joel. Thousands before us knew and practiced this "heavenly language" on a daily basis. Thousands of Born Again Christians from every denomination today practice this spiritual exercise known to some as "glossilalia".
I had to chuckle when someone once spoke of this Biblical manefestation as a "lack of self control." It would be humorous at best but sad when we look at all the details in the Holy Bible supporting the entire idea.
In fact, the Apostle Paul clearly was "in a trance". So was Peter. There are three instances of trances in the Bible all of which they were "sort of out of control".
Also, Jesus was clearly out of control when he drove the money changers out of the temple and Phillip was out of control when he was transported supernaturally and was later asked to, "come join thyself to this chariot". Self control is one thing but yielding to the Holy Spirit is quite another. The entire text of this self control is speaking of the love of God and is not refering to spritual gifts. So I would dare say that this brother, in his lack of teaching has taken something out of context.
In fact, the entire problem among the Corinthian Church; they yeilded to every thing and every wind of doctine. One day they yeilded to the Holy Spirit when Paul the Apostle came to town Be not deceived little children. God is not mocked. Mary, the mother of Jesus was in the upper room and she too "lost control" of herself as she yielded herself to the Holy Spirit. In fact, it says that they ALL were filled.
I heard a young lady challenge my position saying that God does not ask everyone to be filled with the spirit, speaking in tongues that it was only for certain people. My response to her is; God is not a respector of persons. That means HE has no favorites. He will not fill one and not fill the other.
In fact all the gifts are given to all believers to operate "AS THE SPIRIT WILLS", not as we will.
Don't let deception ruin what the Bible already stands behind. Jude verse 20 says, you beloved (Christians), build yourself up, on your most holy faith....how? By praying in the spirit.
Praying in the spirit or singing in the spirit is the highest level of worship. I would have to say that giving money to the work of God is the lowest form of worship and most of our song leaders today are taking people to a moderate place in worship. Why is speaking or singing in tongues the highest form of worship? It is your "heavenly language", not your earthly language.
When a man speaks in tongues, he does not speak to men, rather he speaks to God mysteries. When a man speaks in tongues he should ask God for the interpretation so that it may edify the hearer.
When a man speaks in tongues it is a sign for the unbeliever. When a tongue comes forth in a church service it is a sure sign to me as a minister that an unbeliever is present within the service and to go after their soul.
If the church begins to speak in togues together, it is not the gift of tongues in operation but rather their prayer language in operation to interceed together as one body fitly joint together
I was recently taking a United Flight out of Chicago coming home to Portland from a church meeting. My heart was sadened when I hear a young man say; "I don't believe that the Holy Spirit has his own language". At 35,000 feet in the air on the flight I heard in my spirit man respond, "it is the epetimy of pride in the hearts of mankind to acknowledge their own languages all over the world (thousands of them) but yet deny heaven it's own language. Wow what a comfortor we have.
