Speaking In Tounges + Other Stuff

Believer · Post by **Believer** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:22 pm

As some of you know, I have problems

. I love watching Christian t.v. shows, listening to Christian music only, and reading Christian books/magazines. I think my problem is I have a false perception of myself and think that everything religious is fake but I know it's not. But I have these things where I have to post about it because of uncertainty, Judah is right, I probably was playing a game with you all, but if I did, I didn't relize it. I'm not the brightest person, but I try to be. Anyways, I was watching a Christian show not to long ago, and this hispanic woman was at a church surrounded by other men, and a preacher women of God was there to make the demons come out of a hispanic women that hadn't accepted Jesus Christ. As the preacher women was casting out the demons from the hispanic women, the hispanic women looked like she was under hypnosis (is it hypnosis?), her head was down and she looked weak, and then at the end of "driving out the demons" speech the preacher women was giving to this hispanic women, the hispanic women fell to the floor, she then woke up and looked dazed and confused, got up, accepted Jesus Christ into her heart, and began speaking in tounges after the preacher women started her. She said to mimic what she was speaking and then the hispanic women went off speaking in tounges. My question is, how do we know we arn't speaking in jibberish non-sense language. Do we know what we are saying when we speak in tounges or does only God know? Personally for me, I sometimes have the need to start speaking in "tounges", it's like spontaneous. I don't know if it is jibberish or actual tounges, but I have noticed it is usually the same words I am speaking all the time. Can Satan give tounges to someone? I said the prayer with the preacher lady on t.v. to accept Jesus Christ into my heart AGAIN, and be clean. Before I became a true Christian, I listened to secular music, didn't give a hoot about anything. When I accepted Christ in 2/11/1995 as it is written in my first Bible given to me from the prior church I attended, I strayed from God, got baptized a few years later, still strayed from God, and then March of 2004 I REALLY accepted Christ back to me, it's more like He came to me. From 2/11/1995, was I still saved even though I strayed from God? I know I still have problems, but I am getting help.

kateliz · Post by **kateliz** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:38 pm

Didn't Peter stray? And yet he was a pillar among believers. That's just part of growth as a Christian. Don't get yer unddies in a bunch over it, like I've seen you do so many times! We need times where the fiber in our tree is deposited between the trunk and the bark just the same as we need the times when our branches grow visibly. God is doing undercover work when we seem to "stray." He temporarily takes away the flower so He can work on the stem and we get all up in arms about it like we're dying! It's kind of funny, actually. It takes countless times of losing our flowers, (if we're actually growing at all, which you are,) to realize that the flower will be back at a later date and all we need to do is let our stem be built up in the meantime.

God has to tear down what's crooked before He can build straight!

Tongues is a very abused gift, (but aren't all of them, really?) So often today it is faked, (as most times you'd see on TV or in churches would be.) But it is a real gift. My dad witnessed it being faked many times and consequently thought it hogwash untill God had him speaking in tongues for real one night. He was just praying, and all-of-a-sudden he realized he was speaking in another language he didn't know. It startled him and so he stopped.

But Satan can inspire people to do such foolish things as fake it, and that's to confuse poor souls such as yourself. Most of it's based on emotionalism, as I understand it. People get caught up in their emotions, (which are often pulled from them manipulatively by other people,) and because they think they should they begin to "feel" like they are going to speak in tongues and so start babbling nonsense that tickles the devil's ears and hurts God's. You'd know it if God gave it to you. He's not a God of confusion, but of order. He lets people know when He's giving them a piece of Himself. It has that divine unction upon it that lets you declare, "that was God and I know it!" If you aren't sure, it wouldn't be God but yourself being influenced by those doing, literally, the devil's work, (which we all do so often, sad to say.)

bizzt · Post by **bizzt** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:17 pm

kateliz wrote: Don't get yer unddies in a bunch over it,

Break!

Resume

kateliz · Post by **kateliz** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 9:05 pm

I actually didn't know if I wanted to put that, although it's what I was thinking. It's something my mother or grandmother would say, and now look who's using it! Maybe I'll watch my mouth better next time!

j316 · Post by **j316** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 4:53 am

HMG, tounges seems to be a special way of relating to the Holy Spirit and although it appears to be gibberish there really is some sort of communication. It can be interpreted, not literally, but in the sense of what was meant. But it appears that the speaker seldom seems to really know what was said.

kateliz · Post by **kateliz** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 10:43 pm

But it certainly can be faked. Very important to recognize that. And the speaker knows if they're given intrepretation as well as the tongue. Also remember Paul said that you should not speak in tongues in public unless there's an interpreter. It would not be profitable in that case, but destructive instead, as he specifies.

SUGAAAAA · Post by **SUGAAAAA** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:40 pm

how are you so sure its faked?? I dont really think so, as there is no reason why someone would want to fake it, I believe.

So the gift of tounges is usually 'given' to someone while they are praying aloud, actually speaking, from what I've read... Well, what if your praying mentally? Can you begin speaking in tounges while praying in your mind?

led · Post by **led** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 1:46 am

Thought I'd try to revive this topic of tongues.

It's interesting how so many people knock this gift. I know that it's very powerful in my life when I'm going through a tough time. When I don't know what to do or even know how to pray. There are many times in my life when I just feel weak in the spirit and praying in tongues really helps build my spirit up. It's a great way to bring yourself from feeling defeated to feeling strong in the Lord again.

It's like poweraid for the spirit

IRQ Conflict · Post by **IRQ Conflict** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:34 am

poweraid.

Amen! Speaking in tongues as has been my experience is a prayer to God via the intercessor (Holy Spirit). We should pray to God in tongues (in secret, not openly) believing all the while that the Holy Spirit is for your benefit and God's Glory asking God to work a good work in your life.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. Tongues is imo a prayer of, in and with faith, most pleasing to God and beneficial to you.

I too have been to church worship services where I hear like 30 people praying aloud in tongues and no one to interpret, that is anti scriptural. Reminds me of the pharisees who liked to pray in public on the street corners and walk around with grimaced faces pretending to fast. whitewashed tombs.

kateliz · Post by **kateliz** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:40 am

If I weren't so lazy...!

You know, I have the energy and motivation to get frustrated and upset, but apparently not for correcting what upset me! Maybe I'll force myself this once:

Sug wrote:how are you so sure its faked?? I dont really think so, as there is no reason why someone would want to fake it, I believe.

I can't know what faked and what's not unless I'm given something to judge it by, (unless the Spirit discerns for me.) There are indicators to look for. Yes, there are reasons to fake it. Emotionalism, desire for greater spirituality, desire to be saved, (if you believe you must have the gift in order to be saved,) pride and the desire to show-off, fear of admitting you don't have the gift when you think so many others around you do, fun, peer pressure... tons of reasons.

1 Corinthians 12:30,31
"All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts."

1 Corinthians 13:1
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal."

1 Corinthians 14:1-28
"Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. 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. But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, "BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME," says the Lord. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God."

I paste it in full in the post so that ones lazy like myself will be encouraged to read it(!).

And please do! Many questions and concerns regarding tongues can be answered in those verses.

led wrote:It's a great way to bring yourself from feeling defeated to feeling strong in the Lord again.

The way you spoke of it, correct me if I'm wrong, had me thinking that you choose when to speak in tongues, and can begin, if not continue until the end, the process. If it's of you, it's not divine tongues, and not a gift of the Holy Spirit, but a self-made gibberish language. Divine tongues is a gift given by God, and biblically, He's the one to begin and continue it. We do not know the divine language, but the Spirit gives us utterance in it. Please be careful not to deceive yourself, or to be deceived by others.

IRQ wrote:the intercessor (Holy Spirit)

No, Jesus is the intercessor- he's the one that stands between us and the Father and intercedes on our behalf when Lucifer accuses us.

IRQ wrote:We should pray to God in tongues (in secret, not openly)

Um, no.

Read the long passage I quoted above. Openly is not only good, it is best, but only if you have one who can interpret. And remember, not all are given the gift of tongues, though Paul wishes we all had it so we could experience it and be benefited by it that way... though we can all benefit if we have an interpreter.

Blacknad · Post by **Blacknad** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 4:54 pm

I've posted elsewhere about an experiment that was done with two Christians claiming to have the gift of interpreting tongues.

A passage was read out and recorded in Greek and played back to the Christians. They both gave different interpretations, neither of which had anything to do with the real meaning of the passage. I don't think they were being deceptive - they were just displaying a psychological manifestation.

I am very skeptical about the use of tongues in a modern day setting. I don't think it doesn't happen, but I also don't think that most Christians who sit in church saying things like 'kurrah burrah sh-kurrah' are actually doing anything else but babbling nonsense. I think real tongues has a purpose.

Having said that, in a pentecostal church I went to, when the women sang collectively in tongues it was absolutely awesome. It sounded like angels. That is why I wouldn't attribute most of the modern tongues to demonic manifestations (as some Christians do). I hardly think that I would have felt at peace with it if that were the case.

REAL TONGUES:

http://www.bible.org/illus.asp?topic_id=1577

Paul addresses the matter of 'speaking in tongues' as a possible problem in the church at Corinth. Although he acknowledges that the ability to speak in 'various kinds of tongues' and the ability to interpret these tongues are 'spiritual gifts' (1 Cor. 12:10), he is aware not all are to speak in tongues (1 Cor. 12:30), and advises his readers to seek 'the higher gifts' (1 Cor. 12:31). In 1 Corinthians 13, he makes it clear that he thinks of love as the greatest spiritual gift. Love is contrasted with speaking 'in the tongues of men and of angels' (1 Cor. 13:1); love endures, while tongues will cease (v. . Thus, in 1 Cor. 14:1, Paul directs that his readers make love their aim 'and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.' In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul gives a number of directions about the use of glossolalia. Speaking in tongues is not helpful to the community, he says, because it is incomprehensible (14:2). Only when there is interpretation is there edification (v. 5). When the community convenes, no more than three should speak in tongues, each in turn, and there must be an interpretation (v. 27). Paul feels that uncontrolled and uninterpreted speaking in tongues does not edify the community and that it gives outsiders the impression that believers are mad (v. 23). Yet, he allows this activity to take place, so long as it is done in orderly fashion and is accompanied by interpretation. In 1 Corinthians, it seems clear that 'speaking in a tongue' means speaking an incomprehensible language, a language that probably was thought of as the language of angels (1 Cor. 13:1).

- http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/tongues.htm - for larger study.

Other examples of speaking in tongues in the NT centered around Gentiles being saved and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. It was done at the time they were being saved, seemingly not on an ongoing basis for any individual.

I am not completely convinced one way or the other though, and would not say with certainty that God does not give the gift for personal peace and edification.

Regards,

Blacknad.