Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 5/14/2007

Question
I have heard it said that speaking in tongues is a personal prayer language and that it edifies the believer, but then I read from the word of GOD in 1 Cor. 14:22 "Tongues are not a sign for believers but for non-believers"

That leads me to believe that what is currently happening in the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement in relation to ecstatic utterances could not be correct because the non-believer would not know what is being said and therefore could not be edified.  I also find it interesting that Paul says in 1 Cor. 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

I took this to mean that the gifts the Holy Spirit gives is for the the church, meaning everyone, not self like some churches teach.  

And one more thing.  I believe with everything in me that GOD created us with our own mind.  He gave us the ability to chose to follow him or not.  He allows us to communicate with him through our own voice and mind.  What purpose is it for GOD to have us lose control and have a spirit speak for us.  Is that then the spirit and GOD talking.  We are we in all of this.  Why would GOD want anything but us talking to him when it concerns us, his children.  Think about it.  If your son/daughter told you they loved you and wanted to make you happy by listening to you and obeying your rules, that would please you and make you happy.  But, if your child started uttering words that they did not understand (even if you did) how would they know that they are pleasing you.  Because of a feeling.  I hope not.  In this world lead by the great deceiver, one must be very careful about emotions and feelings.  Satan greatest tool is our emotions.  He can get us with depression, loneliness, hatred, but remember he is also depicted as an angel of light and he would do anything to lead us away from GOD.  If you submit yourself to a spirit that takes over any control that you have that is very scary to me.  I don't think I have found any reference to the spirit taking control.  Yes he might help us in our prayer when we don't know the words to say, but we always say them.  GOD wants to hear from us, he wants us to pray to him.  If he wanted to talk to the Holy Spirit he would.  He does not need us as a vehicle for that communication.  I think that it is time for people to search for Jesus and stop worrying about edifying themselves.  Just a thought.

Answer
Joe,

Thank you for your questions. Whew! You have alot of them! LOL! I will do my best to answer them.

First, let me clarify that there is a difference between the Gift of Tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10; sharing a message for a congregation that is to be interpreted) and the prayer language that is the evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2,10,19).

I have spoken with people who think that the only time a person who was baptized in the Holy Spirit spoke in tongues was at the time the anointing came for a message in a church service or Bible study. If this were true the Apostle Paul would never have written 1 Corinthians 14. In this famous chapter he rebukes the Corinthian church for using the Gift of Tongues too much. In addition, he states that he spoke in tongues (from the context, he meant that he prayed in the prayer language) more than all of them. To repeat, the Gift of Tongues for congregational messages is different than the prayer language given to you as the evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Here are six reasons why should you want to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and pray in tongues . . .

Praying in tongues builds your faith. "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost" (Jude 20). Some think you have to be "spiritually up" and anointed to pray in tongues, but praying in the Spirit builds our faith. If you need victory, pray in tongues.

Praying in the prayer language brings you spiritual rest. "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing . . . ." (Isaiah 28:11,12). When we are tired or upset we can pray in tongues and receive supernatural rest from God.

Praying in the Holy Spirit can help us better understand the truth of God’s Word and His guidance. "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come" (John 16:13). "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come" (John 16:13).

Praying in tongues, as the Spirit impresses us can "take care of things" before they happen. Have you ever had God impress upon you to pray and not know what to pray for, or how? Praying in the Spirit helps us in that circumstance. "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26). 1 Corinthians 14:2 says, "For no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries."

Praying in the prayer language gives us a "direct line" to God. "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God" (1 Corinthians 14:2.) God the Holy Spirit can talk to God the Father in ways we cannot. "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God" (1 Corinthians 14:2.) God the Holy Spirit can talk to God the Father in ways we cannot.

Praying in the Spirit acclimates us to the realm of the Gifts of the Spirit. I believe it is a stepping stone to the other gifts. For these six reasons you can see that speaking in tongues is much more than just a sign of the Holy Spirit’s Baptism.

Some have asked, "What do you say when you pray in the Spirit?" Acts 2:11 explains that when we pray in tongues we extol "the wonderful works of God." The Holy Spirit will only glorify God, so we don’t have to worry about saying something wrong when we are praying in tongues.

Joe, I hope that this helps. Please let me know if you have any more questions.
Elder Greg Madden


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