M
Hi Druiz.
Unfortunatley there is a lot of sceptism and controversy over the matter and one which crops up regularly. possibly people have gotten a little fed up of debating it and the controversy it can cause. It's a pity really as it is an important question.
I can only tell you of my experiences . I attend a Pentecostal church and many speak in tongues I use to feel very frustrated and that I was missing something as everyone kept telling me how wonderful it was and how edifying it was to speak in tongues both in public and private prayer.
i went forward on several occasions for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. People would pray for me then tell me to speak. I would ask them what I should say and they just looked at me and told me to speak in tongues which I found really confusing. What was I suppose to say? Sometimes people would tell me to repeat what they were saying but I refused to do that. I was determined that if I was to speak in tongues I wanted it to be the real thing. Unfortunatley this backfired a bit as I got to the point where I even refused to try in case it wasn't real. I wanted it to be the real deal.
Then during one meeting with a small group of people, we had an amazing time of prayer and the atmosphere in the room was electric. I know this sounds a bit peculiar but a person bright some silk veils and suggested covering each person in turn and praying for them. Sort of symbolic of going into that secret place of prayer with God.
Well my turn came and something happened that night. I really believed I was baptised with the Holy Spirit. I could not speak in tongues but it was as if my eyes were wide open to spiritual things in a way they hadn't been before. I went home that night and although it was late all I wanted to do,was stay up and read the bible.
But even that felt different it felt as if the words were just leaping off the page and i wasn't just reading with my eyes I was reading with my spirit. Every letter, every punctuation mark, even the blank spaces between the words seems to have such significance. At that point I fully understood that verse in Revelation where John said the word tasted like honey.
That whole bible reading thing lasted 3-4 months. I had such a hunger for the bible but reading it took ages as every word I read seemed to have deeper meaning then ever before. Eventually things calmed down although I still get that same excited thrill even after all this time when I pick up the bible. I find myself reading the same old passages that I have read over and over again but even now it can feel as if I am reading them with new eyes for the first time.
i still couldnt speak in tongues though but looking back I think it was me, I was just in such a turmoil about the whole matter and so anxious that it not be false, that I refused to even try. In the end I decided not to bother anymore and that I just wouldn't go forward again and I put the whole matter out of my mind.
Well as soon as I stopped worrying about it, I started to realise that while singing hymns and joining in with the worship in church, I started to get words popping into my head only they seemed to come from deep within me, sort of from my stomach, I know that sounds strange. I didnt voice them as I didn't know what to make of it.
it took me some time to realise (I was a bit slow on the uptake) this was tongues and I started sort of singing in tongues a little during time of worship.
i still don't speak in tongues generally but that's my own inhibitions, but during times of worship it builds and builds and I can feel the words there inside needing to come out while singing.
i don't know if this helps at all. Every one will have a different story to tell on the matter.
Unfortunatley there is a lot of sceptism and controversy over the matter and one which crops up regularly. possibly people have gotten a little fed up of debating it and the controversy it can cause. It's a pity really as it is an important question.
I can only tell you of my experiences . I attend a Pentecostal church and many speak in tongues I use to feel very frustrated and that I was missing something as everyone kept telling me how wonderful it was and how edifying it was to speak in tongues both in public and private prayer.
i went forward on several occasions for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. People would pray for me then tell me to speak. I would ask them what I should say and they just looked at me and told me to speak in tongues which I found really confusing. What was I suppose to say? Sometimes people would tell me to repeat what they were saying but I refused to do that. I was determined that if I was to speak in tongues I wanted it to be the real thing. Unfortunatley this backfired a bit as I got to the point where I even refused to try in case it wasn't real. I wanted it to be the real deal.
Then during one meeting with a small group of people, we had an amazing time of prayer and the atmosphere in the room was electric. I know this sounds a bit peculiar but a person bright some silk veils and suggested covering each person in turn and praying for them. Sort of symbolic of going into that secret place of prayer with God.
Well my turn came and something happened that night. I really believed I was baptised with the Holy Spirit. I could not speak in tongues but it was as if my eyes were wide open to spiritual things in a way they hadn't been before. I went home that night and although it was late all I wanted to do,was stay up and read the bible.
But even that felt different it felt as if the words were just leaping off the page and i wasn't just reading with my eyes I was reading with my spirit. Every letter, every punctuation mark, even the blank spaces between the words seems to have such significance. At that point I fully understood that verse in Revelation where John said the word tasted like honey.
That whole bible reading thing lasted 3-4 months. I had such a hunger for the bible but reading it took ages as every word I read seemed to have deeper meaning then ever before. Eventually things calmed down although I still get that same excited thrill even after all this time when I pick up the bible. I find myself reading the same old passages that I have read over and over again but even now it can feel as if I am reading them with new eyes for the first time.
i still couldnt speak in tongues though but looking back I think it was me, I was just in such a turmoil about the whole matter and so anxious that it not be false, that I refused to even try. In the end I decided not to bother anymore and that I just wouldn't go forward again and I put the whole matter out of my mind.
Well as soon as I stopped worrying about it, I started to realise that while singing hymns and joining in with the worship in church, I started to get words popping into my head only they seemed to come from deep within me, sort of from my stomach, I know that sounds strange. I didnt voice them as I didn't know what to make of it.
it took me some time to realise (I was a bit slow on the uptake) this was tongues and I started sort of singing in tongues a little during time of worship.
i still don't speak in tongues generally but that's my own inhibitions, but during times of worship it builds and builds and I can feel the words there inside needing to come out while singing.
i don't know if this helps at all. Every one will have a different story to tell on the matter.
