Rules Governing The Gift Of Tongues
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with reference to what Paul said, and how some perceive it as Paul downplaying tongues, I have heard people repeat that if they do not speak in tongues or if they are against speaking in tongues. I honestly have never heard anyone say that if they do speak in tongues. Paul said he spoke in tongues more than anyone and he also said he wished everyone would speak in tongues.
I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all I Corinthians 14:18
WOW I mean just WOW, I have had this happen to me so many times as well. I will be going on a walk when suddenly I am overwhelmed by a deep sadness and that someone is about to die and in my tears i beg God to allow me to take their place or I will suddenly be overwhelmed by a very deep and powerful love and compassion for the hurting and the weary and the sad and lonely people I don't know or have even heard of but pray for God to envelope them in his warmth and love
I believe some are called for intercession and if this is also a kind of speaking in tongues it would make sense but honestly I didn't know that there were others who experienced this like I did
Here is one example but it's not from my life but I know it's true because I knew both people.
One woman woke up at some odd hour of the morning, one or two amen and felt she had to pray for someone she knew. So she did but because she did not know what the need was, she prayed in the spirit and she became convinced something was really wrong. After awhile she felt things were ok, went back to bed to sleep and called the other woman the next morning.
Turned out the other woman had a severe gall bladder attack and cried out to God for someone to pray for her because she could not pray for herself it was so bad. As she did so, she could feel that someone was praying and the pain subsided.
So yeah, nobody tell me tongues are not real or don't pray too much or don't this or that.
Tongues are real. It is a powerful gift and the devil hates it.
I have never heard anyone who spoke in tongues brag about it. I have heard the accusations and I know there is abuse at times, but what gift is not abused?
I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all I Corinthians 14:18
WOW I mean just WOW, I have had this happen to me so many times as well. I will be going on a walk when suddenly I am overwhelmed by a deep sadness and that someone is about to die and in my tears i beg God to allow me to take their place or I will suddenly be overwhelmed by a very deep and powerful love and compassion for the hurting and the weary and the sad and lonely people I don't know or have even heard of but pray for God to envelope them in his warmth and love
I believe some are called for intercession and if this is also a kind of speaking in tongues it would make sense but honestly I didn't know that there were others who experienced this like I did
Here is one example but it's not from my life but I know it's true because I knew both people.
One woman woke up at some odd hour of the morning, one or two amen and felt she had to pray for someone she knew. So she did but because she did not know what the need was, she prayed in the spirit and she became convinced something was really wrong. After awhile she felt things were ok, went back to bed to sleep and called the other woman the next morning.
Turned out the other woman had a severe gall bladder attack and cried out to God for someone to pray for her because she could not pray for herself it was so bad. As she did so, she could feel that someone was praying and the pain subsided.
So yeah, nobody tell me tongues are not real or don't pray too much or don't this or that.
Tongues are real. It is a powerful gift and the devil hates it.
I have never heard anyone who spoke in tongues brag about it. I have heard the accusations and I know there is abuse at times, but what gift is not abused?
S
I am not sure exactly what you experience Blain?
but for sure many people can and do experience something more than their own feelings when they pray for someone or have a sudden ...I'll use the word feeling but it is really more than that...feeling about someone or a situation
funny I would never say I intercede, but I guess maybe that would be a name for it
I just want what is real, you know? I think you do
but for sure many people can and do experience something more than their own feelings when they pray for someone or have a sudden ...I'll use the word feeling but it is really more than that...feeling about someone or a situation
funny I would never say I intercede, but I guess maybe that would be a name for it
I just want what is real, you know? I think you do
I have had about 5 times where there was a deep groaning type of manifestation in with my spirit when praying and I knew I was interceding for something within my spirit.
One time - I knew exactly who I was praying for. It seemed that was enough because I never had the urge to do that concerning them again so what ever was done was done.
I remember my mind thinking how completely different this was from my normal praying in tongues. These have a deep almost pleading type of substance to them as well as a proclaiming aspect which is strong too.
Sometimes it is hard to put into words the things of the spirit...well for me anyway it is difficult to put these things into words.
One time - I knew exactly who I was praying for. It seemed that was enough because I never had the urge to do that concerning them again so what ever was done was done.
I remember my mind thinking how completely different this was from my normal praying in tongues. These have a deep almost pleading type of substance to them as well as a proclaiming aspect which is strong too.
Sometimes it is hard to put into words the things of the spirit...well for me anyway it is difficult to put these things into words.
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Honestly intercession is the only thing I can think of to call what i experience and it's never up to me when it happens and sometimes there are no emotions at all I just have this deep need to pray about someone or something out of the blue. It's more like a sense of knowing that you are to pray and he always gives me the words to say. But emotions as deep as they can be are not the best way to know if an experience is real or not, i do not want to go by off what I (feel) to know if it's from God or not
My friend I know just how feel, When I was praying to take the place of someone dying was filled with deep sorrow even though I couldn't see the person or knew anything about them I knew that because I willing he used me in that moment to save whoever it was. What was weird was that the tears I was crying didn't seem like they were my own tears and for a minute I thought that my heart was connecting to Gods and that the sorrow i was feeling was his sorrow and his tears were the tears I was crying but I kind of brushed that off because I am cautious about believing things outrageous like that.
And yes the things of the spirit are very hard to put into words this is because his words are far deeper than what our tongue is capable of speaking and sometimes groaning is the best and only way to say what needs to be said. Like how when we try to explain God's love we can use a million different words to describe it yet it just doesn't because his love is just that deep and beautiful there is simply no words to describe it in the same way speaking from his heart and his spirit we cannot use words to describe the depth of what is being said because the human tongue simply can't
And yes the things of the spirit are very hard to put into words this is because his words are far deeper than what our tongue is capable of speaking and sometimes groaning is the best and only way to say what needs to be said. Like how when we try to explain God's love we can use a million different words to describe it yet it just doesn't because his love is just that deep and beautiful there is simply no words to describe it in the same way speaking from his heart and his spirit we cannot use words to describe the depth of what is being said because the human tongue simply can't
-
Webster's defines retarded as slow or limited in intellectual or emotional
development.
Spiritual retardation is not all that uncommon, for example:
● Heb 5:11-13 . .We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain
because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be
teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God'
word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
/
Webster's defines retarded as slow or limited in intellectual or emotional
development.
Spiritual retardation is not all that uncommon, for example:
● Heb 5:11-13 . .We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain
because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be
teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God'
word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
/
Holy Spirit will not force anyone to be blessed. He is just like Jesus in nature because He is God. So I will not look at other people and what they do with their edification. As I walk through my Christian life in this world I have found the need to picture myself with race horse blinders on the side of my eyes. Don't look to the right side or to the left but look straight ahead to Jesus.
While I can appreciate other believers as they go through their own struggles I don't have to agree with how they go through those struggles to appreciate them. There are people on this CC site that can drain you of all your encouragement because of their unbelief. Faith is believing in the supernatural things of God that counter the things of man.
God goes far above what we can ask or think and He will do that many times in our lives if we are open to Him and let Him. People and that includes me., don't want us to think past what we can understand. But the Holy Spirit requires us to trust Him in order to move forward. This doesn't mean we are "more spiritual" as some Christians will be accused of. What it means is we are really following out of our dire need because of how much we have come to see we don't know anything and NEED the Holy Spirit to show us one step at a time.
So when other Christians comment in the negative about what you share as you try to explain what you are learning., just let it go to the fact they don't want to understand right now., and no one can or should try to make them understand by talking them into it using "persuasive words" because it won't happen that way. Only the Holy Spirit can teach.
I remember how I was about the subject of the Holy Spirit and I was trained to protect myself from those crazymatic people. Those people that were borderline possessed by the devil as we were taught to believe. Anyone who experienced anything different than our beloved Pastor taught us had to be nuts because our pastor and those other respected and spiritually mature elder men and woman of the church would know! Who are we to disagree about something so important as the Holy Spirit??? If I couldn't trust those Christians who could I trust??
I later found who I had to trust when my whole manner of life changed and no one in the church understood. I knew what happened was true but no one was on my side and they all believed if anyone was in my situation it was only because of their pre conceived notions from their own experiences. But their experiences were not mine. Although this knowledge at first made me feel so alone and isolated and I had become an outcast among my brethren., it taught me how to learn how to stand with Jesus even if no one went with me.
This is not a mode of life for the believer to have forever and this I am aware of. But sometimes it does happen for hard headed people like me and is required. If I didn't see it with my own eyes that wise people I respected didn't know everything., I could never have moved forward in my own faith. I would have depended on the faith of others instead of depending on the Holy Spirit to teach and comfort and guide me through life.
While I can appreciate other believers as they go through their own struggles I don't have to agree with how they go through those struggles to appreciate them. There are people on this CC site that can drain you of all your encouragement because of their unbelief. Faith is believing in the supernatural things of God that counter the things of man.
God goes far above what we can ask or think and He will do that many times in our lives if we are open to Him and let Him. People and that includes me., don't want us to think past what we can understand. But the Holy Spirit requires us to trust Him in order to move forward. This doesn't mean we are "more spiritual" as some Christians will be accused of. What it means is we are really following out of our dire need because of how much we have come to see we don't know anything and NEED the Holy Spirit to show us one step at a time.
So when other Christians comment in the negative about what you share as you try to explain what you are learning., just let it go to the fact they don't want to understand right now., and no one can or should try to make them understand by talking them into it using "persuasive words" because it won't happen that way. Only the Holy Spirit can teach.
I remember how I was about the subject of the Holy Spirit and I was trained to protect myself from those crazymatic people. Those people that were borderline possessed by the devil as we were taught to believe. Anyone who experienced anything different than our beloved Pastor taught us had to be nuts because our pastor and those other respected and spiritually mature elder men and woman of the church would know! Who are we to disagree about something so important as the Holy Spirit??? If I couldn't trust those Christians who could I trust??
I later found who I had to trust when my whole manner of life changed and no one in the church understood. I knew what happened was true but no one was on my side and they all believed if anyone was in my situation it was only because of their pre conceived notions from their own experiences. But their experiences were not mine. Although this knowledge at first made me feel so alone and isolated and I had become an outcast among my brethren., it taught me how to learn how to stand with Jesus even if no one went with me.
This is not a mode of life for the believer to have forever and this I am aware of. But sometimes it does happen for hard headed people like me and is required. If I didn't see it with my own eyes that wise people I respected didn't know everything., I could never have moved forward in my own faith. I would have depended on the faith of others instead of depending on the Holy Spirit to teach and comfort and guide me through life.
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Sorry for delayed reply … went to play with my grand-kidlets this weekend!!! Soooo much fun!
I believe you that you have prayed and meditated concerning speaking in tongues. That you have not in the past does not mean that you will not in the future. The Spirit still may give you utterance if/when needed. Do not be discouraged, though. Speaking in tongues is not the only way God blesses the body of believers. Rom 12:6-8 gives good instruction as far as utilizing whatever gift God has graced us with. We are to give with a heart turned to God and a desire to bless God's people.
I believe you that you have prayed and meditated concerning speaking in tongues. That you have not in the past does not mean that you will not in the future. The Spirit still may give you utterance if/when needed. Do not be discouraged, though. Speaking in tongues is not the only way God blesses the body of believers. Rom 12:6-8 gives good instruction as far as utilizing whatever gift God has graced us with. We are to give with a heart turned to God and a desire to bless God's people.
Thanks for the kind words... but that is pretty much my point... I'm NOT discouraged that I haven't been given the gift of tongues. I'm pretty much open to whatever the Spirit puts on me, and I won't feel slighted in the least if I never speak in tongues.
Unfortunately, there are those that seem to think I'm somehow "missing out" spiritually since I don't...
I don't worry about things like that. God will do with me what He will... and I just pray for ears to hear, and eyes to see.
Unfortunately, there are those that seem to think I'm somehow "missing out" spiritually since I don't...
I don't worry about things like that. God will do with me what He will... and I just pray for ears to hear, and eyes to see.
A bit of a delayed response to several previous posts in no particular order–
First let me be clear – I do not mean this to sound insulting in the least; however since it’s sort of been brought up.….There are many paths to the Light (God, the Creator, the Deity, the One, whichever name you wish to use); yours is by far not the only path and, contrary to what you may think or have been taught to believe, your particular path is no better than any other.
I have only recently become aware of the terms “cessationsit” and “continuationist” – had no clue what they really meant and admittedly had to google the definitions. Having done that, I do not identify with either. As far as ‘tongues’ are concerned; since the Biblical term “tongues” refers to real language(s), obviously, they haven’t ‘ceased’; people still speak.
Digressing a bit here, but part of the issue for me is the insistence on using 16[SUP]th[/SUP] century English and its misinterpretation into modern English – ‘tongue(s)’ is/was just an older term for ‘language’ – nothing more mysterious than that. We still occasionally use the term today to clearly refer to real languages. We speak of a person’s “mother tongue”, a “native tongue” of a particular country or region, etc. Clearly the reference is to real language. I don’t know if it’s because the word ‘language’ is not specifically used that when one sees ‘tongues’ it’s automatically assumed to be something outside the realm of everyday speech (?).
The term ‘interpretation’ equates to ‘translation’ – the difference between the two terms is a bit subtle; in a nutshell, both mean to render language ‘X’ into language ‘Y’; interpretation however typically refers to something spoken whilst translation typically refers to something written. We speak of someone needing an interpreter to discuss, say their medical concerns to a doctor, but if that same person has a document in the language, a translator is called; not an interpreter. To “interpret a tongue” is simply to “translate a language”, nothing more.
I am not here to argue religious beliefs nor do I expect to change anyone’s beliefs. I do have strong views about the subject and what is presented is simply another way of looking at this phenomenon. The subject of tongues has always interested me but I never really looked into it until fairly recently. The more I study the phenomenon, the more I have come to realize that the ‘tongues’ of the Bible and the modern Pentecostal/Charismatic practice are two completely different things entirely. The former concerns itself with real language(s), the latter with glossolalia/non-cognitive non-language utterances. I’m in no way suggesting that modern tongues are wrong, but with all due respect, I don’t think they’re quite what you’d like them to be either.
I do understand that your particular Christian path is more than just the Bible – I say your particular path as the term ‘Christian’ for me is defined as anyone who follows the teachings of Jesus; regardless their particular denomination. I would hope that for most, their faith is also a way of life. But again, yours is not the only denomination (or religion for that matter) where people try to live their faith.
That said, I do not believe that everything in the Bible needs to be, or was ever intended to be, supernatural, mysterious, or even divine (and before you even wonder, no, I’m not an atheist)– sometimes it just describes the real-life events of a given time period. Take Paul’s letter for example. It’s just that; a letter. I’m pretty sure when he wrote that response he wasn’t expecting his letter to last more than twenty years, let alone 2,000. Presumably it was written in response to someone writing to him describing, among other things, the communication issues in Corinth that had developed at public worships. Corinth was a multi-cultural, multi-lingual city on not one, but two ports. Paul is simply responding to what must have been a very common problem; the issue of mutual intelligibility in a city where not everyone spoke Greek equally as well. A city where one could walk the streets and probably hear several different languages in a matter of an hour, if that – I mean, I hear more than that just stopping in at my local supermarket on a Thursday night; it’s like a virtual UN (and I live in a relatively small city in New England)!
OK – enough digression…..
Yes, to some degree it is still ongoing research – there are things to learn on both sides of the coin. The nice thing about ‘tongues’ is that they are something concrete and tangible. They can be and have been studied and analyzed.
Some of the natural questions that arise with tongues are, what is being produced? What is the linguistic make-up of T-speech? Does it have a grammar? Does it have a lexicon? Is it one ‘universal language’ or is it specific to each speaker? Is it simply the Christian form of glossolalia? How is it ‘interpreted’/translated? Is translation consistent? The list goes on. Fortunately, all these questions can be (and for the most part have been) answered.
To someone’s post – “Can God do today what he did back then?” Of course he can. Why wouldn’t he be able to? As far as this question goes with respect to tongues, I’ve answered that above – people still speak; thus, languages have not stopped. Most people refer to 1.Cor. 13:8 with respect to “tongues ceasing” but of course, that passage, as well as any other Biblical passage, is pretty open to various interpretation. Usually said interpretation is tailored to fit the beliefs of a particular group whether it be ‘pro’ or ‘con’.
Some questions to consider…..
With respect to Biblical ‘tongues’, what makes you think they are not in reference to real language??
With respect to ‘modern tongues’, what makes you think they are some sort of language??
What makes you think that the glossolalia/tongues of say an Evenki shaman is any different or any less divine than your tongue(s)?
If you hear T-speech and think it is somehow ‘demonic’ – what makes you think that?? The speaker, the tone, intonation, the actual sounds themselves?
Have you ever recorded yourself speaking in tongues and then played it back and really listened to what you were producing??
How do you account for multiple, unrelated, interpretations of the same utterance??
I did ask a series of questions in the original post, but haven’t really gotten any concrete answers.
One of the issues for me is that there are no reported proven examples of xenoglossy – anywhere. In every case that has ever been studied, the speaker was at some time in one way or another exposed to the foreign language s/he spoke. Despite this, the Pentecostal/Charismatic community seems to be rife with examples of xenoglossy. As someone stated, they do not speak Spanish, yet supposedly uttered something in the language when speaking in tongues.
Again, these are things which are tangible – they can be studied and analyzed.
My questions would be – what was spoken, a dialogue, a paragraph, a sentence or just a phrase spoken over and over?? What is the person’s (speaker’s) background? Have they ever been exposed to the language they spoke?
languages like Spanish or English are inherently problematic; whether Spanish here in North America or English virtually anywhere else in the world, one big problem is that that they are just way too darn common a language for the speaker not to have been exposed to them. Spanish is a language my brother has never studied, but he can carry on a fairly simple conversation just from hearing it on the streets and being more subconsciously exposed to it that way.
So, it kind of begs the question of what exactly is going on in these examples?? Yes, it’s easy to say that God gave me the ability to speak this language, but what is actually being said? Not to pick on Spanish, but, what would a non-Spanish speaking bystander hear from the speaker addressing the listener, Spanish or glossolalia? What is actually heard by the person the speaker is addressing? Are they physically hearing Spanish, or subconsciously getting a “message” revealed to them (subconsciously) in Spanish? In short is what’s happening in these types of incidents; true xenoglossy or something completely different but perceived as xenoglossy?
I think the above are all legitimate questions and ones that are not defined by one’s faith.
Some people have told me that I am trying to define something supernatural in natural terms, but honestly, I’m kind of having a hard time buying that because I’m just not seeing anything supernatural here; there’s nothing that’s being done that can’t be defined in normal natural terms.
Ultimately however, I think it simply boils down to you either subscribe to tongues as something supernatural and divine, or you don’t – not sure there’s really any middle ground.
First let me be clear – I do not mean this to sound insulting in the least; however since it’s sort of been brought up.….There are many paths to the Light (God, the Creator, the Deity, the One, whichever name you wish to use); yours is by far not the only path and, contrary to what you may think or have been taught to believe, your particular path is no better than any other.
I have only recently become aware of the terms “cessationsit” and “continuationist” – had no clue what they really meant and admittedly had to google the definitions. Having done that, I do not identify with either. As far as ‘tongues’ are concerned; since the Biblical term “tongues” refers to real language(s), obviously, they haven’t ‘ceased’; people still speak.
Digressing a bit here, but part of the issue for me is the insistence on using 16[SUP]th[/SUP] century English and its misinterpretation into modern English – ‘tongue(s)’ is/was just an older term for ‘language’ – nothing more mysterious than that. We still occasionally use the term today to clearly refer to real languages. We speak of a person’s “mother tongue”, a “native tongue” of a particular country or region, etc. Clearly the reference is to real language. I don’t know if it’s because the word ‘language’ is not specifically used that when one sees ‘tongues’ it’s automatically assumed to be something outside the realm of everyday speech (?).
The term ‘interpretation’ equates to ‘translation’ – the difference between the two terms is a bit subtle; in a nutshell, both mean to render language ‘X’ into language ‘Y’; interpretation however typically refers to something spoken whilst translation typically refers to something written. We speak of someone needing an interpreter to discuss, say their medical concerns to a doctor, but if that same person has a document in the language, a translator is called; not an interpreter. To “interpret a tongue” is simply to “translate a language”, nothing more.
I am not here to argue religious beliefs nor do I expect to change anyone’s beliefs. I do have strong views about the subject and what is presented is simply another way of looking at this phenomenon. The subject of tongues has always interested me but I never really looked into it until fairly recently. The more I study the phenomenon, the more I have come to realize that the ‘tongues’ of the Bible and the modern Pentecostal/Charismatic practice are two completely different things entirely. The former concerns itself with real language(s), the latter with glossolalia/non-cognitive non-language utterances. I’m in no way suggesting that modern tongues are wrong, but with all due respect, I don’t think they’re quite what you’d like them to be either.
I do understand that your particular Christian path is more than just the Bible – I say your particular path as the term ‘Christian’ for me is defined as anyone who follows the teachings of Jesus; regardless their particular denomination. I would hope that for most, their faith is also a way of life. But again, yours is not the only denomination (or religion for that matter) where people try to live their faith.
That said, I do not believe that everything in the Bible needs to be, or was ever intended to be, supernatural, mysterious, or even divine (and before you even wonder, no, I’m not an atheist)– sometimes it just describes the real-life events of a given time period. Take Paul’s letter for example. It’s just that; a letter. I’m pretty sure when he wrote that response he wasn’t expecting his letter to last more than twenty years, let alone 2,000. Presumably it was written in response to someone writing to him describing, among other things, the communication issues in Corinth that had developed at public worships. Corinth was a multi-cultural, multi-lingual city on not one, but two ports. Paul is simply responding to what must have been a very common problem; the issue of mutual intelligibility in a city where not everyone spoke Greek equally as well. A city where one could walk the streets and probably hear several different languages in a matter of an hour, if that – I mean, I hear more than that just stopping in at my local supermarket on a Thursday night; it’s like a virtual UN (and I live in a relatively small city in New England)!
OK – enough digression…..
Yes, to some degree it is still ongoing research – there are things to learn on both sides of the coin. The nice thing about ‘tongues’ is that they are something concrete and tangible. They can be and have been studied and analyzed.
Some of the natural questions that arise with tongues are, what is being produced? What is the linguistic make-up of T-speech? Does it have a grammar? Does it have a lexicon? Is it one ‘universal language’ or is it specific to each speaker? Is it simply the Christian form of glossolalia? How is it ‘interpreted’/translated? Is translation consistent? The list goes on. Fortunately, all these questions can be (and for the most part have been) answered.
To someone’s post – “Can God do today what he did back then?” Of course he can. Why wouldn’t he be able to? As far as this question goes with respect to tongues, I’ve answered that above – people still speak; thus, languages have not stopped. Most people refer to 1.Cor. 13:8 with respect to “tongues ceasing” but of course, that passage, as well as any other Biblical passage, is pretty open to various interpretation. Usually said interpretation is tailored to fit the beliefs of a particular group whether it be ‘pro’ or ‘con’.
Some questions to consider…..
With respect to Biblical ‘tongues’, what makes you think they are not in reference to real language??
With respect to ‘modern tongues’, what makes you think they are some sort of language??
What makes you think that the glossolalia/tongues of say an Evenki shaman is any different or any less divine than your tongue(s)?
If you hear T-speech and think it is somehow ‘demonic’ – what makes you think that?? The speaker, the tone, intonation, the actual sounds themselves?
Have you ever recorded yourself speaking in tongues and then played it back and really listened to what you were producing??
How do you account for multiple, unrelated, interpretations of the same utterance??
I did ask a series of questions in the original post, but haven’t really gotten any concrete answers.
One of the issues for me is that there are no reported proven examples of xenoglossy – anywhere. In every case that has ever been studied, the speaker was at some time in one way or another exposed to the foreign language s/he spoke. Despite this, the Pentecostal/Charismatic community seems to be rife with examples of xenoglossy. As someone stated, they do not speak Spanish, yet supposedly uttered something in the language when speaking in tongues.
Again, these are things which are tangible – they can be studied and analyzed.
My questions would be – what was spoken, a dialogue, a paragraph, a sentence or just a phrase spoken over and over?? What is the person’s (speaker’s) background? Have they ever been exposed to the language they spoke?
languages like Spanish or English are inherently problematic; whether Spanish here in North America or English virtually anywhere else in the world, one big problem is that that they are just way too darn common a language for the speaker not to have been exposed to them. Spanish is a language my brother has never studied, but he can carry on a fairly simple conversation just from hearing it on the streets and being more subconsciously exposed to it that way.
So, it kind of begs the question of what exactly is going on in these examples?? Yes, it’s easy to say that God gave me the ability to speak this language, but what is actually being said? Not to pick on Spanish, but, what would a non-Spanish speaking bystander hear from the speaker addressing the listener, Spanish or glossolalia? What is actually heard by the person the speaker is addressing? Are they physically hearing Spanish, or subconsciously getting a “message” revealed to them (subconsciously) in Spanish? In short is what’s happening in these types of incidents; true xenoglossy or something completely different but perceived as xenoglossy?
I think the above are all legitimate questions and ones that are not defined by one’s faith.
Some people have told me that I am trying to define something supernatural in natural terms, but honestly, I’m kind of having a hard time buying that because I’m just not seeing anything supernatural here; there’s nothing that’s being done that can’t be defined in normal natural terms.
Ultimately however, I think it simply boils down to you either subscribe to tongues as something supernatural and divine, or you don’t – not sure there’s really any middle ground.
The gift of tongues can be used for intercession, and most importantly so, because it is the Lord giving you the utterance (the words to use in the intercession). Who better to pray than the Lord Himself, guiding your spirit to pray for a person, place, or thing?
If you know an interpreter I propose an experiment for you. Sit with them, think of a certain person or anyone in the room and start speaking in tongues. The interpreter will be getting the interpretation of what you're saying and you'll notice that your tongues can be directed. You can intercede for anyone at any time, even whilst you sit in the parking lot in your car. People walking by you can pray in the Spirit for.
As an example, I was being driven by a family member of mine and while I was sitting as a passenger I looked towards a vehicle and immediately I saw in my mind a car crash. At once, under my breath, I started speaking in tongues looking at the vehicle (and thinking upon the person) and afterwards I asked the Lord if we just interceded on their behalf so that they wouldn't get in an accident. He confirmed it.
This is how powerful a gift the Lord has bestowed, prayer. Prayer is a powerful thing because God is good! Even so, the gift of tongues is not only a force for good within oneself (building their most holy faith) but for the sake of others. YOu may intervene, and pray for them in tongues and while you're doing this the Lord is blessing them, in so many ways one of which can include providence and protection.
If you know an interpreter I propose an experiment for you. Sit with them, think of a certain person or anyone in the room and start speaking in tongues. The interpreter will be getting the interpretation of what you're saying and you'll notice that your tongues can be directed. You can intercede for anyone at any time, even whilst you sit in the parking lot in your car. People walking by you can pray in the Spirit for.
As an example, I was being driven by a family member of mine and while I was sitting as a passenger I looked towards a vehicle and immediately I saw in my mind a car crash. At once, under my breath, I started speaking in tongues looking at the vehicle (and thinking upon the person) and afterwards I asked the Lord if we just interceded on their behalf so that they wouldn't get in an accident. He confirmed it.
This is how powerful a gift the Lord has bestowed, prayer. Prayer is a powerful thing because God is good! Even so, the gift of tongues is not only a force for good within oneself (building their most holy faith) but for the sake of others. YOu may intervene, and pray for them in tongues and while you're doing this the Lord is blessing them, in so many ways one of which can include providence and protection.
Yeah, too bad we treat each other that way. Since all gifts we have come from God, the gift you have is energized by the same God Who energizes in the believer who speaks in tongues. But for some reason some think they're the end all to be all when God works within them. They don't think about the fact that God is working in each one of us. We really need to take our eyes off of ourselves (or other believers), and get our focus on God and what He wants and how He wants things done in order to bless the body of Christ.
I don't know any interpreters sadly and even if I did I couldn't do an experiment like that because I only do this when I am lead to it's never on my own accord and I attempted to do so without the Lord telling me to in my heart it wouldn't work.
But that is amazing what you experienced and I guess it makes sense now why sometimes I go through this. It isn't always simply feeling lead to pray for people for me though, sometimes I get an image in my minds eye of death about to take a persons life and I say to death in a kind angry tone you will take me in their place or sometimes I see in my minds eye satan tormenting a person and I yell BACK OFF and then realize I had actually said this loud and only just realized it but the words just lunged forward like i became so protectively angry
But that is amazing what you experienced and I guess it makes sense now why sometimes I go through this. It isn't always simply feeling lead to pray for people for me though, sometimes I get an image in my minds eye of death about to take a persons life and I say to death in a kind angry tone you will take me in their place or sometimes I see in my minds eye satan tormenting a person and I yell BACK OFF and then realize I had actually said this loud and only just realized it but the words just lunged forward like i became so protectively angry