I have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. I am not ashamed of sharing my
experience of speaking in tongues. I personally pray in the spirit with my
prayer language when I do not know how to pray for someone. Often times
just praising in the Spirit (tongues) can be awesome experience.
When one is in a Church that has the gifts in operation, it is, in my opinion,
something I would question if it is expected every week. I believe it is sacred
when God speaks through a person, and the interpreter should also be a person
of known integrity and true relationship with the Lord.
Today is a day of deception and so many seem to be focused so on this
manifestation that it is forced. I know I have been there. The Church
that tongues and interpretation is expected.
I have not given message in tongues, but have had the Lord show me
something in the spirit through Worship and I have spoken it in English.
But that is more like Word of Knowledge.
I think the OP is thinking of a Pastor giving the sermon in tongues and
asking if someone is there to interpret it. I have never heard of this
happening before, has anyone else ?
It is a day of deception and it appears the flesh is more subject to
want to be known as a great Christian with the gift.
I was put in a situation once where the Pastor had a lady come up
to prophesy over people. So a line formed. He asked me to come up
and I did not want to do it. I was not told by God nor did I feel
the anointing to do it. So I obeyed and stood behind them. Then
God did show me something for the person, just a little encouraging
word, and I followed the person toward their seat and shared what
the Lord had shown me. It was not for everyone. But my really
bad experience I have never gotten over .... the very last man was
in line and as he stood waiting his turn, I was shown he doubted himself
as being a good father. He gets prayed over, and I did the unthinkable.
Because he was last, I spoke it out. A strange look came over him.
I came home and all I could see was that look. The word was encouraging.
The Lord was telling him he doubted and not to doubt because he was
really a good father.
That tormented me so much. I tried to call their home. I needed to see
if that really upset him as I felt in my spirit it did. I could get no answer
I tried for like 5 days. Finally, I reached his wife and told her my concern.
I cried every day after that Sunday, and was began crying when I asked
her did I upset her husband.
She said, 'you know, on Tues. evening he asked her, do you think I am a
bad father?' And of course she said no. I sobbed and sobbed, and told her
it was not meant to be a put down, but encouraging him he is a good father.
She then told me he had a very bad relationship with his home life and explained
some things. I knew then.... I did hear from God. He (the man ) was in his
hidden subconscious he was determined to be a better father than what he had.
So, I say all that to say it is good if it is God calling us to do it. I did not
want to go back to the Church again. But I liked the Pastor and people. Yet
I have out grown the hoopla of wild worship and prophecies given all the time.
I have come from Methodist and Baptist, back ground as young person then
left the Methodist church for the Full Gospel / Charismatic movement back
in the early 70's. I have learned not to go by feeling. But by faith. I have
learned to ask God for discernment before I act. Even on here, I often
see something and seek God for that person who has a prayer request or
topic. I do not want to be false in anything I do. We are not all going to
agree, and I am learning that too.
I am sorry for getting off track here. But it sort of brought back memories.
I did have one experience that was positively awesome. I was shaking in
my shoes. It was my main Church, full gospel, and during Worship the
Lord impressed on me that there was someone there who was feeling like
they were hanging on by a thread and about to let go. He was encouraging
the young man to hold on because the Lord hears sees his situation.
I waited all through the service and tested the spirit.. it would not leave
me ... I had to give it. As they were getting ready to close out, I spoke
up from where I was sitting .. what the Lord showed me. Oh how scary.
My first time.. So unsure. But we have to step out in faith when it is so
impressed into your spirit.
Okay I get a call when I got home from Church. A lady neighbor of the
young man, said I thought you would like to know, (leaving him nameless)
was the man God was speaking too. That young man and wife ended up
becoming missionaries. They served a long time in another Country. They
are back now in U.S. I have never spoken to him about that night.
AS I said we want to be used by God, but must be very careful and
try the spirit. Amen ~ J~ K~ 2