Speaking in Tongues

Post by **_Les Wright** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:29 pm

Paidion,

Thanks for sharing that.

I do speak in tongues myself, but I haven't publically.. at least, not so that I could be heard.

I also am critical of how tongues is used and how we cannot tell for certain whether a proephecy given in tongues it is from God and whether the interpretation given is correct, etc..

Anyhow.. I don't pray in tongues regularly; however, I believe I do have a wide vocabulary when I do. I do notice some repetition, but there is probably just as much when I pray in English...

Anyhow.. my initial test for knowing it is real is that I used to get all emotional when people would pray over me.. in a conentrated time when people laid hands on me and prayed for me... when this occurs, I started praying under my breath in tongues and since nobody exclaimed anything about the Devil being present or whatever, I figure its all good.. It also connects me with God and is a great subsitute for a repetitive 'oh God, oh God, oh God' type prayer when I am in danger or in an unholy environment and need protection.

Thats my contribution off the top of my head.. as I have a 2 month old on my lap..

in Him,
Les

Post by **_TK** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:49 am

thx, les...

my question for all of you who pray in tongues is simply this-- did it just happen or did you have to make it happen? in other words, i have heard someone state that in order to pray (or speak) in tongues, you have to open your mouth and speak. you have to start saying something. but if i just start saying something, how do i know i am just not making it up myself, as opposed to it coming from the HS? this is my biggest stumbling block to understanding this gift-- getting past the idea that it's not just me making sounds.

help!!

TK

Post by **_Les Wright** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:50 am

TK,

Here is my story... this happened in 1994/5 when on a DTS with YWAM..

I believed that if the HS wanted me to speak in tongues, He would just do it for me.. speak through me I guess...

so, I went up and got prayed for to speak in tongues at least once and didn't even open up my mouth.. which would have been embarrasing for me (if I knew what others expected)... nothing happened.

Later that night/week, while in my own room I was praying and I guess I tried just speaking/praying out without thinking about what I was going to say.. I thought I heard myself say 'ardi ardi ardi', which is the same thing I used to say when in high school when the teacher turned his/her back and the class started to make a noise... (I was pretty immature back then.. if you and a friend both say 'ardi ardi ardi' when the teacher turns his/her back to you, it definately makes a loud background noise)... Anyhow.. that led me to really quesiton if it was just me making it up. I struggled with this for awhile.. but eventually seemed to be saying other things, which didn't sound like something I was controlling... It is kind of like hearing somebody else talk because you don't think about what you're saying/praying...

THen, since when I prayed this way with others around nobody seemed to 'sense' an evil presence of anything, I figured it probably wasn't demonic.

So.. that is my story in a snapshot..

So, in short, I guess you have to make it happen. The same would probably be true for using other gifts of the HS. The HS moves through us, but we have to do something too.

My biggest beef at the time (and stil is), is that people think it is so 'spiritual' to pray for others in tongues.. I don't think it is Biblical, and I also think it is more beneficial for the person if they understand what you pray for them about.. that way they can be encouraged as you pray... and don't just get left with thinking.. 'oh my, look how spiritual so and so is..

God bless.
Les

Post by **_TK** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:22 am

thx les-- that helps! i am curious about what people actually experience and i appreciate you sharing this.

TK

Post by **_MLH** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:20 pm

The minister who baptised me most likely prayed I would speak with tongues...( charismatic church) I cannot remember tho' IF he did
or not....My friend said I came up out of the water with a new tongue.
I didnt really believe her and said, "No I didn't, well, several months later
it came rolling out as I was in deep worship to God. Everyone has a
different experience I suppose.

Post by **_Homer** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:48 pm

I think a post of mine some time back would be of interest in this discussion. It passed with little notice at the time. You can read it here: www.wvss.com/forumc/viewtopic.php?t=424

Would be interested in your comments.

Post by **_TK** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:23 pm

Hi homer--

i read your post and it is very interesting. i have heard of other non-christian groups using tongues-- witch doctors, for example.

i have a good christian friend who is the only person i know personally to say that he prays in tongues. i have never heard him because he only does it in private. he prayed for a long time to receive the gift and rec'd it spontaneously while singing worship songs in his car. he does have some charismatic background, and i do not. which is one of the big questions-- why dont spirit filled dispensational baptists pray in tongues?

your post may explain some things-- but doesnt the bible say that when we pray in a tongue, we dont understand what is said but God does? if a tongue is no more than "ecstatic speech" vs from the HS, i am not sure how this could be the case.

also, i am not sure if i understand the author's point about supernatural things not being accepted in the Bible. i dont get that.

TK

Post by **_Homer** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:10 pm

Hi TK,

one of the big questions-- why dont spirit filled dispensational baptists pray in tongues?

I have long had the same question. One of the leading Pentecostal apologists maintained that they do not receive the gift of tongues because they do not seek it, but I see no evidence in the narratives in Acts that any who spoke with tongues sought it either.

but doesnt the bible say that when we pray in a tongue, we dont understand what is said but God does? if a tongue is no more than "ecstatic speech" vs from the HS, i am not sure how this could be the case.

Hollenweger contends tongues are "ecstatic speech", i.e. not an existing language, but I disagree. If one prays in a tongue which is an actual language unknown to the speaker, God could certainly understand it.

I do not understand the purpose of praying in tongues. I presume it is maintained that it enables a person to pray when they do not know what to say, but wouldn't it be simpler and more enlightening for the Holy Spirit to inspire the person to pray, as appropriate for the need, in his own language? Surely if the Spirit can lead a person to speak in tongues He could give him the needed words in the person's own language. Perhaps I am overly rationalistic.

also, i am not sure if i understand the author's point about supernatural things not being accepted in the Bible. i dont get that.

Hollenweger maintains that the people of the time of the Apostles had no concept of events being supernatural and others in a natural category; they were all the same. I think it rather obvious he is wrong, but perhaps not. They may have believed people had access to varying degrees of power, and not seen it as unnatural at all for God to intervene in events.

It seems to me that if Hollenweger is correct, that tongues are a form of ecstatic speach and not a known language, then their validity can never be proven objectively, only validated by feelings, whereas speech in a known language, as on the day of pentecost, was verifiable.

Post by **_TK** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:55 am

Homer said:

Perhaps I am overly rationalistic.

I feel your pain! i am trying to get over it.

My friend who prays in tongues says that the "connection" he feels with God is different (but not worse) than the connection he feels when is not praying in tongues. perhaps this is what paul means when he says that praying in a tongue edifies the person praying. since i have not yet experienced this i cannot relate.

in regards to the supernatural, the disciples at least believed in the possibility of ghosts because they had to be reassured at least twice by Jesus that he was not one. they may have not have called miracles "supernatural" but they obviously thought they were novel and strange; jesus drew crowds with them and the God grew the early church with them.

Post by **_Les Wright** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 7:48 pm

TK,

big questions-- why dont spirit filled dispensational baptists pray in tongues?

Don't these end up 'converted' to Pentecostalism or something else? It seems that most charismatics I know originally weren't..

I think of myself as pretty rationalistic too, and so is Steve, so I don't think that disqualifies the gift.

Les