“For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, To whom He said, ‘This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,’ And, ‘This is the refreshing’; Yet they would not hear” (Isa 28:11-12).
I began with this verse because I wanted to point out that speaking in tongues was prophesied long before the Day of Pentecost occurred. Jesus also prophesied in the Great Commission that we should speak in tongues: “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;” (Mark 16:17, italics mine).
Before we go on I’ll make this statement: Speaking in tongues is a Kingdom benefit, NOT a Salvation requirement (there have been doctrines that have stated in order for one to be saved they must be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak with other tongues – that is not true! Salvation belongs to the one who believes with their heart and confesses with their mouth that Jesus is Lord: “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom 10:9-10).). – Scripture must be the foundation for all believing where the Kingdom of God is concerned! [While we’re at it, the Law of Doctrine is: “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2Cor.13:1). In other words one must have at least two, and preferably three (the more the better) instances where something is mentioned in order to qualify for doctrinal belief.]
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant” (1Co 12:1). The word gifts is italicized which means it was added to help clarify what’s being said. We could render this verse to say ‘Now concerning spiritual matters, or things pertaining to the spirit (the unseen realm).’ This particular teaching is talking about speaking in tongues, and some benefits that come with it. The first benefit I’d like to mention is speaking mysteries (things we simply do not know): “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries” (1Co 14:2). This last portion is what I want to emphasize here. “In the spirit he speaks mysteries.” These ‘mysteries’ are things we do not know, or have any knowledge of – but God does! He’ll give us ‘utterance’ (words) by His Spirit to pray for/about something we have no prior knowledge of.
Another Scripture that speaks to this is Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom 8:26-27). First, the word “weaknesses” is simply speaking of our inability to produce results – because we simply do not know how or what to pray for as we ought. Speaking in tongues makes our physical tongue available to the Holy Spirit to pray/speak to God about something we don’t have knowledge of. The second thing I’d like to emphasize is the last phrase: “because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Did you notice “the will of” is italicized? That means it wasn’t in the original Greek text. If we take it out the phrase would say: “according to God.” – Did you catch that? Let me do a Mike Leach rendering for clarity: speaking in tongues (or, praying in tongues) is equivalent to God Himself doing the speaking/praying! [He knows how to get results!] He’s giving us the words to speak by unction, and we speak them as we yield to Him. [Unction is how the Holy Spirit communicates with our spirit-man; it’s internal. Not like He’s speaking ‘words’ directly to us, but it’s a knowing in our spirit-man that is communicated Spirit to spirit.]
The next benefit I’d like to talk about is found in the second part of our opening Scripture: “‘This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,’ And, ‘This is the refreshing’” (Isaiah 28:12). Speaking in tongues brings one into a place of rest, and causes a refreshing in their lives. It can be co-related to charging up a battery. “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself” (1Cor.14:4a). The word “edifies” is from the Greek word that means to ‘construct, build up, or edify.’ It will cause a ‘refreshing.’ Jude 20 says it like this: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” For the purpose of this teaching, when we talk about ‘praying in the Holy Spirit’ we are talking about praying in tongues – they’re synonymous terms.
So far we’ve learned that speaking in tongues enables one to:
- Pray about/for things they don’t have knowledge of.
- Supernaturally enter into rest and be refreshed.
So, you might ask: how does one come to speak with/in other tongues? – I’m glad you asked!
Let me reiterate, being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a requirement to enter the Kingdom of God, or to be a part of the Family of God. But, it does require that one has already been Born Again (made a New Creature). I did not digress from the question: speaking in tongues is the evidence of having been filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s like buying a pair of shoes; the tongues come with them – it’s not a separate action (it’s all one ‘package’). Back to the question of how one comes to speak in other tongues. Like everything in the Kingdom of God – you only have to ask to be filled with the Spirit! Then believe you have received. Jesus said it this way: “how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:13b).
Here are some Scriptural examples:
- “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4, underline mine for emphasis).
- “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God” (Acts 10:44-46a).
- “he (Paul) said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ … And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:2, 6).
I want to point out two things here, 1) in each instance the people were already believers in Christ (Born Again); 2) when they were filled with the Holy Spirit they all spoke with/in (other) tongues. Perhaps this teaching should have been called “Being Filled With the Holy Spirit.” But I felt the need to emphasize speaking in tongues because there has been much confusion regarding this practice. It is certainly one of the greatest tools God has given to His Body to excel over darkness these Last Days! I like to say it this way, ‘The Word of God is the Wood for our fire, and speaking in other tongues is what adds fuel to that fire.’
Speaking in other tongues will enhance your worship experience. There are times when one may want to express to their Heavenly Father a love and devotion that escapes the natural limitations their mind and known language can afford. Tongues makes possible this expression, because it comes directly from the heart (spirit-man) the urge for intimacy with God can be satisfied through this benefit. This practice of speaking in tongues also helps one to differentiate between what is of their soul and of their spirit – like making a decision: an emotional one will come from the soul of man; a choice from the heart (spirit-man) stands to be a safe one. Speaking in tongues aids in making that difference.
I’ll not belabor this point, but what we have been talking about is NOT the gift of tongues mentioned in 1Cor. 12:10, 28. Those two verses are speaking of the manifestation of the Spirit called “kinds of tongues” or “varieties of tongues” which are for public ministry (service). These tongues sound a lot like the ‘speaking in tongues’ we’ve been talking about, but are limited to the will of the Spirit. “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: … But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (1Cor. 12:7, 11). This is what is called a ‘gift of the Spirit’ and functions as He wills, and is used – primarily – for public ministry. Where confusion could come in is in verse 30: “Do all speak with tongues?” implying, ‘no, not everyone does.’ Yet, Paul declared “I wish you all spoke with tongues” (14:5a). Then he said: “do not forbid to speak with tongues” (14:39b).
In conclusion: speaking in other tongues is a Kingdom benefit that anyone in the Kingdom can ask for and expect to operate in their lives. It enables them to commune with God in such an intimate way that their worship skyrockets and the desires of their heart are released. It also connects one with an energizing Source beyond description. It enables one to pray out mysteries that only God knows! It will enhance one’s understanding of the Scriptures. It will sharpen one’s spirit-man to the point of differentiating between their soul (mind-will-emotions) and their spirit-man (who they really are). This all is a result of being baptized with the Holy Spirit (filled with) and speaking in other tongues.