I speak in tongues as part of my prayer language...and so does my Honey. I know and have heard many Christians who speak in tongues.
It is interesting Lon but most of all it's a deeper intimacy with our Creator and it is to me our soul speaking what our heart cannot put into words that we normally speak. I have spoken spiritual warfare in tongues as well as prophetic messages but I think I love praying in tongues most when I am praising and worshipping my Creator and Savior.
No, I haven't, but always wanted to. Its one of the gifts, but not all have been given it, but I think I have other gifts, which I'm thankful for. As best we can tell there are about 15 gifts, some of which are discernment, encouragement, wisdom, healing, prophesy (teaching), and others. Most church members I know use the gift at home as a form of worship, but I've seen it used many times in church, but according to Paul's teaching, there should be an interpreter present, so that what is revealed can edify the church body. If no interpreter is present, it shouldn't be done. "If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at most three, should speak in turn, and someone must interpret. 28But if there is no interpreter, he (or she) should remain silent in the church and speak only to himself and God.…" (1 Cor 14)
I have not, but my wife woke me up one night just talking away in a strange language that I have never heard. This went on for several minutes and she doesn't remember a thing. It spooked me a bit, but she has never done it again in the last 15 years.
After I married, my mother forced my father to join an Assemblies of God church. The congregation spoke in tongues during Sunday services. Sounded like Greek to me, literally, or Arabic. Mom did it in church but not at home. In some Pagan traditions there is an experience of having a Spirit song -- the melody and lyrics of which come to you in meditation and is supposedly unique to you (the melody, not the language). Languages are typically real but ancient, such as Gaelic or an indigenous language that is extinct or nearly so.
Their is much debate about the gift of tongues. Some say it doesn't exist today. I even have been in a Church that said no speaking in tongues was allowed. All I know is that when the gift of tongues flows from my soul I couldn't stop it if I wanted to. It is not something that comes out of my mouth all the time but when it does I know the Holy Spirit is speaking through my soul and that is a beautiful and holy time in my life. When one of my sisters was in the hospital with a knee replacement that got infected and had to be redone...she called me in the middle of the night asking me to pray for her because she felt such evil in her room. She had woken me up but I could tell she was very scared. I started praying for her normally but as I prayed my praying went from my normal language to praying in tongues. The tone of my praying in tongues got bolder and fierce and louder and I felt my chest heaving and I could sense I was in heavy duty warfare for my sister. My husband was sleeping next to me and he immediately began praying softly along with me. Finally the tongues stopped and I felt a great peace flow through me and my sister felt that peace too...and the very real presence of evil that she felt in her hospital room was gone. And I was exhausted from the battle I knew I had fought for my sister that night. A Christian can ask for the gift of tongues. But honestly it was not something I asked for or even felt I wanted or needed. I thought tongues sounded weird when I heard others speak it and wasn't sure I wanted any part of that. But one day my gift of tongues just started flowing from my mouth during one of my prayer times. It startled me me because it sounded like Chinese or something similar to that language. I didn't like the sound of it so I just closed my mouth and stopped it. I guess one could say that I had to grow slowly into my gift of tongues...I even asked God if He would change it so that it sounded like Spanish which is a beautiful language to me. But that didn't happen. What did happen is that I accepted the gift I was given and opened my heart to receiving this gift. It is not something I use all the time...but when it does flow from me I know God has a reason for that and I am at peace.
Hi Babs, I have prayed for the gift of tongues for over 40 years. Back when I first prayed to be saved (late 70's), someone told me that if I didn't speak in tongues I wasn't really saved. That created a stronghold that I can't seem to shake. It created such doubt of salvation in my mind, that it really has hindered my walk all these years. I seek the Lord daily, I read my bible daily, pray daily, yet there is this cloud hanging over that I jut can't seem to get rid of. If you feel lead..... I ask for prayers. Thank you.
Hello @Emma Potter. I am so sorry someone told you that you had to doubt your salvation if you didn't speak in tongues...there is simply no truth in what that person told you. Tongues is just one of many gifts God can bless a person with. @Hugh Manely mentioned several of the other gifts in his post on this thread. While having any of these gifts help Christians serve Christ and others...having or not having these gifts does not affect our salvation in any way. Our salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone. It is our acceptance of His sacrifice for our sins and our allowing Him to become Lord of our lives and Redeemer of our sins that brings us salvation and eternal life. It is that simple accepting and believing Jesus is our way to salvation and eternal life. The Bible says in the NT that the Apostles laid hands on new Christians and they received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and many spoke in tongues after this. Have you been baptized in the Spirit Emma? Some say when you are Baptized with water you also receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. And I believe in some cases this is true. But when the Bible speaks of the Baptism of the Spirit it usually is in context with the laying on of hands and prayer. If your heart truly desires the gift of tongues Emma then may God grant you that desire of your heart. But if you feel you have to speak in tongues to prove you have salvation then I pray the Holy Spirit will give you wisdom to see this is not His truth and that you are filled with His peace and assurance that you are saved without a doubt. God loves you Emma, you are His beloved daughter and always will be. May this stronghold that has held you captive for so many years be broken forever in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
I was raised Pentecostal, so yes I have heard many speak in tongues and have heard it interpreted many times. Always gave me good chills just from feeling the spirit, I guess.
Thank you Babs, I was water Baptized back in the 90's. But never baptized in the Spirit I'm sad to say.
Don't be sad Emma. When you asked Jesus to forgive your sins and become your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit came to dwell within you and He will never leave or forsake you. To me the Baptism of the Spirit is like an activation of His power and gifts within you. If you have a Minister he can lay his hands on you and ask for you to receive the Baptist of the Holy Spirit. A good Christian friend can also do the same for you. Best of all Emma you can ask Jesus to lay His hands on you and Baptist you in the Spirit! Our heavenly Father would never deny any of His children this gift...all you have to do is truly desire this and ask for it. And yes I will be praying that God gives you your heart's desires Emma and I have no doubt He will here the cries of your heart.
lol The ability of speaking in tongues is not even given to everyone, but for those that have it... I respect. I on the other hand couldn't care less about learning Spanish/Mexican or any other foreign language, I do speak English fluently and that's all I care to know, or need, living in the good ol' USA. Nope never traveled outside of the country, so no need. I do wish those that come to live in the U.S. would learn to speak English though...I don't really care if they speak it fluently...just that they cared enough to learn it would work for me.