Anonymous asked: SO! I checked your tags on tongues and didn't find quite what i'm looking for. A few months ago i was baptized in the holy spirit, it was just with a few friends praying over me, and i received what they told me what a prayer language. can you explain what exactly that is? and also is it the same thing as the gift of tongues? thanks in advance!! :D

WOW! That’s so awesome! 

Prayer language and Speaking in tongues is the the same gift but it has different applications. Speaking in tongues (under biblical guidelines) builds up the body (church) as a whole. Praying in tongues builds up the individual. 

:D

Anonymous asked: I believe in God and I've seen great things he has done to other christians, but why doesn't he do that great stuff in me (speak in tongues is an example) what am I doing wrong? I've asked him a lot of times, I want his Holy Spirit in my life, but I don't see any changes

Hi!

The reason why you can’t speak in tongues is one out of these two reasons:

Reason number one: It might not be time for you to receive this gift. (Keep in mind that God has a perfect time for everything, you just have to wait patiently, and keep dwelling in Christ and keep seeking Him.)

                                              or

Reason number two: speaking in tongues is not meant for you.

Speaking in tongues is a gift and not all Christians receive this gift, but don’t let that bring you down. God has a special gift for you, just ask Him to reveal it to you. :-)

“Are all apostles (special messengers)? Are all prophets (inspired interpreters of the will and purposes of God)? Are all teachers? Do all have the power of performing miracles? Do all possess extraordinary powers of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces). And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one that is better by far and the highest of them all—love].” - 1 Corinthians 12:29-31

“Now I wish that you might all speak in [unknown] tongues, but more especially [I want you] to prophesy (to be inspired to preach and interpret the divine will and purpose). He who prophesies [who is inspired to preach and teach] is greater (more useful and more important) than he who speaks in [unknown] tongues, unless he should interpret [what he says], so that the church may be edified and receive good [from it].” - 1 Corinthians 14:5

heavenforth asked: Someone asked me: "How do you know that Speaking in tongues is a holy language between your Spirit and God? The Bible explains that it's just another foreign language. It's not some gibberish." How do I reply?

“For one who speaks in an [unknown] tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands or catches his meaning, because in the [Holy] Spirit he utters secret truths and hidden things [not obvious to the understanding].” - 1 Corinthians 14:2 (Amplified Bible)

The gift of tongues is given by God to people (Acts 2:38-39). When a person speaks in tongues they speak in a language that is unknown to them. They either speak in an earthly language (Acts 2:4-8) which they do not know or in the language of angels (1 Corinthians 13:1)

To people who hear one speaking in tongues it might sound “gibberish” or “foreign” to them since they don’t understand it, but never the less it’s a language God and Angels understand.

God bless!! c:

- aramis

Anonymous asked: i thought speaking in tongues was a spiritual gift and not every christian had that gift?

There’s the gift of tongues but not everyone who ‘speaks in tongues’ is in the gift of tongues. There’s a difference between one, also called praying in the spirit, and the other which is the spiritual gift.

I also believe that when we take a proper look at scripture that whoever has been baptized in the Spirit can operate in any of the spiritual gifts. When the bible says it’s distributed as God wills I believe that is talking about God’s will for the situation. If I come across someone who needs a word of knowledge it isn’t needed for me to go up and work a miracle. God will give me a word, not have me work a miracle. Now we do have gifts we operate in more than others because we have greater faith in that area. I also don’t believe Paul was trying to give an exhaustive list of the gifts nor saying that we should categorize them all the time, but should be obedient to what God is leading us to do.

-Tyler 

Anonymous asked: What does speaking in tongues mean? Is it like speaking in a different language?

Speaking in tongues is a heavenly language that comes from the Holy Spirit.

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”  - Acts 2:4

Anonymous asked: is it bad if you don't speak in toughs ? does every Christian have 2

It isn’t bad and it isn’t required for salvation but it is commanded in the bible, and is an integral part of the great commission. It isn’t something that should be seen as a requirement, it is as Jesus said “the promise of the Father”.

-Tyler 

Anonymous asked: Hello. Im a christian and baptised, but i cant pray in tongues. How do i do so? :(

It’s all about faith. Just like we receive salvation by faith we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit in faith. God doesn’t just take over and we’re suddenly speaking, it takes the faith to begin to speak.

-Tyler

Anonymous asked: my question regards SPEAKING IN TONGUES. i've heard mixed comments... some people have told me they believe it is okay to speak in tongues. but if it is done in front of people/congregation/someone in particular, it should be interpreted. if that is so, what would you say about kim walker's spontaneous songs about when she speaks in tongues?

There is a lot of different beliefs about this. It involves a difference between speaking in tongues, the manifestation or gift, and the prayer language (between one’s self and God). 1 Cor 14:15 Paul talks about singing in the spirit and also in understanding. Kim Walker is singing in the spirit.

I believe people who have never been around the gifts of the Spirit in operation are more easily confused because they don’t know how they work. The biggest confusion is the difference between a word in tongues and praying in the spirit. We’ve had some people offended who visited my church because we were praying over a sick person and some were praying in tongues. There was a couple who visited together who we’re upset there was no interpretation. However this was not a word, but prayer, and was not done loudly. When someone gives a word in tongues it is known. I’ve given a word in tongues before in a church that had never experienced that. The Holy Spirit witnessed with the others what was going on and no music was played so that the message would be heard. Everyone remained quiet as another interpreted and after that interpretation someone received a confirmation through scripture.

-Tyler

Anonymous asked: hi!! very cool blog. i have a question.. when it comes to christianity and god, i feel like i'm a "beginner". is it possible to not be able to speak in tongues? and what is it actually?

Hi thanks!
The Christian walk isn’t measured in years. It’s a relationship and we grow in relationship at different rates. You may feel like a beginner because we all are beginners. There’s always greater that God will do and greater spiritual maturity we can have.

On the topic of tongues, there seems to be a wide spectrum to encompass that topic. Primarily there is a cessationist view vs a continuationist view. Cessation is that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not to day; continuist being the opposite.

I believe that the gifts of the Spirit are still active today. It is not possible to ‘not be able to speak in tongues’. Actually, it isn’t about your own ability but of that of the Holy Spirit. I’ll refer to baptism of the Holy Spirit soon. First though I’ll say that anyone who receives Jesus as Lord can speak in tongues.

Baptism in Holy Spirit
There is a LOT of scripture pertaining to this, including in the Old Testament. In Acts 2:17 says And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;. Here Peter is addressing the crowd after some scoffed saying “these people are drunk”. He was referring to what the prophet Joel said in the old testament. We are in these last days, the age of grace through Jesus. God’s spirit was poured out on that Pentecost in Acts 2. Holy Spirit is not something we plead God for but something we receive by faith because Holy Spirit has already been poured out. It’s just like how salvation was poured out once and we receive by faith.

Acts 1:4-8 ⁴ And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; ⁵ for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” ⁶ Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
There are other parallels in the gospels such as in Mark. It’s tied into the great commission. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is for edification, power, and ministry. The purpose is for us to operate in power. The gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12 are not exhaustive but they are: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, the gift of faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, the gift of tongues (which is different from what you receive when you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit), and last is the interpretation of the gift of tongues. What you operate in depends on your faith. Some believe that you only receive some of these gifts from God but I believe we receive all of them with Holy Spirit but we operate more in what we have faith in and where we are in life.

How to receive:
If you’ve truly been born again you can receive. First believe. Have faith. Then begin to pray, talk with God. Ask him to help you receive what he’s poured out. Last, step in faith. Begin to speak what you feel inside your heart. It may be just a couple of words at first but as you continue and your faith builds it’ll grow. Once you receive, don’t forget about it. You should pray in the Spirit every day. I have friends who have received and from that time it’s like they’ve forgot about it. It isn’t about having this experience and feeling; it’s about receiving for daily life and then ministering to others.

If you have any questions you can send another ask off of anon and we can dialogue privately.
Also here’s a good teaching http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/holy_spirit

-Tyler