© 09 Colin Melbourne
Speaking in Tongues
Q: What is the difference between speaking in tongues and praying in tongues?
A: There’s a big difference.
It is best to reserve the term “speaking in tongues” for the public utterance of a message in tongues as detailed in 1 Co. 12:10,30 and 14:6, accompanied by its interpretation into the language of the fellowship. 1 Co. 14:13,27.
This is the Spiritual Gift of speaking in tongues, which when interpreted, God’s word says is equivalent to the Gift of prophecy. 1 Co. 14:5. This use is God speaking to the Assembly.
The Holy Spirit determines who in the worshipping group He will give the message in tongues to, and He also determines to whom He gives the interpretation. Its purpose, like prophecy, is to strengthen, encourage, comfort, and edify, the believers hearing it. 1 Co. 14:3,5.
He doesn’t force the individual, He comes upon them, and they speak out in faith what He gives them. The speaker remains in control of themselves. 1 Co. 14:32. The fellowship should then weigh the message to ensure it truly comes from the Holy Spirit. 1 Co. 14:29, 1 Jn. 4:1.
This Gift of the Holy Spirit is given to the individual speaker just for the occasion, they don’t keep it or take it home. But those who have been used in this way are more likely to be used in future along this line because they know what is going on, and have learned to speak out in faith.
Praying in Tongues
That is the public use of the Gift of Speaking in Tongues, by which God edifies an Assembly, but the Bible also mentions several other types of tongues, for example praying in tongues, praising, giving thanks, worshipping in tongues, and singing in tongues. 1 Co. 14:14-17.
This is the personal use of tongues, and it is purely between the believer and God. It is the believer speaking to God by the Holy Spirit.
This Gift of Tongues the believer does keep and take home. The believer may use it whenever they wish in private personal worship, prayer and praise.
It is also called praying in the Spirit in Jude 20, and praying with the Spirit (1 Co. 14:15 KJV). Praying in tongues is also what is referred to in the passages Ro. 8:26-27 and Eph. 6:18. Read them afresh with new understanding.
Personal tongues are also used to sing in the Spirit (or sing with the spirit) 1 Co. 14:15. Often the Lord will send a tongues message in song form, followed by the interpretation.
The passage 1 Co. 14:14-15 KJV clearly differentiates praying in tongues from both speaking in tongues, and praising or singing in tongues. The same verses also show that praying with (or in) the Spirit is praying in tongues.
Why do Christians pray in tongues?
Q: What is praying, praising, and singing in the Spirit for?
A: This is a beautiful supernatural topic. The Bible tells us that tongues edify, or charge up, the speaker. 1 Co. 14:4.
As you pray in tongues, you are speaking directly with Almighty God, the Holy Spirit prays through you in accordance with your needs. You don’t know what to pray for, but He does, and helps you pray effectively for yourself and for others. (Ro. 8:26-27).
First Co. 13:1 says there are the tongues of men, and tongues of angels. Think about that. Tongues are the language of angels.
First Corinthians 14:14 says that when you pray in tongues your spirit prays. Contemplate the significance of that Bible fact. It is truly supernatural.
Most people only ever pray with their minds, with their natural understanding. When you pray in tongues you let God’s Spirit loose in your heart to pray through your spirit. I think He knows better how to pray, than little Johnny’s and Uncle Ben’s rote prayers, don’t you?
We are to pray in the Spirit with all kinds of prayers according to Eph. 6:18. 1 Co. 14:15 says we are to pray with our spirits and also with our minds. We are to sing with our spirits, and sing with our minds.
These are God’s instructions on how to use tongues in personal prayer and praise times. Do not neglect this supernatural Gift from God.
Tongues: All You Need to Know: This wonderful compilation of the very best of Ken Hagin’s teaching on speaking in tongues. Provides Scriptural answers to all your questions on this popular subject.
When to use tongues
Q: When should I use tongues in prayer, praise, and worship?
A: As the Holy Spirit leads you. Recall, we are to pray continually (1 Th. 5:17), with all kinds of prayers (Eph. 6:18).
Personal tongues are not generally meant to be blasted out in public, or unbelievers will think you are bonkers. 1 Co. 14:24. But there’s a wonderful exception in Acts 2:4.
On the Day of Pentecost the first 120 got filled, and just let rip praising God in tongues in public. Sure enough, the unbelieving Jews thought they were out of their minds through drink. But the Lord used the tongues as a sign to the unbelievers. (1 Co. 14:21-22).
Each one heard them praising God in the hearer’s own language. I read this as a miracle of hearing, by that I mean, an Ethiopian Jew listening to Peter praising God in tongues, heard him speaking fluent Ethiopian language, but a Syrian Jew hearing Peter would have heard him speaking in perfect Syrian.
Normally we don’t use personal tongues (which are not interpreted) in the presence of unbelievers (1 Co. 14:23). But this is not a hard-and-fast rule, as the exception above proves. We must allow freedom for the Spirit to work and manifest as He wants to. The leaders of the fellowship will know when somebody is out of order and ask them to be quiet. 1 Co. 14:28. But, as long as it is orderly, we are not to forbid speaking in tongues. (1 Co. 14:39).
But I don’t feel any different
Q: Will I feel anything when praying in tongues?
A: Some people have marvellous experiences praying and praising in personal tongues; no wonder, when we allow God to pray through us for what is needed.
Praising God in tongues in an all-believer meeting is wonderful, always uplifting. But we don’t go by feelings, we go by the word. He says using tongues charges us up spiritually; not mentally, not physically, not emotionally, but spiritually. Feelings are soul and flesh: Not spirit. So we often feel nothing at all, and that is absolutely fine.
This takes some getting used to by the newly-saved. They have spent all their lives spiritually dead, completely ruled by their feelings, emotions, and their minds. When they get saved they have to learn to be Spirit-led, that is led by the Spirit of God in their hearts, not their feelings, or minds.
It’s quite a shift, and many struggle with it, especially if they are not Spirit-filled. This is another great bonus after getting the power baptism. You become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, you recognise His leading in your heart better. He still leaves it up to you to follow, but as you follow, you gain confidence in walking in the Spirit.
What comes after tongues?
Q: What else can I expect after praying in tongues?
A: Tongues are only the initial evidence of the power baptism. As you pray in the Spirit and follow the Holy Spirit, He will continue to give you further Gifts of the Spirit, such as prophecy, healing, words of knowledge, etc. You should expect to see all nine working in your life, and eagerly seek them all. 1 Co. 14:1.
But remember, the greatest gift is Love (charity: KJV), and the nine Spiritual Gifts must only be exercised in God’s Love, otherwise they are useless. 1 Co. 13:1-3.
© 09 Colin Melbourne
