What is speaking in tongues and why would I need it

What is speaking in tongues? Good question and hopefully we can answer that through this little bible study. I would like to start off with the first instance that tongues became relevant in the bible. Turn with me to Acts 2. In verses 1-8 we read how the Holy Spirit came down from heaven and baptizes the 120 who where waiting for the Holy Spirit in the upper room. They where filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues. Down in verses 7 and 8 we see that they began to speak in languages they would not naturally know or speak. This is where tongues was introduced to the New Testament church for the first time and it came at the same time that the baptism of the Holy Spirit came. So what is it for? Just to look drunk? To prove we are baptized in the Holy Spirit?. Well first of all we need to understand there are two types of tongues. Lets look at Isaiah 28:11. It says "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people." Here it talks about the Lord speaking to his people with a "stammering" lip and another tongue. This is what I refer to as a prophetic tongue. Its a tongue that we speak and it needs interpretation. We will come back to this but first go over to 1 Corinthians 14. As we begin to read this chapter we read in verse one that first, we need to desire spiritual gifts. Tongues is a spiritual gift that all are given when we ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. ( later we will talk about how to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit) We need to desire the gifts. Desire is a strong word like when I say I desire my wife. But then it says but rather that ye may prophesy. Wow. That even more that we prophesy? As we read on the rest of the chapter teaches how to prophesy to the church and lost through the prophetic tongue but first it distinguishes the difference in verses 2 and 3. Verse 2 tells us about the unknown tongue and that we speak it not to man but unto God. We if its not God speaking to us but us speaking to him then this must be a different type of tongue than what is described in Isaiah that we read earlier. It then goes on to say that "no man" understands him. I call this your prayer tongue or your Holy Spirit prayer language. Its for praying to the Father. Lets focus a little bit on this type because this is the most commonly used form of tongues. I'm sure the first question is why do we need to pray in a tongue that we don't understand and if we don't understand how can we pray. Well lets go to Romans 8:26 and get some biblical understanding why it is helpful for us. In verse 26 it says that the Spirit helps our infirmities or weaknesses and it explains what our weakness is. Our weakness is we don't know what we should pray for in the way we need to. Chew on that for a second. Not only do we not always know what to pray for but we don't know properly how to pray the right things. So what do we do? It then goes on to say that the Spirit makes intercession or prayer for us with, now this is key "groanings" which cannot be uttered. See tongues is a gift, weapon, or a tool that the Holy Spirit has given us to use for the times when we don't know what to pray. We have all had those times when we feel something is wrong and we don't know what it is. Those are the times we need to pray in the Spirit. Sometimes God wants us to pray for something coming up in our future but he can't tell us what it is but we need to start speaking it out. Here is another reason for tongues. Tongues is something the devil can't understand. When we pray regular out loud the devil is waiting and listening. And when he hears it it sets out to destroy what we are praying for. But tongues is like a encrypted message that may be about our future that if we knew or the devil knew what it was it would be hindered. If we knew what some of the things God was going to do in our lives we would probably begin to speak doubt and negative about ourselves and curse what God had blessed. (we will go further in the power of the words we speak in a future lessen) So are you thinking "hey I need that" well you can have it. But first lets look at the other side. Now this prophetic tongue is what most people get confused about in 1 Corithians 14. We fail to realize that this chapter is setting the rules of prophetic tongues and not our prayer language. Now from verse 3 and on when he refers to prophesying he is talking about the prophetic tongue because it is God speaking to us. What is so amazing is that we can tell the difference between the two. Even thought it is a bunch if jibber jabber we know which it is by one way. Jesus said "my sheep shall know my voice". When you hear a tongue that is prophetic you know its God. You know its your daddy speaking. And your like "its daddy its daddy...what is he saying whats he saying" and thats why there needs to be interpretation.

I know that there is a lot of doctrine out there in why tongues is not for today and it stopped back in the book of acts. But let me ask you a simple question. If you where the enemy and you wanted to keep people from having weapons that would be used to defeat you, what would you try to do to deceive them? Lets trick the church into believing that they can't have tongues, they can't have prophesy, they can't healing. Lets keep every tool, weapon, and gift from them so we can trample the church and make them so pitiful that they are not effective in winning souls to God. They spend all there energy just fighting to be saved. Sounds like a good plan.

So your asking how can I recieve the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Well I'll tell you. Its so simple. But first I want to tell you that tongues is just one of many gifts that come with the Holy Spirit and we are to desire the rest. Luke 11:9-13 tells us how to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Its pretty simple. Ask. Thats it just ask. You can do that right this instant. The scripture says if you ask God won't give you something bad, but a good gift. So right now ask Jesus for the Holy Spirit and ask for the gift of tongues. AWESOME!!!

Next you might be asking how do I speak in tongues? We first of all the Holy Spirit doesn't make you do anything. He doesn't take over your mouth and make you make silly sounds or noises. Its a choice. Just like anything in the bible and anything we do. We do by choice. Jesus said out of your belly shall flow rivers of living waters. You might feel a excitement in your heart. You know down in your gut. Like you want to scream or yell or worship. Begin to worship and when you don't know what more to say...well just make up something. And BAM your speaking in tongues as crazy as it may seem or make you feel.

Well thats all in this lesson and you can comment or ask questions on this blog or through facebook. And hey if this blesses you let me know.