Award Winning GENESIS SCHOOL OF MUSIC

➡️I was raised in a small church that taught that many of the gifts, including the signs and wonders of the New Testament, ceased when the original disciples died. According to my church leaders, the gift of speaking in tongues was one of those gifts that died out about 2000 years ago. I remember one of my pastors saying that the gift of tongues must not be too important because Jesus never mentioned it, which actually isnt true if you read Mark 16:17.  I also remember taking a spiritual survey test at our denomination’s college, and they told us to skip over any of the questions that talked about speaking in tongues.  I’m not knocking the church that raised me – I love the church I was raised in.  I just love the church  – Jesus taught in Luke 9:50 that someone doesn’t have to be a part of our group to be blessed by God – if they’re not against us, they’re for us.  If they are preaching Jesus, leave them alone. 

However, we must be honest that many churches have ignored gifts that God never intended us to ignore – the Bible never does state that the gifts of the Holy Spirit, like speaking in tongues, ceased when the original church died; that may be an interpretation, but there’s no scripture to back that up.  That’s like saying that God doesn’t heal all of our diseases because people are still getting sick – when the Bible clearly says that God heals all of our diseases.  Same with the gift of tongues – just because someone hasn’t experienced it, or maybe they don’t understand it, doesn’t mean they can just take that part of the Bible and pretend it’s not there.  Like any subject we must go to the Word of God – it is absolute truth, and not the opinion of man.  

So what does the Bible say about the mysterious gift of speaking in tongues – what is it – and is it still for us today?  Here’s five things:

1…The Gift of Tongues is real.  Acts 2, 10 and 19 all give examples of the early church receiving the gift of tongues, all of them.  Also, in I Corinthians 12, 13 and 14 Paul speaks on the gift of tongues as an active gift in the local church. 

2…The Gift of Tongues is a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit.  According to Acts 2:4, speaking of the early church, “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”  Again, in Acts 10 and 19, “all of them spoke in other tongues”.  According to Luke 16:17, Jesus said that “these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; and they will speak in new tongues”.

3…The Gift of Tongues is a public and private gift.  This was actually one of my main misunderstandings.  I understood, for example, that the gift of tongues in Acts 2 was people hearing the Word of God in their own language. However, according to I Corinthians 14:27, the Bible teaches that there is a gift of tongues that “no man understands” – this is what someone would call their prayer language – and it is different from Acts 2.  

4…The Gift of Tongues should never be forbidden.  According to I Corinthians 14:39, we are to “be eager to prophesy, and we should not forbid speaking in tongues.”

5…The Gift of Tongues is good for you.  I Conrinthians 14:4 says that “anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies himself” – it builds you up, it makes you stronger.  According to the original language, it promotes growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue and holiness. 

Bottom line – be opened to whatever God may have for you.  God is a perfect Father and he, just like us, loves giving good gifts to his children.  Pray this simple prayer – “God, I’m OK with any biblical gift you want to give me.”  You do not have to understand it or be able to explain it, just be open. Matthew 7:11 says, “If we know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will our Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?”

That’s in the Bible – and the Bible is ALWAYS RIGHT!