Gift of Tongues

[Andrew]

Last night was my second visit to the Pentecostal church (the past 2 sundays were cancelled due to hurricane Harvey)
I was a bit down because my friends went to the morning service and didnt notify me in time, we usually go to the evening worship service. Nor wanting to go by myself I started typing out a post about it until I got a message "yes we are going to have a good time in the Holy Ghost tonight" so I discarded the thread and took off to church.
I beat them there and sat in the middle by myself as everyone else was on the sides. I thought to myself "Jesus is my church buddy" right then the spirit hit me and started worship, opened my eyes and yay they were all seated in my area.
This night I got really pumped, my heart was racing and my energy was amazing. During prayer request i walked up and held my hands over some people saying softly "Jesus... Amen.. Jesus" and then in between a few utterances starting coming through. The preacher started praying over me and out of nowhere I was speaking a very rapid unknown language that i could not control, it had pauses and emphasis and very emotional tones in and I could still hear "Jesus" in it every so often. It got a bit louder and then started to die down and stopped.
I wasnt expecting it, but it was a very calming and an almost surreal experience.
They have interpreters of tongues who have communications with angels that tell them what the prayer is saying. Is it the Holy Ghost that speaks through us or our spirit speaking through or to the Holy Ghost?
This is an amazing time in my life.

What are your thoughts and experiences with praying in tongues? Have you ever had any interpreters? Thank you

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[psalms 91]

Yes I have and t can be either you communicating via the Hly Spirit with God or it can be a message that needs interpretation. I would cauthion you to test the spirit and wait for ywo confirmations as sometimes it is just a person wanting to show ioff or some other human emotion that dictates it so like anything of God wait for those confirmations.

 

[Imalive]

Last night was my second visit to the Pentecostal church (the past 2 sundays were cancelled due to hurricane Harvey)
I was a bit down because my friends went to the morning service and didnt notify me in time, we usually go to the evening worship service. Nor wanting to go by myself I started typing out a post about it until I got a message "yes we are going to have a good time in the Holy Ghost tonight" so I discarded the thread and took off to church.
I beat them there and sat in the middle by myself as everyone else was on the sides. I thought to myself "Jesus is my church buddy" right then the spirit hit me and started worship, opened my eyes and yay they were all seated in my area.
This night I got really pumped, my heart was racing and my energy was amazing. During prayer request i walked up and held my hands over some people saying softly "Jesus... Amen.. Jesus" and then in between a few utterances starting coming through. The preacher started praying over me and out of nowhere I was speaking a very rapid unknown language that i could not control, it had pauses and emphasis and very emotional tones in and I could still hear "Jesus" in it every so often. It got a bit louder and then started to die down and stopped.
I wasnt expecting it, but it was a very calming and an almost surreal experience.
They have interpreters of tongues who have communications with angels that tell them what the prayer is saying. Is it the Holy Ghost that speaks through us or our spirit speaking through or to the Holy Ghost?
This is an amazing time in my life.

What are your thoughts and experiences with praying in tongues? Have you ever had any interpreters? Thank you

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Could not control?

 

[Andrew]

Could not control?

As in I wasnt in control of what was being said, not thinking or anticipating or searching for specific words it just flowed. At first I thought I was stuttering but its like something told me not to stop.

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[Josiah]

Some comments from my perspective.....


1. "Tongues" definitely is spoken of in Scripture. Problem is: it's never described or defined, we simply don't know any of the characteristics of such. One can CLAIM "that's tongues" and there's no way whatever to know if the claim is correct or not. IMO, that's a key problem: there's no way to know what "it" was/is. That's NOT to take anything away from the sincerity of those claiming what they do; I do not at all question their sincerity.


2. As I understand it, historically, "it" (whatever "it" was, is or will be) disappeared. It seems this happened within the period of the penning of the NT (in other words, by the mid First Century). The Early Church Fathers either don't mention it AT ALL or speak of it as an extinct practice. Until maybe two hundred years ago, when Christians "spoke" in sounds not identified as a language, it was usually persons associated with heresies and generally was regarded as satanic. People CLAIM that "it" return in Los Angeles a bit over 100 years ago...... others that "it" returned via the LDS nearly 200 years ago..... but how do we know that "it" is what "it" was in the First Century? And why the gap of over 1800 years? Some claim that "it" was predicted to return "in the Last Days". Okay, but again, how do we know that "it" is it? And what about those cultic things during those 1800 years that appear to be exactly what is now claimed to be "it?" And what about Tongues in the LDS?


3. Tongues appears to mostly be a personal, inner, spiritual and emotional EXPERIENCE. And it is very, very hard to evaluate experience and I tend to avoid criticisms or endorsements of such beyond "if it blesses YOU, fine." But I believe God gives gifts primarily to empower love and ministry for the good of OTHERS. I know several brothers and sisters who speak "it" and sorry, neither I nor they seem to note how "it" exactly empowers greater love and ministry to the whole family of Christians on Earth, the "claim" is that it blesses THEM - individually and personally..... well...... I can't argue against that, but spiritual gifts seem to be about blessing OTHERS. Indeed, it seems to ME, in MY experience (and that's mostly with Catholic "charismatics"), "it" often seems to have the opposite result - dividing Christians and being seen as making the speaker of "it" better or more spiritual or more pious than others and thus harming the Body of Christ (but I'm sure that's not always the experience).


Now "D", please, please don't take a word of this as anything negative or disparaging toward you (or "Tongues"); I'm positive you are sincere and genuine, and I respect your perspective.



Just MY half cent...... since you asked.....



- Josiah




.

 

[Andrew]

I feel it could be a gift of assurance, I do proclaim that since that day I have been remade and the blessings are rubbing off on people around me. It's definitely not satanic if it helps you turn away from a life of sin Amen.

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[tango]

First off I want to stress that while I can give you some thoughts I can't give you anything definitive, simply because I wasn't there and didn't see it. I'll also add the disclaimer that, as one formerly involved in the occult, I've spoken in tongues by the influence of the Holy Spirit and also spoken in what I believe were demonic tongues, so can offer at least a few thoughts on how they may differ (but again, only from my experience which isn't universal)

That said...

Last night was my second visit to the Pentecostal church (the past 2 sundays were cancelled due to hurricane Harvey)
I was a bit down because my friends went to the morning service and didnt notify me in time, we usually go to the evening worship service. Nor wanting to go by myself I started typing out a post about it until I got a message "yes we are going to have a good time in the Holy Ghost tonight" so I discarded the thread and took off to church.

The idea of "have a good time in the Holy Ghost" sounds close enough to Rodney Howard-Browne and his "Holy Ghost bartender" and the Bethel-style "drunk in the Holy Spirit" that I'd urge caution. This may be an encouragement to go to church and praise God, but make sure the focus is on God and not whether or not you are going to have a good time there. Sometimes praise and worship can be hugely uplifting, sometimes it can be convicting in ways that make us feel really uncomfortable (if there's something in our life that we're attached to but that shouldn't really be there).

This night I got really pumped, my heart was racing and my energy was amazing. During prayer request i walked up and held my hands over some people saying softly "Jesus... Amen.. Jesus" and then in between a few utterances starting coming through. The preacher started praying over me and out of nowhere I was speaking a very rapid unknown language that i could not control, it had pauses and emphasis and very emotional tones in and I could still hear "Jesus" in it every so often. It got a bit louder and then started to die down and stopped.
I wasnt expecting it, but it was a very calming and an almost surreal experience.

To be honest this is something that could be any number of things. Personally the times I've felt things in terms of my energy were when I was involved in the occult. The only time I can recall where I specifically remember feeling my body filling with energy was when I was attempting a particular conjuring many years ago. That said this is also the sort of thing that is often difficult to describe, so it may be you're simply using words that make sense to you that I would use in a different context.

If you can't control something that would be a warning bell for me, but if it was calming that would also calm the warning bell. The times I've spoken in what I believe was a demonic tongue I had little to no control over it, it felt like something was all but forcing its way out, and the language sounded very harsh and raspy. Right after it finished I felt some sense of relief. If you can hear "Jesus" in something that's probably a good sign.

They have interpreters of tongues who have communications with angels that tell them what the prayer is saying. Is it the Holy Ghost that speaks through us or our spirit speaking through or to the Holy Ghost?
This is an amazing time in my life.

Communications with angels that tell them what the prayer is saying? That sounds weird, from what Paul writes in 1Corinthians the gift of interpretation of tongues comes from God rather than communication with angels.

There are a couple of Scripture references I want to look up (on my tablet at the moment, and searching Scripture is tortuously slow!) so I'll try and remember to write another post later.

What are your thoughts and experiences with praying in tongues? Have you ever had any interpreters? Thank you

I've never spoken out in tongues in church in a way that would require an interpretation but have seen it - one person spoke and another person interpreted. I've also seen a couple of really odd things, where two people sitting side by side heard totally different things (one heard gibberish, the person next to them heard plain English). They were people I'd known for years and trusted, so although I can't verify exactly what one person heard it isn't something I have any trouble believing.

As with everything else spiritual, "test all things, hold fast what is true" is a good maxim to go by. Don't be too quick to reject things but at the same time don't be too quick to accept everything that goes on in church as a move of God.

 

[tango]

As in I wasnt in control of what was being said, not thinking or anticipating or searching for specific words it just flowed. At first I thought I was stuttering but its like something told me not to stop.

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Thanks for the clarification... in the light of this I'm less concerned about your first post than I was at first

 

[Andrew]

Thanks, maybe I need to work on how I word things a little better.
The church is very low key from what i've seen of other pentecostal churches. Its very calm and inviting and the energetic feeling I get is because im usually very lethargic and apathetic, its great to feel up lifted and light again. Thanks all

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[Lamb]

Thanks, maybe I need to work on how I word things a little better.
The church is very low key from what i've seen of other pentecostal churches. Its very calm and inviting and the energetic feeling I get is because im usually very lethargic and apathetic, its great to feel up lifted and light again. Thanks all

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I'm glad you found a church that is getting you interested more and more in God. Are you concerned what might happen when all these new "feelings" dissipate though? Are you going to church every time expecting that you need to feel something or God isn't there? I hope not.

 

[Andrew]

The sermons are really incredible. Its not all standing up and shouting I mean we do sit and listen, read, bow our heads and pitch our tents. The initial "feeling" "Holy Ghost high" came and went after a week of the first visit. It was a shock to my world but I've learned to adjust. I thought I had to become one in the class of the "goody goody" arrogant types, the ones who boast and judge everyones acts and turn people off while listening to "inspirational/Spiritual" christian rock, no offense to that music, I was really into for a week but it started sounding like the same song with the lyrics rearranged. I dont expect anything from God but love and forgiveness. Faith in him is strength, is mind body and soul for me, if i turn my back he will turn his. God is on my mind 24/7 and has been for the past 5 years or so, I was just confused as to what to believe church wise. The catholic church became such a stumbling block for me personally but now all that past confusion has been put away. Order came back in my life when I found joy in worshipping the lord.
Wow im really starting to ramble on huh?
But like I said, the sermons are amazing, its not all "Jehovah's Fitness"

P.s. i don't believe speaking in tongues separates the church or breaks the body of Christ. As I recall all 7 churches had separate instructions to fit into the one body of Christ or Temple of Christ. Am I wrong on this? I thought we were warned of evils coming into the church in Paul's day and John goes into more detail in Revelation and sends letters to 7 churches, one of which is ready for rapture from the tribulations, the others having charges against but are expected to repent.

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[tango]

Thanks, maybe I need to work on how I word things a little better.
The church is very low key from what i've seen of other pentecostal churches. Its very calm and inviting and the energetic feeling I get is because im usually very lethargic and apathetic, its great to feel up lifted and light again. Thanks all

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Some pentecostal churches are best described as silly. I attended one for a time and ripping verses out of Scripture to mean the exact opposite of what they actually mean in context was depressingly commonplace. They talked a good game but the reality never matched the rhetoric - they declared themselves prosperous but couldn't pay the rent, they declared themselves delivered but seemed to be permanently needy, and so on. Others are very good. Some are in between.

Having been involved in the occult and (to a lesser extent) with hypercharismatic churches there are a few things that ring warning bells for me, to the point that for me "test all things, hold fast what is good" is a reminder not to be too quick to reject things because they look too much like things I have found to be wanting (hence my disclaimers ). Sometimes it's hard to describe things, especially when trying to put a spiritual experience into words when you're potentially still trying to make sense of it yourself.

 

[Andrew]

Some pentecostal churches are best described as silly. I attended one for a time and ripping verses out of Scripture to mean the exact opposite of what they actually mean in context was depressingly commonplace. They talked a good game but the reality never matched the rhetoric - they declared themselves prosperous but couldn't pay the rent, they declared themselves delivered but seemed to be permanently needy, and so on. Others are very good. Some are in between.

Having been involved in the occult and (to a lesser extent) with hypercharismatic churches there are a few things that ring warning bells for me, to the point that for me "test all things, hold fast what is good" is a reminder not to be too quick to reject things because they look too much like things I have found to be wanting (hence my disclaimers ). Sometimes it's hard to describe things, especially when trying to put a spiritual experience into words when you're potentially still trying to make sense of it yourself.

I thought it was silly at first, im the type that is very introverted and self conscious of myself and what others think. At the same time im very egotistic especially because im a song writer/musician but have horrible stage fright. So imagine that at a pentecostal church lol, i absolutely NEEDED that humiliation to finally get over what other people think of me. I bet I look like a complete idiot at the church but its better than selfishly praying by yourself while in a church when Gods life giving blood tells us in the good book - to be like children, rejoice sing and praise God, jump on top of your clothes, raise your hands high, lift up your head, comfort and love one another, faith is worthless without Love... Our God is a consuming fire

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[Lamb]

Faith in him is strength, is mind body and soul for me, if i turn my back he will turn his.

Do you truly believe that? Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20 God doesn't turn His back. It's always man who does so. God will let man drift away, but He rescues His sheep.

 

[Andrew]

Do you truly believe that? Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20 God doesn't turn His back. It's always man who does so. God will let man drift away, but He rescues His sheep.

I agree. Man turns away from God and if he rejects the calling to repentance but expects the lords blessing the lord will say "I never knew ye"... same difference or no?

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[Lamb]

I agree. Man turns away from God and if he rejects the calling to repentance but expects the lords blessing the lord will say "I never knew ye"... same difference or no?

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Your sins were forgiven at the cross. Rejection of the Savior at your death is what prevents you from receiving that forgiveness. It really doesn't sound like you've rejected Him. Are you afraid that you'll reject the Savior and His forgiveness?

 

[Andrew]

Your sins were forgiven at the cross. Rejection of the Savior at your death is what prevents you from receiving that forgiveness. It really doesn't sound like you've rejected Him. Are you afraid that you'll reject the Savior and His forgiveness?

I was afraid before because although I thought of him nonstop and studied scripture I was still confused due to drawbacks of leaving Catholicism and having no fellowship with any children of God. The only attendees of churches I notice around my area are basically the elderly. Everyone else are usually either atheist, deist/new age, or drop outs of the Catholic church, they might attend if their parents go with their parents, only a few here (that I know of) actually study the bible and even they never ask others to join them to their church, so many are shut out so to speak. No one discusses faith because of fear of ridicule and I get overwhelmed when someone actually says something scriptural. I am noticing that many of my atheist friends are converting to Christianity at an amazing rate, its spreading fast around here.
Im not afraid anymore, thanks again for talking with me. Good company here, hope I haven't offended anyone. God bless

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[psalms 91]

Keep the faith brother and if you ever wish to discuss we are here.

 

[IACOBVS]

Just be careful. I grew up in a "fun" Pentecostal church. Now I see it as mostly funny. I do have some fond memories though.

 

[Andrew]

Its all the same church in my eyes. As long as the message is clear and strong and guided by the Holy Ghost and by the Word I really don't care for names or denominations, its all church. As long as they dont blast one another and as ong as they preach in Jesus name i'll go, Catholic, protestant as long as the sermon is true to the word (despite the dispute between them, both are made up of faithful and good people/meek). But I wont go for mormons, JW or anything like that. I'll likely keep to this current church and attend others by invitation, or sadly funerals, but its all under Christ Jesus amen

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