₦airaland Forum

Viciheaka:
Very possible many have received Jesus christ in them but first consult their pastor, bishop, mama, mummy, daddy GO, etc before God through christ in them.
Jehovah witness are good in scriptural knowledge , but lack spirituality and life in christ, they are highly segregative and don't believe that God can speak to man but rather chew only the Scripture forgetting that the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life.
The only thing I admire in them is thier persistence in studying the Bible (mind you thier own translation) and evangelism (based on thier kgd publications )

I believed in many of the JW's doctrine for many years but I have come to realize that they are denying the power of God. I still appreciate them till now though and I think they are the most consistent Christian set.

tatax:
Speaking in tongues is a gift of the spirit.. Have it been abused? Yes it has.
Is speaking in tongues real? Yes it is.

The bible is a compendium of God's work with man or people and they are there for reference so as to guide, predict and teach people how God moves in a dispensation and also how God changes his dealings at intervals with generations and dispensations.

We might not be getting it entirely right if we interpret happenings now directly to the way God moved in the past. What am I saying? I'm saying that as event goes and as time passes, God changes his dealings with man and generations to suit his plans and will as at what is happening at that time.

Presently, we are in the move of God where God deals with people individually and not as group. As such, individuals are encouraged to know God for themselves and have personal encounters with God. Emphasis on personal encounters because if we do confusions as this wouldn't be in the body. The bible said "In the last days, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh....." - This means that in the last days, what used to come on selected few, what used to come on the Moses, the Samuels, the Davids, the Elijahs, will be made available to all flesh. The access to God which God used to give to very selected few will come on all flesh; old, young, women, men.. all flesh will see vision, speak in tongues and dream. All we need do is desire it with all our heart and seek it because when we seek, we find.

Speaking in tongues is the language of the spirit.. it edifies you, strengthens you and direct your spirit to pray according to God's will. 1 John 5:14 "and this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us". Praying in tongue helps your spirit direct or channel your prayer according to his will. So I am convinced it is a gift made available to anyone who genuinely desire it to help their communication with God.

To some who argued Jesus or the disciples never prayed in tongue.. can I shock you? Do you know all the while Jesus stayed with the disciples, the disciples never fasted.. Read Matthew 9:14 - 15. They dont need to do so. Jesus is one of the trinity; God the son. If the trinity are one, God the father, God the son and God the holy spirit, of what need is he (Jesus) praying in tongue when he is the language and spirit himself. He knows the mind of the father and is always in tandem with his will.

Must a believer speak in tongue? It important a believer takes advantage of all these good gift God has given us to make communion with him easier, sweet and efficient. 2 peter 1-3 "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence"

The knowledge of God help us know this and understand his mind. As a believer, we need to activate our ability to speak and pray in tongues, it is important a believer accesses this gift.

Thanks for your brilliant contribution.

Tobechuckwu:
When one start asking all this question about speaking in tongues nd is it a sign?
Speaking in tongues is for every born again Christian.
If u are having issues with believing or accepting it , then check ur salvation if u are truly saved.
A natural man can't understand d things of God bcuz they are spirituality decoded.
The tendency that u are not saved is high, check out ur salvation once u start questioning spiritual things

Okay Sir

Valkan:
I already made a topic on this I don't know why the mods refused to move it to front page

https://www.nairaland.com/6437149/how-abuse-great-gift-holy

I read through your article but what makes you think that speaking in tongues is the greatest of all the gifts of the spirit?

Luckybelt:
The question is must every Christian experience the supernatural life. Speaking in tongues is the door to the supernatural.

Any bible reference to back up your point?

Vodox:
It's not a scam, there is this Baba that doesn't know how to speak English, only hausa, but when he speaks in tongues, he speaks English.
So to me it's not scam, it's a gift that not everyone have.

This is the kind of tongues we should be seeing in the church so that people can believe. I heard of another woman who has never gone to school or travel out of Nigeria but speaks French when she in the spirit. God is great!

Originalsly:
@Op.... nice write up.

@ above. Because the person shouted Amen you came to that conclusion? I'm someone that will shout Amen if someone is carrying on making noise in the name of prayer ... hoping the person will shut up. Praying in tongues is nonsense... literally. If you believe it is not... fine... belief does not need evidence to support... it's like an opinion... everyone is entitled to their belief. But to discuss speaking in tongues .... you need evidence or backing to support if it is for real... or a sham.
Reference is often made of speaking in tongues on the Day of Pentecost.... of the Holy Spirit coming down on the Disciples and having them speak in tongues. The rest of what happened is never ever used as evidence..... why not? ... because it will rubbish what is practised today as speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues means speaking in a different language.... the reason why the very Bible says if you are going to speak in tongues you need an interpreter (so that listeners will understand what you're saying) or sit down.... shut up. Why is this part ignored? We be praying in tongues .. who be interpreting? Did the Disciples on the Day of Pentecost had interpreters?...No...why?... because everyone understood in their own language... what they were saying. The amount of foolish explanations for the noise making is unbelievable.....but then... after all..... I am of the flesh and cannot understand spiritual matters!

Like OP pointed out.... tongue speaking is just one sign.... which these pastors and tongue speakers do not get right as I explained above.. what happen to the other gifts? Now basically making snakes harmless is another gift.... snakes are plentiful here.... shouldn't we be seeing these Spirit filled people be handling snakes?... should I find a Black Mamba in my house... if I call the Pastor to drag it out .. will he come?... or when there is a snake on campus... does the tongue speakers go drag it out? Why is that part of the gift ignored?....why everybody get only the tongue speaking gift?

Speaking in tongues as practised today is nonsense... literally... and this is not an opinion. Feel free to disagree.... but point out where I'm wrong and why.

Kudos to you. You indeed read through.

shadeyinka:
I think you are mixing up two different things
1. Having the Holy Spirit
2. Being Filled with the Holy Spirit

Having the Holy Spirit take place just once in your life at the point when you become BORN Again. It gives you the SEAL of God and Salvation. This is what give you the identity as a Child of God. It seldom come with any outward manifestation. The most common is an overwhelming peace and cleanliness you feel at the point of salvation. This is your Baptism of/into/by the Holy Spirit.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a COMMAND for every Christian. We are to DAILY filled with the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Holy Spirit means being controlled (like being intoxicated with wine) by the Holy Spirit. Just like it takes a measure of drinking to become drunk, so it takes a measure of surrendering to become drunk in the Holy Spirit. When we get drunk with the Holy Spirit, it results in outward manifestations (an offshoot of the gifts of the Holy Spirit manifest) such as Speaking in Tongues, Prophetic manifestations, word of knowledge, Vision/Trance, Faith etc.

However, a few Christians may experience Both Salvation and Being FILLED simultaneously.

Many Christians actually confuse
Baptism of the Holy Spirit with
Being Filled with the Holy Spirit.

I can supply you with scriptures if you need verification. Let me know if you have any questions.


Water Baptism is a physical evidence to the Body of Christ that you have Being Born Again and can therefore become/included in the church. A person who is not born again but is baptized is NOT known by Christ!

Are you also agreeing with me that it's possible to have the Holy Spirit and not still speak in tongues?

BassReeves:
If anyone is not speaking any human being language, then such is deceiving themselves that they are speaking a heavenly language, because on each three occasions, that the gift of speaking in tongues were biblically recorded, they on those three occasions, spoke in tongues that clearly were human and had meaning enough for those present to understand, without needing any interpretation or anyone to interpret to them all that was spoken.

It was from the speaking of tongues and after the speaking of tongues, that those targeted and present in the audience, began believing, then fully believed to then become believers

carbon copy iamDrRhymes

Well, your view though but I believe speaking in tongues is way deeper than the way you placed it.

BassReeves:
Revelation 16:13-14
'13And I saw three loathsome spirits like frogs, leaping from the mouth of the dragon (Satan)
and from the mouth of the beast (Antichrist, dictator) and from the mouth of the false prophet;
14for they are [actually] the spirits of demons, performing [miraculous] signs.
And they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.'

The 'You can learn it naa' Mikelarteta comment, is a classic example of where and what you typed in your original post about 'Is it a lie that speaking in tongues has be abused or hijacked by strange spirits in the church today?'

'You can learn it naa' is an end time deception of the demonic and foul spirits, mentioned in Rev 16:13-14, symbolised as three unclean spirits that looked like frogs. May I ask, how do frogs catch their prey? Of course, by using tongues, to snare unsuspected believers with their false speaking in tongues deception and bad indoctrination

Fantastic! This is even deeper.

Overthemoonman:
This stuff is becoming very annoying in this new generation churches. Prayer for thanksgiving, they will start speaking in tongues.. Prayers for forgiveness of sin, speaking in tongues. They have turned the whole thing to a joke. I watched a video of a female friend yesterday, she was videoing herself speaking in tongues..I was like WTF is this lady doing like this...

The proliferation of these new generation churches has dragged Christianity back..

I tire o

Todetayo:
As much as I've resisted the urge to comment, I have to say this. The gifts mentioned in the book of Corinthians can only be activated when the apostles lay hand on the Christian. That is why Simeon the sorcerer had to attempt to bribe the apostles to lay hand on him so he can speak in tongues.

This brings me to 3 question, and they are;

1) Which apostle laid hand on the so called people speaking in tongues?

2) The gifts varies, and so why is it that no one has claimed to have the gifts of interpreting tongues?

3) Even in the model prayer (Our father who art in heaven) was there a point that Jesus spoke in tongues?

Maybe I'll know the next thing to say If all these questions are answered.

I guess you are as confused as I am.

Johnjnr:
Speaking in tongue does not equal having the holy spirit.

I speak in tongue but have never worked in other supernatural means like instant healing e.t.c.


My dad is a pastor, and I have never heard him speak in tongue but have seen him pray on multiple occasions and people fall under the anointing, receive instant healing, cast out evil spirits.

Wow! Interesting. Is your dad a Pentecostal pastor? Perhaps you do not attend the same church with your dad.

colp2015:
No!

Believers may not necessarily speak "with A New Tongue" as evidence of infilling of the Holy Spirit. This infilling experience is erroneously tagged baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Be that as it may, every believer in Christ who seeks effectiveness in God's service to humanity will at some point have an experience similar to speaking in tongue - if not physically, it will happen in the dream.

Speaking a strange tongue understood in other climes is different from tongues to commune with God privately.

The former - a tongue understood in other climes - is a special gift given to the early church as a SIGN that Christ is risen. Has it ceased? NO!

But new tongues mentioned in 1 Cor. 12 fall under the gifting of God for service to humanity within the Church. The gift of interpretation of tongue is needed to make this gift effective. 1 Corinthians 14:22-25.

The third aspect of tongues is for private communion with God. It has nothing to do with Church service. 1 Corinthians. 14:14-15.

The confusion in the Body of Christ is due to our minds. Many believers are one track minded who swing to the extremes.

A Breakdown:

There are three dimensions to tongues.

1. Tongues understood on earth but by foreigners and in other climes. A Sign and a Gift.

2. Tongues as a gift to edify the Church. Interpretation is important for effectiveness

3. Tongues for private communication with God. It is a language of angels not understood by Man, not even the speaker.

Apt!

kulrunsman79:
Op please correct yourself! There is nothing like "fruits of the spirit" ......it's FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. It therefore means that since the fruit is singular, anyone endued with the holy spirit will exhibit all the fruit and not some.

Meanwhile, speaking in tongues isn't the evidence of the holy ghost. The evidence of holy ghost is the character change in a believer. It's the transformation of a sinner to saint: the killing of sinful living and wholesome acceptance of righteousness. When the holy ghost is in you, the urge to commit sin won't be there anymore. You won't find yourself struggling not do what you found pleasure in the past.

Many people spake in tongues even untop of another man's wife. Speaking in tongues therefore isn't evidence you are saved or will make heaven. I know many great men of God who never spoke publicly in tongues yet God used them mightily.

Shalom!!

Noted! Pastor Kumuyi comes to mind.

Topmaike007:
op what do you gain by dropping this Epistle of Paul to the Romans..

oya sumarise everything now

Find the time to read it. It's not that long

Mikelarteta:
You can learn it naa

Really?

BassReeves:
1 Corinthians 12:30
'Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages?
Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages?
(i.e. Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?)
Of course not!'

Every believer do not have to 'speak in tongues' as an evidence of having the Holy Spirit because aside 'speak in tongues' there are other manifestations of the evidence of having the Holy Spirit for every believer

'Speak In Tongues' is available to be given, as a gift, as when it is deemed necessary for each believer to possess. This meaning that, not having the gift of 'speaking in tongue' is not a sign of a fault or failure to meet any certain standard

1 Corinthians 14:13–17
'13Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.
14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.
15What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.
16Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?
17For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.'

1 Corinthians 14:22
'So then, tongues are for a sign, not to those believing, but to the unbelieving;
but prophecy is not to the unbelieving, but to the believing.'

In the hierarchy of the gifts and manifestations of the evidence of having the Holy Spirit, 'speak in tongues' is at the lower rungs of the hierarchy ladder

It is interesting to know that Apostle Paul downplays the importance of speaking in tongues. As, Apostle Paul, on record, is seen to say, do not speak in tongues without an interpreter, but this advice and guideline, is religiously, regularly and openly disregarded during gathering worships, corporate and personal prayer sessions.

Tongues, actually is meant to be used for a sign, to 'targeted' unbelievers, but not to or for believers. The question, to be asked then is:
1. How is or are tongues, be used as a sign, to 'targeted' unbelievers?
2. Who originally is 1 Corinthians 14:22 referring to specifically, as 'unbelieving' or talking about as 'unbelieving'?

I share the same view with you.

Rev Ntai Ntai, a great man of God. I can remember shaking his hand back then in Uyo. He gifted me one of his books.

AwesomeStormy00:
I am not surprised with your experienced. Many people want to sound like their pastor or spiritual mentor which is okay in my opinion.

What I've learnt as a Christian is there are fake Christian or believers out there. Repentance First, then restitution sanctification etc but some people just preach speaking in tongues without Repentance or salvation.

The fruit of the spirit should be the major concern.

blazepascal:
this question is not of God human being are now claiming to be wise

So we shouldn't ask questions again? Correct if you can, do not condemn.

Jerryherd:
Possessed people speak in other languages, depending on what kind of spirit possessed you

Kundalini Spirit.

WINDSOW:
Speaking in other tongues isn't fake. We have genuine ones and otherwise. Interpreting other tongues is a gift from God. We still have people with such gift. I can't force myself to interpret tongues except God gifts me. I must also be sincere that there are also fake tongues too. Let God be the judge.

Exactly

tstx:
Lol.... Speaking in tongues na scam.

Are you born again?

thesolutions:
Moses had his rod but wouldn't give the Israelite water or part the red sea with it until he was told what to do.

Knowledge activates Faith, and Faith is the energy that brings the power of God to light.
So, yes. Many people are speaking in tongues without knowing.
The first time I spake in tongue, I prophesied to someone without knowing I was doing that until the person shouted a loud amen on the other side of the wall outside the building I was praying in. then I realized I had called him by name, someone I never knew, and had spoken to him about his challenges.

I understand that speaking in tongues has become a sort of ritual to differentiate different denomination as each denomination sounds differently when speaking in the said tongue, but that doesn't make speaking in tongue an error. Those who do knows how beneficial it has been to them.

This is revelational! Kudos!

thesolutions:
No.

But of a truth, many believer speaks in tongues without knowing they do.
the problem is that most people want to sound like their pastors.

Are you saying that it is possible to have the power of God and not know it? How possible is that?

I used to have this roommate who was a member of one of these Pentecostal fellowships back then in campus. He had just graduated and was actually doing his clearance when I joined the room to replace him who was considerably older. So it happened one evening as we were getting to know ourselves better. He asked if I was truly born again with the evidence of speaking in tongues which I told him that I do not. He went ahead intently to tell me if I know that I can be baptized by the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongue right there in our room. Well, I must confess that I wasn't buying his idea then because I didn't know what speaking in tongues will do for me and secondly, I was of the Jehovah's Witness' stand point as I had been welcoming their teaching for years earlier.


He swiftly went to close our door from behind as he saw my readiness to give his 'Holy Spirit' a try. He prayed in tongues for while and after, he laid hands on me hoping that I will fall on the bed under his 'claimed anointing' but I could only encourage him to try harder with my theatrics. He tried and tried until I willingly granted his request and he felt better but became even more intense with his ritual. This 'Spiri koko' brother will then ask me at intervals if I have the urge to speak in an unknown tongue and I will always give him an outright 'No' till hot sweat covered us both ([/i]he must have been figuring out what could be wrong with this Pre Degree Student[i]). After about an hour of his unyielding exercise, he just told me to speak anything that comes out my mouth without refraining myself. So for the fact that I can't wait to leave that tinny room for a deep breath of fresh air, I voluntarily granted his request again. I spoke one of these popular gibberish- 'skibobobo' .... and he said [/i]'Yes! That is it! that's your tongue! Continue!'[i]. He became very happy and even worshipped God for saving a soul while I was having a good laugh inside of me. After that day, he will always ask me about how many hours I have spoken in tongues each day and of course you know, I will always give it to him so as to discharge myself on time.


Well, the above story was a funny experience I had more than 10 years ago and to the Glory of God today, I have shredded out doctrines and believe systems that deny the power of God. However, I still question the much emphasis on speaking in tongues by many churches today.

Jesus Christ said in March 16:17-18: [/i]“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”[i]


Note that Jesus Christ made mention of other signs that will accompany those who believe, not just speaking in tongues. So why can't we have people like my former room mate say: Are you born again with the evidence of driving out demons? or with the evidence of healing the sick or any other signs mentioned in that Mark's Chapter?
‭‭

Speaking in the tongues is part of the 9 Gift of the Spirit mentioned in 1Corinthians 12:8:11. The chapter also says that the Spirit Himself give as he determines- that means that any of the 9 spiritual gifts can attest to presence of the Holy Spirit even though it is possible to operate in more than one or even all the gifts (Ephesians 1:3). Why is this singular emphasis on speaking in tongues? What happens to the gifts of interpretation of tongues? Why is the relegation of other spiritual gifts?


Infact, the gifts of tongues appear to be the least in all the 9 gift of the spirits? (Matthew 23:23) Peter never spoke in tongues before he rose the lame man at the entrance of the beautiful gate, did he? Did he speak in tongues before he rose Dorcas from the dead? Did Paul speak in tongues to restore Eutychus to life. Where exactly can we find it in the bible where signs and wonders were performed through praying in tongues?


Is it a lie that speaking in tongues has be abused or hijacked by strange spirits in the church today? You get to a church and you will see everybody muttering the same incoherent syllables in the name of speaking in tongues (Matthew 6:7). Could it be that they got their own speaking in tongues using that my formal roommates style? How does the spirit of God come upon someone who do not have the true knowledge of God? God can not be mocked! Even unbelievers already know popular lines of speaking in tongues incase they find themselves in same corner I found myself 10 years ago. You will enter a church these days and you won't even know the prayer point because nobody is or can actually interpret their 'claimed tongues' (1 Corinthians 14:28). Again, why the emphasis on speaking in tongues when other spiritual gifts like prophesy are been left unattended to?


Please note that I never said that speaking in tongues isn't real, Infact I believe in the reality of the tongues of angels because I have experienced it before (1 Corinthians 13:1) but my point here that, is speaking in tongues not just a gift amidst numerous gifts in the bible? Why will speaking in tongues be the only evidence to prove the Holy Spirit? Our emphasis as Christians should be in godly characters i.e the fruits of the spirit which are: Chastity, self control, modesty, faithfulness, gentleness, godliness, long suffering, peace, patience, kindness, joy, charity (Galatians 5:22-23). Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-20, by 'their fruits we shall know them'


Do you even know that speaking in tongues is not only a Christian phenomenon? Somethings are connecting as regards to the Christianity we practice in this age. May God grant us the spirit of discernment (1 John 4:1).