Tongues, the Holy Spirit and You

Good morning friend.

It's been a very interesting week for me with its own attendant issues. I choose to leave out the details but I can guarantee you that through it all God is faithful and I'm still standing. I hereby apologise for being a day late with this post.

As discussed last week, we would continue in our series The Holy Spirit: God's Positioning System with a focus on the role of speaking in other tongues in developing our spiritual antenna.

In Tongues, the Holy Spirit and You, we would get to understand our role and the Holy Spirit’s. So let’s plunge in.

Why speak in Tongues?

• It is the prayer language given to the believer after being baptised in the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:2
• It is the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6.
• With tongues you magnify God. Acts 10:46 says for they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
• It edifies. 1 Corinthians 14:4

Now that we’ve highlighted some (not all) reasons why we should speak in tongues, I would want us to take a look at two scriptural references today; Acts 2:1-4 and Romans 8:26-27.

Acts 2:1-4

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

We recall that in John 7:37-39, Jesus declared boldly about the coming of the Holy Spirit using the typology of rivers of living water. In Acts 2, the disciples heeded to Jesus’ instruction of Luke 24:49 as they waited in unity in the room for the empowerment with power from on High.

I want us to take a zoom lens and narrow down on verse 4, which says, “and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Now we would notice that the Holy Spirit does the filling and gives us the utterance but it’s our job to do the speaking. How true is this you may ask? The subject of the discourse in this verse is “they” not the Holy Spirit. So he did the infilling, provided the utterance within their bellies (John 7:37-39) and they did the speaking. Many believers have waited years to speak in other tongues but haven’t, just because they believe it is the Holy Spirit that does the speaking so they are waiting for Him to do us. 

No friend! He won’t, that isn’t His responsibility but ours.

Romans 8:26-27 shows a depth to the power of praying in the Spirit.

26 Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Verse 26 tells us that the Holy Spirit is ever ready and present to help us when we are weak. However, this help he renders in prayer is not void of our input, because we do the praying and He provides the supply of words to say to us because many times we really do not know what to say. Verse 27, says “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” 

I would want us to read this verse void of the italicised words. Why you may ask? The reason is this: italicised words in the scripture were not part of the original manuscript and was put there by the translators to “aid” our understanding. However, at times they don’t provide any form of help. So verse 27 now reads as, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit because He makes intercession for the saints according to God. 

What I want us to see is that when we pray in other tongues, it is the same as God praying to Himself. Because as the Holy Spirit searches our hearts and we utter words in tongues, it is God in the form of the Holy Spirit in us praying to God the Father. And if God is praying to Himself, you’re certain He won’t pray amiss. It is just like one is the teacher, the examiner, and also the student in an exam. There is certainly no room for failure. This is how powerful praying in tongues is in the life of a believer.

Dear friend, if you’re yet to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, I encourage you to say these words in faith:

Lord Jesus, I know that you died for my sins and gave me salvation. Just as you gave me the gift of salvation, so have you given the Holy Spirit to me. So right now I open my mouth and begin to speak in tongues as the Spirit gives me utterance. Halleluyah!!!