On tongues
I consider it an honour to share with you on
the subject of tongues speaking.
Considering the varying backgrounds of Christians today it is challenging to speak on the subject of tongues. As a result we are not expected to be on the same page or even agree. However, the Spirit leads us into all truth. We must all agree to move a little bit from our long-held opinions and pay attention to the Holy Spirit. It is then we'll realize God's wisdom is neither stagnant nor static but past finding out.
In addition, we have all walked with the Lord through varying experiences which define the depth of our walk with Him.
Considering the varying backgrounds of Christians today it is challenging to speak on the subject of tongues. As a result we are not expected to be on the same page or even agree. However, the Spirit leads us into all truth. We must all agree to move a little bit from our long-held opinions and pay attention to the Holy Spirit. It is then we'll realize God's wisdom is neither stagnant nor static but past finding out.
In addition, we have all walked with the Lord through varying experiences which define the depth of our walk with Him.
Tongues speaking has introduced varying
degrees of controversy right from the birth of the Church at the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit. Some who were there on the day of Pentecost said “are these
people drunk?” at a time when the beer parlours were not even open. Although at
that time, the manifestation of the Spirit was in the languages of men they
still mocked it.
Act.2.4, 13 (NIV) All of them were filled
with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled
them. Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too
much wine.”
To give some background to enable us appreciate the experience of the gift of tongues we must seek to understand what Jesus came to introduce.
Jesus did not come to institute a clergy that'll know God, be in touch with Him and teach others to know God. You must appreciate first of all that Jesus did not come to establish a church and for that matter another religion or set of religious practices. Those were not his terms of reference.
God is light, but He's concealed and shrouded in darkness. He has long desired to make Himself known and exist in a love relationship. I am not saying God needed this, but it pleased Him to make Himself uncovered and introduce His nature into another realm. It just pleased Him.
In doing this, God created man and gave to him dominion mandate in the earth so that through man He who is invisible will make Himself known in the visible realm.
To give some background to enable us appreciate the experience of the gift of tongues we must seek to understand what Jesus came to introduce.
Jesus did not come to institute a clergy that'll know God, be in touch with Him and teach others to know God. You must appreciate first of all that Jesus did not come to establish a church and for that matter another religion or set of religious practices. Those were not his terms of reference.
God is light, but He's concealed and shrouded in darkness. He has long desired to make Himself known and exist in a love relationship. I am not saying God needed this, but it pleased Him to make Himself uncovered and introduce His nature into another realm. It just pleased Him.
In doing this, God created man and gave to him dominion mandate in the earth so that through man He who is invisible will make Himself known in the visible realm.
So you'll remember “He created them in His
own image”.
In God's mind, he wanted to extend the
dominion of heaven, which is the influence of heaven, a spiritual realm down to
a physical realm, earth.
To do this, man needed to stay in touch with the Creator, so that His exact nature or replica will be translated to earth.
So it's like tracing an image if the tracing paper shifts from the original you'll hardly get a good replica. This has been the Father's mandate.
To do this, man needed to stay in touch with the Creator, so that His exact nature or replica will be translated to earth.
So it's like tracing an image if the tracing paper shifts from the original you'll hardly get a good replica. This has been the Father's mandate.
I guess you get the echo “thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven.”
His main goal is not a church: a building
with people in it using the Bible, saying prayers, singing songs and choosing
to believe A and not B. His goal is to use the church: the universal body of
believers in Christ to extend His influence over the chaos on earth, to extend
the influence of His realm out into the earth realm.
So, if I'm travelling to Accra the road is not my home. I don't stay there. The road is what I travel on. Accra is my main aim.
So, if I'm travelling to Accra the road is not my home. I don't stay there. The road is what I travel on. Accra is my main aim.
Having understood this, it's important to
migrate from my church “this and that” and shift focus unto the Holy Spirit. The
revelation your church was founded on was particularly relevant to their
dispensation. Move on to where God is now - a focus on the Kingdom.
With this background, I can begin to touch a
little on the subject itself and given time, go deeper.
When the President addresses his nation, he speaks the official language whether all the people understand it or not. We who understand make sense out of it. Those who do not understand accept, agree, believe or assume that he's making sense. In Ghana and many other African countries, we are not English people but our official language is English. We are not from England or Scotland or some Otherland who own the Queen's language but it's our official language. How come we're not English people but we speak English.
It's about an influence. We were exposed to a certain kingdom - The British Empire and they introduced their culture and language to us. Like all nations and kingdoms that have been, they exerted a certain influence that emanated from the way they lived.
When the President addresses his nation, he speaks the official language whether all the people understand it or not. We who understand make sense out of it. Those who do not understand accept, agree, believe or assume that he's making sense. In Ghana and many other African countries, we are not English people but our official language is English. We are not from England or Scotland or some Otherland who own the Queen's language but it's our official language. How come we're not English people but we speak English.
It's about an influence. We were exposed to a certain kingdom - The British Empire and they introduced their culture and language to us. Like all nations and kingdoms that have been, they exerted a certain influence that emanated from the way they lived.
We have also come into the Kingdom of God if
we believe in Jesus Christ, the son of God.
Kindly do not equate the kingdom of God with
the church.
A school in Ghana isn't Ghana. We are trained
in schools in Ghana to use our training to build the nation. We are trained and
built up in the church to function in the Kingdom of God. Now you don't stay in
school all your life unless you're the teacher or caretaker.
The kingdom culture or way of life in the
kingdom is what distinguishes us from other kingdoms e.g. the kingdom of darkness,
the kingdoms of the world.
Now, when you hear of any English speaking
African country, no one tells you they were colonized by the British at some
point in their history. By now, you may begin to appreciate the importance of
language in a kingdom culture. Have you ever wondered why the governor of a
colony always came from the home country and not the colony? The key: to be able to receive instructions
from the Kingdom without being altered by the defects in translation or
interpretation. As I stated earlier, we must be in touch with the King if his
intent of extending kingdom influence here can be effective. In the same way,
God extending kingdom culture to the earth needed to do so with his direct
agents. Who was or were these agents? Man? No!
The influence was to be exerted through men but the influence came by the Holy Spirit.
The influence was to be exerted through men but the influence came by the Holy Spirit.
It'll be too small a goal for the Spirit of
God to come around and be planting churches and living in church buildings, to
be visited once a week. He came to introduce heavens culture on earth so we'll
all have heaven on earth. Hallelujah. He came to help us make earth into
heaven's replica.
Let me ask this question? What language did
Adam and Eve speak in the garden? And in what language did God communicate with
them? God's mind set is bigger than Ewe, Zulu, Twi, Swahili, Hausa, Arabic,
Deutsche or Spanish.
There is a language of the Spirit of God. And
when we come into the kingdom He gives us the ability to speak in it. It's a
way of introducing us to the culture of the kingdom. Of all the good things
children can learn, why do they learn to speak in a language?
Communication!
To function effectively in the Kingdom the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to speak in heavens language. Imagine, Governor Guggisberg[1] writing to the home country in Twi[2]. How will they understand him? I'm not saying the Holy Spirit has difficulty understanding our languages on earth. Of course he gave them all to us. However, in speaking to Him concerning matters on earth he wants us to do it in His language.
Communication!
To function effectively in the Kingdom the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to speak in heavens language. Imagine, Governor Guggisberg[1] writing to the home country in Twi[2]. How will they understand him? I'm not saying the Holy Spirit has difficulty understanding our languages on earth. Of course he gave them all to us. However, in speaking to Him concerning matters on earth he wants us to do it in His language.
Though we try to use the lowly things of this
life to explain deep spiritual truth, we must understand that they're not
exhaustive as a result we should not refute spiritual insight with natural
principles.
The purpose of tongues is not
1. to make noise
2. an indication of being more spiritual than those who do not speak
3. to intimidate others
4. to make the prayer meeting "charged" , among others.
1. to make noise
2. an indication of being more spiritual than those who do not speak
3. to intimidate others
4. to make the prayer meeting "charged" , among others.
For the purpose of kingdom administration and
executing divine agenda we need tongues speaking. It is for the kingdom. I have
the boldness to ask, “What in the kingdom are you ordering since you began
speaking in tongues?”
Kingdom administration
Ordering the things of the kingdom
The gift of tongues is for effective kingdom
communication which is necessary to speed up the influence of the kingdom on
earth.
Now, those who believe are citizens of the
kingdom. And the signs below will follow those who believe, citizens of the kingdom
Mark.16.17-18 (NIV) 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.”
You'll realize that just as some churches do not accept tongues, others do not accept healing, some others abhor deliverance and others are aliens to miracles. So now, move from your church into the kingdom. I'm not speaking of a geographical migration or a switching of temples. In your church, switch to the kingdom and where necessary switch your church.
Where is the kingdom? Men will say it is here, it is there. Don't pay attention to them. It's in your heart. Submit to the kingdom of God, the influence and ruler-ship of the Holy Spirit in your heart. He has more to show you personally than any church or schoolmaster can.
We learn more in life than we do in school. The church is the school in the kingdom. There's more to learn in your experience with the Holy Spirit. Tongues speaking is one of them. The Spirit of God wants to teach you more than your church or man of God can offer you....
Now don't misunderstand this, they have their place.
Tongues speaking is for the kingdom. Kindly don't cheat yourself out. It's benefits are unending and can't be overemphasized. It's the language of the Spirit. I dare say....if you fail to speak it now you'll speak it then.
Mark.16.17-18 (NIV) 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.”
You'll realize that just as some churches do not accept tongues, others do not accept healing, some others abhor deliverance and others are aliens to miracles. So now, move from your church into the kingdom. I'm not speaking of a geographical migration or a switching of temples. In your church, switch to the kingdom and where necessary switch your church.
Where is the kingdom? Men will say it is here, it is there. Don't pay attention to them. It's in your heart. Submit to the kingdom of God, the influence and ruler-ship of the Holy Spirit in your heart. He has more to show you personally than any church or schoolmaster can.
We learn more in life than we do in school. The church is the school in the kingdom. There's more to learn in your experience with the Holy Spirit. Tongues speaking is one of them. The Spirit of God wants to teach you more than your church or man of God can offer you....
Now don't misunderstand this, they have their place.
Tongues speaking is for the kingdom. Kindly don't cheat yourself out. It's benefits are unending and can't be overemphasized. It's the language of the Spirit. I dare say....if you fail to speak it now you'll speak it then.
In relation to gifts, the apostle Paul talks
about service, administration and operations.
1 Corinthians.12.5-10 (NIV) There are
different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of
working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at
work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for
the common good. to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another
distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of
tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
Paul talks about speaking in different kinds
of tongues. What are these kinds?
1 Corinthians.13.1 (NIV) If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
These are tongues of men and tongues of angels (the heavenly language).
1 Corinthians.13.1 (NIV) If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
These are tongues of men and tongues of angels (the heavenly language).
In Acts 2, the manifestation there is in the
tongues of men (other earthly languages).
1 Corinthians.14.5 (NIV) I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
1 Corinthians.14.5 (NIV) I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
The second type e.g. Acts 19 is the tongue of
angels, heavens language. This may be in the form of
a. Personal edification, which requires no interpretation
b. To the congregation, which requires interpretation and is equivalent to prophecy when interpreted.
a. Personal edification, which requires no interpretation
b. To the congregation, which requires interpretation and is equivalent to prophecy when interpreted.
As an icing on the cake, please note that
when you do not understand what you're speaking, its evidence that it's tongues.
1 Corinthians.14.14-15 (NIV) For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.
My mind yields no result. When I pray in a tongue, my mind is unfruitful. That is not to say your mind should be wandering. Because as you speak in the Spirit with your mind stayed on the Lord in prayer he opens up the mysteries and wondrous things been spoken to you.
After praying in tongues for long, the influence of the Spirit is cast over you. You begin to get fresh ideas concerning the kingdom assignment, vision for life, direction, instruction, dreams, etc.
Let me quickly cap with the authenticity of tongues speaking. How do I know whether what I'm speaking is from God or not? The answer to this question lies in the nature of God.
He is a God of integrity.
He honours his promises.
He does what he says.
He has promised the gift of the Spirit to those who ask him.
He says if you ask me for bread (good) I will not give you stone (evil).
If you ask for fish, I won't give you a snake.
If you ask for an egg I won't give you a scorpion.
If you asked God for the Holy Spirit he won't give you an evil spirit.
Be confident if you asked from God. If the devil ever gave you a spirit he won't want you to detect it. He only condemns what is good. If unfortunately you have something evil, the Lord will save you. I'll like to pause here and trust the Spirit of God to lead you into greater discoveries.
God bless you for your attention. Amen.
1 Corinthians.14.14-15 (NIV) For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.
My mind yields no result. When I pray in a tongue, my mind is unfruitful. That is not to say your mind should be wandering. Because as you speak in the Spirit with your mind stayed on the Lord in prayer he opens up the mysteries and wondrous things been spoken to you.
After praying in tongues for long, the influence of the Spirit is cast over you. You begin to get fresh ideas concerning the kingdom assignment, vision for life, direction, instruction, dreams, etc.
Let me quickly cap with the authenticity of tongues speaking. How do I know whether what I'm speaking is from God or not? The answer to this question lies in the nature of God.
He is a God of integrity.
He honours his promises.
He does what he says.
He has promised the gift of the Spirit to those who ask him.
He says if you ask me for bread (good) I will not give you stone (evil).
If you ask for fish, I won't give you a snake.
If you ask for an egg I won't give you a scorpion.
If you asked God for the Holy Spirit he won't give you an evil spirit.
Be confident if you asked from God. If the devil ever gave you a spirit he won't want you to detect it. He only condemns what is good. If unfortunately you have something evil, the Lord will save you. I'll like to pause here and trust the Spirit of God to lead you into greater discoveries.
God bless you for your attention. Amen.
