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Instructions on tongues (heavenly prayer language tongues):
The heavenly prayer language, (praying in tongues), is not the only sign of Baptism in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
However every person Baptised in the Holy Spirit can also receive the ability to pray in tongues (Acts 11:15-17; 1 Corinthians 14:2; Romans 8:26-27; Jude 20)
The fact that people spoke, (prayed), in tongues after their Baptism in the Holy Spirit is specifically mentioned in three of the five occurrences recorded in the Bible (Acts 2:4 ;Acts 10:44-46 ; Acts 19:6)
The other two occurrences of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit were :-
(1) The Apostle Paul, (Acts 9:17), and while this passage does not record that he immediately spoke in tongues – he certainly was able to do so later (1 Corinthians 14:15,18,39).
(2) Simon the sorcerer, obviously saw and/or heard something when the Apostles were laying on hands – probably tongues – and he wanted that ability (Acts 8:14-24)
We should expect to receive the ability to pray in tongues when we are Baptised in the Holy Spirit, and when we receive tongues we should pray daily as the Bible tells us that this edifies, (builds), us up as Christians (1 Corinthians 14:4a ; Jude 20; Ephesians 6:18).
Tongues, (our own prayer language), are a definite manifestation (sign) of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
This prayer language of tongues is what Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 14:2,4,14,15,18,19.
1 Corinthians 14:2 “For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.”
1 Corinthians 14:4 “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself…”
1 Corinthians 14:14-15 “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 mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.”
1 Corinthians 14:18-19 “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the Church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.”
[The ‘gift of tongues’, one of the nine ‘gifts of the Holy Spirit’ as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, is what Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 14:5,13,22 , and is always meant to be used with the ‘gift of interpretation of tongues’.]
Note: If you do not understand the difference, please make sure you get this cleared up at once – as these passages in 1 Corinthians 14 are often used to refute the use of tongues.
** If a person does not start praying in tongues when they receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, we should not make excuses or decide that God does not want them to have this ability. **
Instead, we need to seek the Lord as to what is blocking the person from being released in the speaking of tongues.
It may simply be an intellectual argument or just embarrassment.
It may, however, be something more serious such as previous involvement in occultic activities (eg: horoscopes, ouija boards, séances, Dungeons and Dragons, automatic writing, witchcraft, satanic covens, etc.)
When tongues do not come, we need to ask the Holy Spirit for discernment regarding the blockage.
Tongues do not have to be forced. If they are being blocked, we need only discern the blockage and remove it. Then the person will be released in tongues.
When the Holy Spirit speaks through you in tongues, He will give the words, but you need to surrender your tongue for Him to use. That does not mean that you don’t make a sound and that God will supernaturally take over your speech.
What it means is that while dwelling upon God we need to start praising Him in our spirit and in our own language with our lips.
Very often you will then become aware of words that are unfamiliar to you, and you will tell yourself that they are nonsense. Take a step of faith and speak them out.
Once you have been obedient in surrendering your tongue, the Holy Spirit will begin supplying you with a whole new, beautiful language. Begin using that language to praise God and to tell Him of your love for Him. As you use your language daily you will begin to see it increase. That increase, and frequent usage, will bring you to have Paul’s desire to “pray in the Spirit in all occasions” (Ephesians 6:18).
** Note:
We must understand that in the end it is completely up to God and His perfect timing for each individual. Some people see “pictures” and have an interpretation of what the picture means, or move in ‘word of knowledge’, or the other 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 ‘gifts of the Spirit’ before ever speaking in their own tongues prayer language.
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