44 Devarim 2025

Some say that you have to be perfect before you speak in tongues, but that is not what the Bible says. The evidences of the Holy Spirit and gifts are to help us grow as a believer. Ephesians 4:12 CJB says, "Their task is to equip God's people for the work of service that builds the body of the Messiah." So, if God's gifts are to help us grow, then they must be available to us from the time we become believers and we don't have to wait to receive all of them. Some of them like the spiritual gift of teachers are for the more mature believer. 

Years ago, I had just led a young man to believe in Yeshua just two weeks earlier and he spoke in tongues while I was talking to him about it. I was stunned; he was just a baby believer, but that's what I have seen. God appears to give speaking in tongues liberally. 

I didn't learn any of the bad stigma about speaking in tongues and that probably helped me accept God's gift. People actually write negative teachings about speaking in tongues. Yeshua gave us a warning to not have a bad attitude toward the Holy Spirit. Matthew 12:31 CJB says, "Because of this, I tell you that people will be forgiven any sin and blasphemy, but blaspheming the Ruach HaKodesh will not be forgiven." Wikipedia says that, "Blasphemy is the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence." In this case it is contempt for the Holy Spirit. How I understand this is if we dig in our heels and remain stubborn about the things of Holy Spirit, then God will not give us the Holy Spirit, and we will be judged for our bad attitude. I would be careful not to be critical of this gift. Yeshua was very stern about being critical about His spiritual gift. 

I got my master's degree from a Baptist college. In this one class, our professor was talking about treating each other with love and how Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians is in the middle of Shaul's message about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gifts and evidences of the Holy Spirit are to be used with love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 CJB says, "I may speak in the tongues of men, even angels; but if I lack love, I have become merely blaring brass or a cymbal clanging. I may have the gift of prophecy, I may fathom all mysteries, know all things, have all faith- enough to move mountains; but if I lack love, I am nothing." So, live an honorable life of love and holiness.

Speaking in Tongues is Intended for this Messianic Age.

It should be obvious that speaking in tongues is intended to be used in this Messianic age as it says in Isaiah. Wouldn't we want what God wants for us. We can pray in tongues when we get up, when we eat (speak in tongues in our mind), when we work, we can speak in tongues out loud or to ourselves. It seems we can pray in tongues almost all the time. Shaul said in 1 Thessalonians. 5:17 NKJV, "Pray without ceasing."

Will we listen? Isaiah 28:11-12 CJB says, "So with stammering lips, in a foreign accent, [ADONAI] will speak to this people. He once told this people, 'It's time to rest, the exhausted can rest, now you can relax'- but they wouldn't listen." Speaking tongues can give us rest and peace. God wants to help us and bless us and speaking in tongues is good, and the Holy Spirit is good. I speak in tongues everyday as much as I can because I know that it is God's will for His believers. Shaul said in 1 Corinthians14:5 CJB, "I wish you would all speak in tongues."