Jesus said we need to be born of the Spirit to enter the
kingdom of God.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.
We need His Spirit to belong to Him.
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit,
if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
If we want to please God, we must walk in the Spirit. To
walk in the Spirit, we must STAY FULL of His Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-17 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and
ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the
Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
It is by the power of His Spirit that we overcome sin, live
a holy life, and become witnesses.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy
Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem,
and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The Spirit of Jesus acts as our Defense Attorney against satan,
the Prosecutor. “Counsel for defense” is a meaning of the Greek word that is
translated as “Comforter”.
John 14:16-18 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give
you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of
truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth
him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not
leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Jesus gives us His Spirit to "plead the blood of
Jesus", reminding satan that the blood of Jesus washed away our sins when
we were baptized in Jesus name. Because
we are now living a holy and overcoming life, satan has nothing to accuse us
with!
Jesus gives us His Spirit to teach us and to remind us of
what He said.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all
things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
His Spirit guides us into all truth and will show us things to
come.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he
will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to
come.
It is by the power of His Spirit that we will be
resurrected. It is His Spirit that will raise us up from the grave.
Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus
from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also
quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Because we need the Spirit of Jesus to be saved, there must
be no confusion as to whether or not we have received His Spirit.
It makes sense that satan would try to deceive people as to
whether or not they have received God's Spirit!
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of
your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in
the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he
speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Satan, the deceiver, would like a person to think they have
received the Spirit of Jesus when they have not.
Thankfully, Jesus makes it clear when a person has received
His Spirit: they speak in tongues (a language they have not learned) as the
Spirit gives them the ability to speak.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and
began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
When we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (the Spirit of
Jesus) we speak in tongues. We speak in tongues as Jesus speaks through us in a
language we have not learned.
A key to why God chose tongues to be the sign of a person
receiving His Spirit is found in James 3:3-8.
James 3:3-8 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that
they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships,
which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they
turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even
so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great
a matter a little fire kindleth!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the
tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire
the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and
of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue
can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
In these verses, the tongue is described as an “unruly evil”
among the members of the body. James declares, “The tongue can no man
tame”. No man can tame the tongue, but
by a repentant heart and our desire to receive the Spirit of Jesus, God can
tame our tongue. With words of praise, worship, and thanksgiving, Jesus will
baptize a person with His Holy Ghost and they will speak in another tongue
(language) as the Spirit of Jesus speaks through them.
The tongue is the last thing to surrender to God when we are
allowing Him to fill us with His Spirit. When the Lord controls our tongue, it
is a sign that we have given Him full control of our life! Because the tongue
is the last to surrender, it makes sense that tongues are the sign for being
FILLED with the Holy Ghost.
Some people say, “I have the Holy Spirit, but I haven’t
spoken in tongues – I don’t have the gift of tongues”.
This confusion comes from lack of knowing the Word of God.
The Word shows that Jesus uses tongues for more than one purpose.
First of all, Jesus uses tongues when a person is filled
with the Holy Ghost. Tongues are a sign. When a person is filled with God’s
Spirit for the first time, they may speak only a few syllables, or may speak
for a long duration. Because it is by God’s grace that Jesus gives us His
Spirit, it is called the GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST.
Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto
you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the
Lord our God shall call.
When Peter preached the gospel to the Gentiles for the first
time, Peter knew they received the Holy Ghost because he heard them speak in
tongues.
Acts 10:45-48 And they of the circumcision [Jews] which
believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the
Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them
speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid
water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as
well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then
prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Peter testified to Jewish Christians in Jerusalem:
Acts 11:15-18 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell
on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how
that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with
the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto
us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand
God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God,
saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
When disciples of John the Baptist were re-baptized in Jesus
name, Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost. When they
received the Holy Ghost they spoke in tongues.
Acts 19:1-6 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at
Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and
finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost
since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether
there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye
baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of
repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which
should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands
upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and
prophesied.
Second, God uses tongues as one of the spiritual gifts. This
gift is called, “divers kinds of tongues.”
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 Now there are diversities of gifts, but
the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same
Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which
worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man
to profit withal.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 For to one is given by the Spirit the
word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another
faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to
another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of
spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of
tongues:
The gifts are given to individuals for the profit of ALL. (1
Cor. 12:7) Thus, divers kinds of tongues is used to give a message to the whole
church body.
This gift, or “manifestation of the Spirit” needs to be
combined with the gift of interpretation of tongues in order for the church to
understand the message and to receive edifying. Otherwise, only the person
speaking is edified (built up, strengthened).
1Corinthians 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues,
but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that
speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive
edifying.
1Corinthians 14:17-19 For thou verily givest thanks well,
but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye
all: yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding,
that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an
unknown tongue.
The Bible gives rules of order for this.
1Corinthians 14:27-28 If any man speak in an unknown tongue,
let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one
interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church;
and let him speak to himself, and to God.
1Corinthians 14:39-40 Wherefore, brethren, covet to
prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently
and in order.
Everyone speaks in tongues when they receive the Holy Ghost,
but not everyone speaks with the gift of diverse tongues.
This can be compared with faith and the GIFT of faith.
Everyone that comes to God must have faith.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please
him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
However, not everyone is used in the GIFT of faith.
The key that distinguishes the GIFT OF TONGUES is that it is
for the purpose of ministering to the church body, rather than to an
individual.
This holds true for all nine gifts of the Spirit. They are
designed to operate when the whole church is come together.
For example, the gift of prophecy includes anointed
preaching, which is ministered to the “whole church” body.
1Corinthians 14:23-25 If therefore the whole church be come
together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those
that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if
all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is
convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the secrets of his heart
made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report
that God is in you of a truth.
Thirdly, God uses tongues in prayer.
When we have a feeling (“burden”) to pray for a person or
situation and we do not know exactly what to pray, we can allow God to
intercede in our prayer with tongues, speaking the words for us according to
what God knows needs to be prayed.
Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of
God.
Praying in tongues is also called praying “in the Spirit”
and “praying in the Holy Ghost.”
Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints;
Jude 1:20-21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your
most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God,
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
When we have prayed all the words we can think of, the Lord
can pray through us in tongues as the Spirit of God speaks through us in
languages we have not learned. The Lord can speak through us precisely what the
person or situation needs and that only Jesus may know about! What a blessing
to ourselves and others!
Receiving the Holy Ghost is necessary to be saved. When we
receive the Holy Ghost, we speak in other tongues as the Spirit gives us utterance.
Satan would rather have us confused about this so that we would be lost, and not
receive the promises and blessings God has for every one of us.
But we are not ignorant of satan’s devices!
