As anything else and everything else, we rarely purchase things we haven’t realized we need. Be it cars, washing machines, microwaves, phones, etc. Man usually realizes the need of a thing, receives the desire of it, and finds the means to get it.
Same goes for Tongues.
This is especially for the older saints in the church. By that I mean, they’ve been in salvation for quite a while but still don’t operate in the gift. The disadvantage with this is; along the way — especially if one has existed between the worlds of charismatics, catholicism and anglicanism — heresies have been preached, causing a hardening of heart towards the gift.
I received the gift at 11 years during a Sunday afternoon fellowship in high school, and I hadn’t necessarily been desirous of it; neither had I heard any propaganda against it. The preacher had began intense prayer, and he was praying in tongues as well.
Suddenly, I stammered … switching from English to this strange gibberish. It was as if I had downloaded a new language style; and that I was learning to speak all over again.
I only stopped because I wanted to be sure I was not faking this phenomenon. When I asked, the spiritual leader ascertained that it always begun like that. 17 years later, I have learnt a thing or two of the mystery to help ease the journey of others walking (or yet to walk) in it.
Since, in the last blog, I explained why we needed the gift, one has to be sold — buying the desire for it. Even Paul told us to sincerely desire the greater gifts (1 Cor 12:31). The prayer of asking in faith with thanksgiving can then be made after the desire (Phil 4:6, Matt 7:7).
John 16:24 Until now you have not asked [the Father] for anything in My name; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete. (AMP)
I’ll leave that here, for your using as you please.
On the other hand, the congregation of the saints, or a community that’s rich in the gift will help one both to attract the gift (or help the growth of it for those who have it but still feel timid). This is emphasized in Hebrews 10:25: Not forsaking the assembly or gathering of the saints.
That’s how I received the gift!
If I’m to digress a little bit, we can reflect on a blog entitled Places & Language. I demonstrate how a place usually dictates the language spoken within it. This means the Tongues in a place commonly spoken can end up rubbing on a stranger within that same place. It’s like how Proverbs 13:20 says he who walks with the wise will become wise in the long run.
Having close friends, family, or church members who have the gift can help fortify it in those still gibberishing in it. And it’s not just having those relations, but actively praying with those particular people.
When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets. (I Samuel 10:10-11)
Receiving tongues could happen by impartation during the ministration of the word too. This happened as Peter preached to Cornelius’ house;
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. (Acts 10:44)
Even laying on of hands is impartational; the gift is siphoned from the imparter to the lesser vessel (through the hands), more like a lit candle sharing its flame to a cold wick of another candle. Sharing here is no robbery.
Acts 8:15, 17 They came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; Then Peter and John laid their hands on them [one by one], and they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Back to the point of desiring the gift; sometimes desires come after we’ve understood what we are missing out on. Knowledge bears a place in this context.
John said “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me … will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11)
In Acts 2, we see these baptisms happening simultaneously. When the rushing wind passed through the upper room, tongues of fire appeared on the apostles. Some versions say ‘tongues resembling fire.’ The fact that fire is what the comparison was made of, signifies the fire John prophesied about.
The baptism of water happened mostly before the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire (though the vice versa also happens). After Jesus’ dipping, the Holy Spirit came upon Him. It is possible that Jesus spoke in tongues as well: there are parts in the Bible where the authors wrote Jesus groaning or weeping; it’s probable that He was in that place; and since none had ever experienced it, they’d not put explanation to it, but simply term it as ‘groaning’ or ‘weeping.’
When we get born again, we receive God IN us. We become His abode; three in one. But, when the Holy Spirit is received, it means He becomes our abode. We receive Him UPON us.
The first scenario is like receiving an injection of God. The second is you drowning in Him. Him in you — You in Him, immersed. Him being your atmosphere, your firmament, your air, your stratosphere!
What happens when you receive Christ, equates to you drinking a glass of Holy Ghost. Water drunk is often less than water bathed! What happens when you speak in tongues equates to you baptized in an ocean of Him! He’s not just on your inside! He is on your outside! A whole force field around you! He’s like a hen brooding over you! Initially you were just a yolk. Soon you’ll hatch, and grow, and wax wings like Him, and soar like an eagle! A likeness He assumes many times — of flight.
Years ago my pastor taught (and I think he got this from Andrew Wommack) that the baptism of water is the physical sign of our acceptance and union with Christ. It’s like wearing a ring to signify marriage. It signifies dying with Christ (the dipping) and resurrecting up with Him (the withdrawal).
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the invisible & spiritual sign; — the evidence in case the ring has been taken off.
The baptism of fire is a whole other topic. The seraphim are described by the anatomy of fire. Jeremiah said his resistance to preach was like fire shut up in his bones. The Hebrew boys were thrown in a fire, but it never consumed them. I like to state it didn’t consume them because they took on the likeness of that very fire in that moment. And if they did, can fire burn fire? Of course not!
I like to recall the burning bush. How did that fire not consume it? The coal that was taken to Isaiah’s lips to cleanse him from his sin?! How did it not burn his lips and yet burn his sin forever!
This fire moves in the believer, and interestingly though it might not burn him or her, it burns the sin in them, the disease and sickness in or around them, the impurities — to make them as pure gold, the demons that oppress God’s people, and so much more.
This is the fire that illuminates the believer to take up the shape of ‘light of the world.’ It is empowerment from on high, enabling one to be a living sacrifice for the Lord.
In summary, we can receive this gift by gaining knowledge of it, desiring it and asking of it in prayer through thanksgiving, spending time around those that operate in it, and by impartation through laying on of hands or the issuing of His word, not forgetting the absence of the bias of it.
I pray for you, who desires it, that may the Holy Spirit answer your call and rest over you. May He blanket you, may Heaven open up like it did above Jesus, and may He come upon you His beloved son … His beloved daughter, and do a marvelous work in you such as has never been seen or heard before in this generation.
In Jesus’ name.
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Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Isaiah 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
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