Tongues Last

Gifts Exposed, Give No Excuse Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues and Discerning of Spirit

What is Speaking in Tongues? • 1 Cor 14:2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. (NKJV) • 1 Cor 14:4 For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.

• Tongues is basically a prayer language that God gives to those who are baptised with the Holy Spirit. • The Greek word is glossolali

Do I need to be filled with the Holy Spirit to speak in tongues? • Speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

• Rom 8:9 says “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” • So everyone who belongs to Christ has the Holy Spirit in them. But that doesn’t mean that they are filled. • Example: Jesus’ disciples-Jn 20:20 and Acts 1:5

• Acts 2:1-4 • Acts 2:4 “they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues”

• Acts 10:44-47 • While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

Why Speak in Tongues • It is a sign of the gospel • Mk 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues

• It edifies us • 1 Cor 14:2 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself • It empowers our prayers • And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words

What’s the difference between Speaking in Tongues as a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit and the Gift of Speaking in Tongues?

• The nature of the tongues are still the same but they differ in three aspects • The availability • Speaking in tongues as a prayer language is available to everyone who wants it (Acts 2:28) whereas the gift of speaking in tongues is given as the Holy Spirit pleases (1 Cor 12)

• The purpose—Speaking in tongues as a prayer language is given to edify oneself in speaking to God whereas the gift of speaking in tongue accompanied by the interpretation of tongues is meant to address the public and edify the church.

• The mode of operation • Speaking in tongues as a prayer language does not need to be interpreted but the gift of speaking in tongues needs to be interpreted. When you address the public, it is better to speak in a language that they can understand. If you speak in tongues, you must have those tongues interpreted.

Do I have to Speak in tongues

Discerning of Spirit • A Definition • The word discern means “to perceive, see or recognize by sight or some other sense, or by the intellect; a clear discrimination; judging; judicial estimation”. Thus the term discerning of spirits denotes discrimination of spirits. .

• Notice the word spirit appear in plural form, “spirits” in 1 Cor 12:10. There are three categories of spirits: demonic spirits, spirits of God and human spirit.

three categories of spirits: • demonic spirits (Note: Demons are spirit beings, without body, invisible, intelligent, opponents of God, and oppressors of man). (Matthew 8:28; I Peter 5:8; Genesis 3:4-5) ; • Godly spirits (Holy Spirit /angels / man’s holy, righteous spirit) • Human spirit /carnality _ nothing spiritual about it :

• Big Difference: This is different from natural discernment, faultfinding, street smarts or sociological awareness. Natural discernment is possessed by everyone, with different level of maturity and keenness.

The need for discernment today • Some prophets claimed to be sent of God when they were not. (Jeremiah 23:21) and Multitudes of people have been drawn to trust in a lie. (Jeremiah 28:15) • Peter warned of false prophets. (II Peter 2:1-3) and false prophets will never identify themselves as such. (Matthew 7:15-16) • Paul promised there would be false prophets in the "latter days." (I Timothy 4:1)

• 1 John4:1 Do not believe in every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world

What is the purpose of the discerning of spirits? • In order for church leaders to protect the flock adequately, they must know who labours among them. When one can accurately discern the spiritual motivation of a person or group and the categories of spirits involved, then the necessary steps can be taken to deal properly with the situation

• After Philip invited Nathanael to meet Jesus, the Bible records that “when Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ‘this is a true Israelites, in whom there is nothing false’ (Jn 1:47) • Paul and the slave girl

• Peter and Ananias and Sapphira : discerned wrong spirit “ How is it that satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land

• To help an Individual / purpose of Deliverance or breaking of Bondages ; purifying a situation or environment (evil place . scary place)

• To encourage /edify – a church meeting / or an individual

HOW TO DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL SPIRITS – The Acid Test to Determine Truth and Error.

• Maintaining the honour of Jesus Christ ( I John 4:2-3) • Cast out the evil spirit : Exercise the authority / power of the Christ in us : Greater is he that is in you that he who is in the world.