Eph 6:18 Praying in the spirit?

[missmuffet]

I do not even know what speaking in tongues means. I thought it was a language that everybody could understand and that if anybody hears it, they hear it in their own language. Otherwise, what's the point of it? God understands our hearts and he understands all languages, so why would anybody need to speak in tongues?

My point exactly Oak 

[Augustine17]

Its when someone speaks in a foreign language or the language of angels. 

 

By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord. - from 1 Corinthians 14:21

 

 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? - Acts 2:8

 

both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God. - Acts 2:11

 

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. - 1 Corinthians 13:1

 

At a time I was possessed by a spirit and spoke in what I thought to be tongues, but it was probably a demon. After being freed I hold a bit of a defense stance towards tongues and I'm not sure if it's even a gift that is still administered to people. Soothsayers can be mistaken as prophets, if you read this verse:

 

It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." - Acts 16:16-17

 

She had a spirit of divination and nowadays people with such spirits are being called prophets by certain people or themselves.  Also when I was speaking in that fake tongue or whatever it was I kept repeating a syllable over and over and it meant probably nothing to do with God. The lady who tried to 'teach' us to speak in tongues said the more you do it the more syllables you get or whatever. It is complete nonsense. I'm pretty sure real tongues are fluent and sound like another language but I'm not sure if legitimate tongue-speaking is being administered by the Holy Spirit in the present Age. You'll know anyone is a phony by their fruits like Jesus said. If a person claims or believes they speak in tongues and you find them as a sinner then you will know that it is not the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a sinner. Pentecostal doctrine dictates that speaking of tongues is a sign you are saved but it isn't, and I think deep followers of the Pentecostal doctrine are possessed by spirits.

[alisonm328]

Is this verse speaking of praying in tongues?

And is there anyone with a lot of experience with speaking in tongues that would be willing to chat through email because I have a lot of questions about it?

Yes,the passage is about praying in tongues.I am not a believer in tongues so I do not know if you want to talk to me about it.

I understand why you or anyone wouldn't believe in tongues. I didn't either not long ago! It sounds ridiculous! Lol it makes me so sad when I see Christians and even whole churches doing something they probably shouldn't be and causing issues/confusion for other people seeking God. A great example is Christians who scream out tongues during a church service! Lol all it does is create confusion for some. And even disbelief for a lot of people. In my opinion, tongues should only be spoken in public if it's for a reason like someone is present who can translate it or something like that. Otherwise the purpose of tongues is edifying one's self. And shouldn't be all over the place in public making Christians look a bit crazy lol.

1 Corin 14:4 says that the person speaking in tongues is edifying himself. Tongues is the language of the Holy Spirit. The holy spirit knows us deeply and also knows the plan the father has for us since he was there when the father created that plan! So basically tongues can really strengthen a person in the areas we may not even realize we need help. And it can help so much in revealing his plan for us and what steps to take in any and every situation so it's sad how so many believers don't believe in tongues. I hope I'm not being offensive, I don't want to do that!

I didn't believe in tongues or think it was at all essential and never gave it much thought until meeting someone who I grew to really trust and respect his opinions on things about God. He started hounding me about doing it eventually lol. Well one day while in the Middle of praying he called me and when I said I was praying and would call him back he blurted out PRAY IN TONGUES before I hung up lol I had tried speaking in tongues numerous times before than but never felt it was any different from gibberish haha but anyways I hung up and sort of half heartedly said to god that if he wanted me to speak in tongues to help me do it and then I continued on with my prayer as before when all of a sudden I started blurring out some babble lol and realized that my mouth and tongue were moving on it's own! After doing it for a few seconds and realizing what was happening, I freaked out! Lol it truly scared me to feel the holy spirit really taking control like that! I had no idea that's what tongues was. Lol it took me a long time to be brave enough to do it after that since I knew the Holy Spirit would be felt so powerfully! I truly believe tongues is a major help for believers! It's definitely not necessary but I believe it's a huge benefit to those using it. I hope you will try to give it a chance!

[Sevenseas]

Augustine:

 

 

 

She had a spirit of divination and nowadays people with such spirits are being called prophets by certain people or themselves.  Also when I was speaking in that fake tongue or whatever it was I kept repeating a syllable over and over and it meant probably nothing to do with God. The lady who tried to 'teach' us to speak in tongues said the more you do it the more syllables you get or whatever. It is complete nonsense. I'm pretty sure real tongues are fluent and sound like another language but I'm not sure if legitimate tongue-speaking is being administered by the Holy Spirit in the present Age. You'll know anyone is a phony by their fruits like Jesus said. If a person claims or believes they speak in tongues and you find them as a sinner then you will know that it is not the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a sinner. Pentecostal doctrine dictates that speaking of tongues is a sign you are saved but it isn't, and I think deep followers of the Pentecostal doctrine are possessed by spirits.

 

 

This appears to be a copy/paste from somewhere else...unless you highlighted with the pale orange?

 

Believers who exercise the gift of tongues are no better or worse then those who do not.  You don't suddenly become perfect because you speak in tongues anymore then

you suddenly become perfect the moment you are saved

 

However, the words of Christ are true when He states 'but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."  Acts 1:8  

 

 

 

I think deep followers of the Pentecostal doctrine are possessed by spirits.

 

I'm not Pentecostal, but your statement above is offensive perhaps, to those who are.  

 

I would caution against making fun,  making disparaging comments or calling people you are actually ignorant about, possessed.

[zeke]

Its when someone speaks in a foreign language or the language of angels. 

 

By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord. - from 1 Corinthians 14:21

 

 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? - Acts 2:8

 

both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God. - Acts 2:11

 

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. - 1 Corinthians 13:1

 

At a time I was possessed by a spirit and spoke in what I thought to be tongues, but it was probably a demon. After being freed I hold a bit of a defense stance towards tongues and I'm not sure if it's even a gift that is still administered to people. Soothsayers can be mistaken as prophets, if you read this verse:

 

It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." - Acts 16:16-17

 

She had a spirit of divination and nowadays people with such spirits are being called prophets by certain people or themselves.  Also when I was speaking in that fake tongue or whatever it was I kept repeating a syllable over and over and it meant probably nothing to do with God. The lady who tried to 'teach' us to speak in tongues said the more you do it the more syllables you get or whatever. It is complete nonsense. I'm pretty sure real tongues are fluent and sound like another language but I'm not sure if legitimate tongue-speaking is being administered by the Holy Spirit in the present Age. You'll know anyone is a phony by their fruits like Jesus said. If a person claims or believes they speak in tongues and you find them as a sinner then you will know that it is not the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a sinner. Pentecostal doctrine dictates that speaking of tongues is a sign you are saved but it isn't, and I think deep followers of the Pentecostal doctrine are possessed by spirits.

comment on Holy Spirit cannot DWELL in a sinner we are all sinners thus by Gods Grace we are cleansed by the BLOOD OF JESUS sin is still in our lives therefore thank YOU LORD THAT THY HOLY SPIRIT DWELLS IN THIS SINNER

[Augustine17]

Yes, the renewed believers are cleansed. The flesh is destroyed and then there's a chance to change. A 'sinner' is someone who practices sin. Someone with the Holy Spirit never sins consistently, in fact that's impossible.. It's not like they will never sin ever though. David had sinned after being a follower of The Way, as well as Moses. They were forgiven for what they did and they repented - which is why they were forgiven. He sets free the slave of sin, which is the one who practices sin. Key word practice. The Holy Spirit doesn't live in a sinner. You are a slave to the flesh or the spirit - this is stated in the bible. When Christ sets someone free its supernatural. A 'sinner' is one who practices sin. If someone runs a race one it doesn't mean they are a runner. They ran. If someone gets drunk once it doesn't mean they are a drunkard.

They got drunk. When they practice it they become those things.

 

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. - John 8:34

 

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. - John 8:36

 

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. - Romans 6:18

 

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. - Romans 6:22

 

Furthermore, if the Holy Spirit could dwell in a sinner, David would not have expressed this:

 

10Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.11Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.… - Psalm 51:10-12

Edited February 1, 2015 by Augustine17

[Pamelasv]

Tongues are also for praying the will of God in a situation. 'The Holy Spirit interceds for the saints by praying the will of God when we do not know how to pray as we ought to pray.' Not exact quote from the bible don't know exactly where that is in Romans. Not going to look it up on my phone or I will might lose this page and post. Actually not positive it is Romans. Chorinthians probably. If you want it ask for it, maybe God will give it to you, maybe in His own time.

Blessings.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Pamelasv

[lavey.online]

1 Corinthians 13:8  Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

 

1 Corinthians 14:6  But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?

 

The Bible did not say that Jesus spoke in tongues.

 

Yes Bopeep, Jesus did not speak in tongues because, there was no one there at that time of Him, having "Gift of Interpretation".

 

Paul said "Do not speak in tongues if there is no one is to interpret, what you are speaking in tongues ..."

 

In other words, Jesus may think, "Since the salvation for mankind is not fulfilled & the Holy Spirit is not be poured yet, it is not appropriate now to explain to the disciples about Gift of Holy Spirit ". I am thinking ... this is the reason why He was not speaking in tongues.

[lavey.online]

There are two types of tongues:

 

1. Language of Earth

2. Language of Angels (Heaven)

 

Paul said " If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." - 1.Cor. 13:1.

 

So no need for anyone to understand about what the neighbor is talking in tongues. If no one in this earth knows the meaning, then it may be from heavens.

 

"Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow." - James 1:17.

 

"Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them." - Acts 2:3

 

So, When Holy Spirit came first on the Church, He came just like a light ( fire ). In those day when the modern lamps were not invented, people used only the fire, as light.

 

So, we could take this as, Holy Spirit came with the light of Heaven.

 

In Genesis 1:1, Father tells "Let there be light" and light came. It means, God the Father use the WORD to create light. In other words, the Father God used JESUS to create the light, since He is the WORD in the beginning with Father.

 

So, Holy Spirit came first on Church, with Heavenly Light which was created by Jesus in the beginning ...

 

Listen, if He is WORD ... then He is the Word of all languages, irrespective of whether the language is either of Human or of Angels. So even if He spoke in tongues, THERE IS NO MIRACLE ON THAT, SINCE HE IS ALL WORD OF ALL LANGUAGES.

 

Amen !

[kwikphilly]

Blessings Pamelasv

Romans 8:26-27New International Version (NIV)
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Romans 8:26
Viewing the King James Version of  Romans 8:26.
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.

This is the verse of Scripture you were speaking of(I understand about losing your place when on the phone for internet-lol)I posted both the NIV & the KJV for you ........many people have interpreted this as "speaking" or "praying" in tongues,,,,,,,,literally ,in the Greek text this simply means a "sigh" or "groaning" which CANNOT be spoken,,,,,,,,,,,,so I never did see how this can be taken to mean"speaking in tongues",,,,,,,
 
I found this rather interesting

Speaking in “tongues of angels” is probably best understood as having the ability to speak with “divine eloquence.” As one well-known Bible scholar put it, “Paul is simply saying that, were he to have the ability to speak with the skill and eloquence of the greatest men, even with angelic eloquence, he would only become a noisy gong . . .”
The fact is that Paul used hyperbolic language elsewhere, including in the very next verse, with his mention of faith “to remove mountains.” His exaggerations serve to emphasize the necessity of love. Showing love is more important than the grandest, most miraculous action imaginable.
To suggest that Paul implies that “tongues of angels” is a kind of “heavenly language” is to go beyond what Scripture actually teaches. It is taking the expression completely out of context in an attempt to teach something other than what Paul actually said.                                                                          © Copyright 2002-2015 Got Questions Ministries

That is just an excerpt,for anyone who would like to read the entire answer they gave ,,,here is the link
http://www.gotquestions.org/heavenly-language.html                             To God be the Glory,each one should seek God in these matters,study the Scriptures without influence by what has been taught by others interpretation & pray the Wisdom,Understanding & Revelation by the Power of the Holy Spirit,,,,,,,,                         With love-in Christ Kwik