tongues

[SisterActs2]

Hi Warrior12

Yes, the gift is entirely valid.  Our church is Pentecostal, as I have previously said.  Not all of our congregation speak in tongues.   We do not hold deliverance meetings or fall down etc.  However, I have been in churches like this.  I have gone up for prayer and had a preacher try to prophesy over me and struggle to come up with something to say.

My husband and I pray every day.  We are on fire for God.  One test would be this:  if people get a "religious spirit" or end up leaving and starting up their own work (based on a distorted view of one scripture etc.) or backslide or do strange things, you could probably say something was wrong.  Most of us have seen the results of "The Toronto Blessing" (nicknamed by a good man "The Toronto Blight"), back in the '90s.  Believe me, we were absolutely shocked by what we saw.  People doing weird things found nowhere in Scripture.  As far as we are concerned, we test the spirits and if it's not in the Word, we will not entertain it.

We lead very normal lives.  We have held down jobs responsibly for years, are respected in the community, show no signs of madness or weird behaviour.  We are just ordinary Christians, in love with Jesus, wanting to do His will.  We could, by some peoples' standards, even be considered dull.  We also only answer to one person for our actions and how we live our lives - God Himself.  All I want to hear is "Well done, good and faithful servant - enter now into your rest.".  We are not defined as Christians by whether we speak in tongues or not.  It is not a salvatio issue.  It is simply that we enjoy talking to the Lord that way because we can't express everything in English and it is special; between us and God.  If I thought for one minute God didn't want me to do this, I would say, "take it from me, Lord, please".  We have the fear of God on our lives and want to stay on the straight and narrow.

Some members of the body of Christ speak in tongues, some don't.  It is not a big deal to us.  We are committed Christians and believe me, God has convicted us of many things from which we have had to repent and ask forgiveness.  Not this.

However, it has been abused.  Look at the person's life.  God wants us to be discerning, and as He loves us, He will tell us what to do, where to go and how to conduct our lives, if we trust in Him.  God bless you all.

[Fidei Defensor]

4 hours ago, Allroses48 said:

There are also many valid exorcists in both the Catholic and other denominations who don'ts peak in tongues and have had successful exorcisms. One such priest is Father Malachi Martin who wrote the book Hostage To The Devil which you can get on kindle.

Indeed, not everyone gets Tongues, "All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way." (1 Corinthians 12:30-31 NASB).
 

[warrior12]

1 hour ago, SisterActs2 said:

owever, it has been abused.  Look at the person's life.  God wants us to be discerning, and as He loves us, He will tell us what to do, where to go and how to conduct our lives, if we trust in Him.  God bless you all.

Thank you for your sincere reply  and testimony, SisterActs2. 

[Bill16652]

On 4/15/2017 at 6:46 PM, enoob57 said:

It is never to be done without interpretation...
Who can discern this! It is not interpreted  and thus Scripture cannot be used to verify the spirit of the occurrence!

No but the Holy Spirit can testify as to the spirit

[Bill16652]

4 hours ago, Allroses48 said:

I totally believe in the sincere use of laying on of hands and exorcism (slaying of spirits?) however, I do believe that there are people who make this into a theatrical performance at churches and it appears extremely fake to me. I have had priesthood blessings where they lay their hands on your head and pray for you and we all felt the Holy Spirit enter the room. It was amazing. I'm talking about those tent churches and other megachurches where you can clearly see it's fake and they're doing it for show. Just not buying it.

Because some is fake do not disallow the real experiences.  God will deal with the fakes so just ignore them and avoid them as well as far as doctrine is concerned.  All spirits should be tested and it is the Holy Spirit that will guide you into what is true and show you what is not.  To many do not exercise their spiritual senses and then say it is not for today when it is.

[OneLight]

5 hours ago, warrior12 said:

Does the gift of tongue still exist today. Well the entire thread is what basically the topic is about. The Bible does not say that it it has ceased and i acknowledge that.  At the same time, it has been dormant for hundreds of years with no evidence of it's existence in writings after the apostles deaths.  Only in the last hundred years or so has the revival of the gift of tongues been practiced or seen for lack of a better word.  Much controversy surrounds this particular gift and i guess only those with the gift can shed light on it's existence.    Earlier, i was merely pointing out the ministries that perform the acts of casting out demons, which is also Biblical and the use of tongues is essential in their work.  How true is all this, i personally don't have the gift of tongues so i cannot confirm it's existence, but many here do and so our discussion to a topic that has been discussed  many times over.

So let' ask.  The gift had been dormant for hundred of years, and i have read of the revival of it at the Azusa street mission in LA.   As the Bible so clearly states that nothing is impossible with God, this could have been a genuine revival of the gift.   But as you see,  because of its closure for quite a number of years and its now appearance much debate carry on today.   I do not for one denies God healing and  other gifts as i have been beneficiaries of some of those, but this gift as i hope i have show does have its suspicion of it's authenticity, and to those who do not have it, i think it is normal to seek some insights of it's present day use.  

People post from their experience.  One person who has not seen any of the gifts being used will state that they are not for today, while another who has will say they are still alive and are active.

What is the real problem here?  Is it because the Holy Spirit took a vacation and didn't inform anyone?  Not a chance!  So , what is the problem?  The problem is the lack of faith.  Even Jesus asked: "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"  It takes faith to believe.  The Holy Spirit will not give gifts to anyone who does not have the faith to operate in them.

In Revelation, John wrote about a lukewarm church, the church of the Laodiceans.  Here we find an almost perfect image of today's church.

"‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."

Seriously consider what scripture says about faith.  Wealth is not about money.

[enoob57]

40 minutes ago, Bill16652 said:

No but the Holy Spirit can testify as to the spirit

This is the problem; You have laid down all available objective aspects and totally went with subjective feeling that it is of God... this completely nullifies what God Himself says is necessary 
2 Timothy 3:15-17 (KJV)
[15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
 [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
 [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

thus as this is God's promise to us we understand better verse 17 as total all inclusive to test the spirits...

1 John 4:1 (KJV)
Chapter 4
 [4:1] Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Trust is an interesting thing... God instructs that Scripture brings about faith 
Romans 10:17 (KJV)
[17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)
[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.

so the simplicity of all this I am not to even rely upon my own self to determine things but God's Word alone through the Holy Spirit do I trust-placing  all weight of my being on this narrow path while all the while the broad path of destruction  is all around me...  
2 Timothy 2:15-16 (KJV)
[15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
 [16] But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

The sufficiency of Scriptures is the very milk of the begin in new birth...

Love, Steven

[warrior12]

25 minutes ago, OneLight said:

Seriously consider what scripture says about faith.  Wealth is not about money.

Absolutely.  When we see how the gift of tongues is practiced across the board in churches it is very rarely done according to scripture, with interpretation ect.  In private that is another matter and it is between a man and his maker .   Much more to be said about this, but it will be repetitive just using different words, so i leave this topic here and pray that the Lord will enlighten his children in their walk as to his offerings.

[Bill16652]

10 minutes ago, enoob57 said:

This is the problem; You have laid down all available objective aspects and totally went with subjective feeling that it is of God... this completely nullifies what God Himself says is necessary 
2 Timothy 3:15-17 (KJV)
[15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
 [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
 [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

thus as this is God's promise to us we understand better verse 17 as total all inclusive to test the spirits...

1 John 4:1 (KJV)
Chapter 4
 [4:1] Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Trust is an interesting thing... God instructs that Scripture brings about faith 
Romans 10:17 (KJV)
[17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)
[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.

so the simplicity of all this I am not to even rely upon my own self to determine things but God's Word alone through the Holy Spirit do I trust-placing  all weight of my being on this narrow path while all the while the broad path of destruction  is all around me...  
2 Timothy 2:15-16 (KJV)
[15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
 [16] But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

The sufficiency of Scriptures is the very milk of the begin in new birth...

Love, Steven

I agree, you also need two witnesses as well but the Holy Spirit is a witness.  To many dismiss this because they do not hear or exercise this very important aspect of our faith.  The Holy Spirit has been relegated to doing nothing as far as us hearing from Him yet it is our peace and a witness as to what is true.

[enoob57]

19 minutes ago, Bill16652 said:

I agree, you also need two witnesses as well but the Holy Spirit is a witness.  To many dismiss this because they do not hear or exercise this very important aspect of our faith.  The Holy Spirit has been relegated to doing nothing as far as us hearing from Him yet it is our peace and a witness as to what is true.

I see the Two Witness as The Scripture and The Holy Spirit given as teacher of... all else- self, the world are subject to error and I am not required by God's Word to give any trust whatsoever! It is a unique life to live for God here! As it is literally a divorce from all that's we have first began in and a marriage to that which has come solely born out of His Word... Very identifiable by the fact of holiness
Jude 17-23 (KJV)
[17] But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
 [18] How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
 [19] These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
 [20] But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
 [21] Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
 [22] And of some have compassion, making a difference:
 [23] And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.