What is speaking in tongues and prophesying?

[enoob57]

Just now, kingdombrat said:

You don't seem to comprehend that living in God is a full time Walk, not just random when we think we need Him.   Every moment i am awake, all of hell should be alerted because I walk in those Gifts and Power of God because He gave them to me to enrich my whole being, my whole life, my whole existence, not in a pick and choose setting.

I'm sorry but we don't seem to be able to communicate Scriptural truths to one another....

[Guest kingdombrat]

I am discerning you from the moment you quoted me.  I am discerning my environment.  Where i go and drive i am discerning.  When i shop i am discerning.  When i go out and eat i am discerning.   I am discerning 24/7, not just whenever it makes sense to.

[Guest kingdombrat]

5 minutes ago, enoob57 said:

I'm sorry but we don't seem to be able to communicate Scriptural truths to one another....

I am discerning you from the moment you quoted me.  I am discerning my environment.  Where i go and drive i am discerning.  When i shop i am discerning.  When i go out and eat i am discerning.   I am discerning 24/7, not just whenever it makes sense to.

 

 

Please show me when the Gift of Discernment should never be used?

[Guest kingdombrat]

27 minutes ago, enoob57 said:

I'm sorry but we don't seem to be able to communicate Scriptural truths to one another....

Since you're adamant about tossing out Scripture and making a defense of them, I think I will adhere to Your Own Example.

 

Have you fulfilled this yet?

Mark 16:

17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

[Waggles]

Thank God for the gifts of knowledge and wisdom.

To learn directly from God by his Spirit is truly a blessing.

[Deadworm]

By far, the greatest highlight of my life was an experience of speaking in tongues at age 16 at a camp meeting by a lake in western Manitoba, Canada.  I was skeptical about all gifts of the Spirit and the veracity of Scripture at the time, and didn't want to fall prey to wishful thinking and the power of suggestion.  Despite that resistance, the Spirit came to me as "a rushing mighty wind" and overpowered my resistance, so that I found myself speaking in tongues at the top of my voice.  I happened after a service in an open amphitheater by the adjacent lake.  Wave after wave of liquid love surge through my being, each more intense than the last, until I thought I might  die from this intense union with God.  The experience transformed my mind to the extent that I  got the highest GPA in the province in my senior year of high school, despite previously not doing particularly well in school.

A lady sat staring at me during my experience.  When I later asked her why, she replied, "Don't you know?  Your face was glowing in the darkening amphitheater!"  A Lutheran pastor approached me and said he didn't believe in speaking in tongues and was just there as an interested spectator.  I just touched his forehead gently and he exploded in other tongues!  At the time I was so skeptical that I doubt I'd still be a Christian, were it not for that spectacular experience of divine power.

 

Paul said he wanted us all to speak in tongues and prophesy and thanked God that he speaks in tongues more than everyone else.  He also said we can all prophesy.

[CaptWalker]

We should pray without ceasing(1st Thess.-5:17) obviously...but nowhere does it say that it is better for it to be done in tongues. And no where can i find in scripture where it describes praying in tongues as something that will empower and edify you any more than praying normally would. But if someone feels like it helps them a lot more to do it that way then i have no problem with it and do not look down on anyone who promotes praying or speaking in tongues as an essential to being filled with the Spirit. It's just not been my personal experience along with a majority of Christians as well, and maybe that will change at some point, who knows? But i do believe it is really a gift that not all Christians have, rather than an evidence of being Spirit filled that all Christians can and should have.

[Waggles]

44 minutes ago, CaptWalker said:

And no where can i find in scripture where it describes praying in tongues as something that will empower and edify you any more than praying normally would.

1Cor 14:2  For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.

1Cor 14:15  What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

1Cor 12:3  Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

Jude 1:17  But YE beloved, remember the words *spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 
1:18  that they said to you, In the last time mockers shall be, walking after their own ungodly lusts. 
1:19  These are they who make separations, having only soul, not having Spirit. 
1:20  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 
1:21  keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 

[Waggles]

1 hour ago, CaptWalker said:

But i do believe it is really a gift that not all Christians have, rather than an evidence of being Spirit filled that all Christians can and should have.

NO I strongly disagree with your assertion here for this is the great error of the disorderly charismatic churches that bring in confusion over these matters.

In Pentecostal churches people are encouraged to repent and believe the full gospel of salvation and to put this into action by water baptism confessing their faith in Jesus Christ as their God and Saviour. They are then baptised in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. 

Further new believers are encouraged to seek and ask for the infilling of the Holy Spirit - when a person is baptised in the Holy Ghost the Bible evidence is speaking in a new tongue (as promised by Jesus and as described in Acts). This is Pentecostal doctrine 101 - and in my church all converts can pray in tongues and enjoy the power and benefits of this.

However, when it comes to operating the voice gifts of the Holy Spirit in a church meeting (1Corinthians 14) this is not for everybody and these gifts - tongues, interpretation and prophesy - are distributed to some not to everybody.

Thus when Paul writes about orderly worship in a church meeting he correctly asks do all speak in tongues?, do all interpret?, do all prophesy?

So even though here in my city many thousands all pray in tongues not all operate the voice gifts. 

1Cor 14:27  If any speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret: 
14:28  but if there be no interpreter, let him be silent in church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 
14:29  And let prophets speak by two or three, and let the others discern. 

Edited June 2, 2021 by Waggles

[Deadworm]

2 hours ago, CaptWalker said:

"no where can i find in scripture where it describes praying in tongues as something that will empower and edify you any more than praying normally would."

If praying in English is just as edifying as praying in tongues, why pursue speaking in tongues at all, as Paul wants us to do?  The Holy Spirit doesn't give us any "junk!"

"But i do believe it is really a gift that not all Christians have, rather than an evidence of being Spirit filled that all Christians can and should have."

Then why does Paul want us ALL to speak in tongues and thank God  that he prays in tongues more than anyone else?