I
wanted to write and let you know how blessed I have been to read & learn
from your series on speaking in tongues. It is so wonderful to receive
insight from such practical teaching on a subject that is so misunderstood
by the majority of the Body of Christ.
This
revelation is so profound, not just because of newfound truths on glossalaliá,
but because you also make it so very clear, as to how to then apply
these principles to ones' daily life; frankly, in my mind Biblical
'Revelation' is useless if it does not bring about life-transformation.
Your
teaching on this previously 'mystical' subject is what I would call, ‘Easy
as A-B-C.’ That is, I clearly see the
truth and its intended purpose in scripture, I then know how to
clearly apply it in my life, and then almost immediately when I act on this
truth I can see the result.
In
regard to a couple of these truths I would like to
make some observations that have greatly affected me and given me
powerful, life-changing results in my daily walk with Jesus.
They began speaking = as you have stated, it is us or in that case the
disciples who had to initiate the praying or speaking (God will not come
& force our mouths open.)
As
the Spirit (that is Jesus, the Parákleetos) gives the utterance
In
other words it is my regenerated spirit praying to God, but as you have so
clearly revealed Jesus comes along side me and inputs my spirit with things to
pray that I could not think of or fathom.
This last point about Jesus helping or inputting my prayers is what is
so powerful. Most Christians think it is God praying to God, or some
such as myself felt it was my spirit praying to God, but you take it even
further to actually show that it is Jesus the Parákleetos coming
along side my spirit to help me (my spirit) pray effectively. This is truly a powerful POINT!
Now
when I pray in my own English language & then begin to intercede (by faith)
in the Spirit (i.e.- 'my prayer language') for a particular need, I am truly
impacted and sense as never before Jesus my Brother & mediator,
"coming right alongside," me, to help out, fill in the
blanks, offer encouragement in bleak situations, and even take over in
intercession for me and take my prayers far beyond where my finite mind
could ever imagine going!
Even
as I write this I sense a whole new realm in regard to my prayer life! Where once I was easily discouraged or
distracted I am now excited as I enter into prayer because I know, beyond a
shadow of doubt as I am willing by Faith just to open my mouth (that is
just be available!) , Jesus will come along side me to empower my
prayer and intersession. I sense Jesus
is drawn to this type of intercession like bees are drawn to honey!
Praying
with this kind of knowledge is TRULY powerful and life changing both for me and
those I pray for. For the first time I
can now, in over 33 years of having the blessing of Glossalaliá, see REAL
miracle, life Impacting results! This
kind of knowledge is like a wild fire within my Spirit, meaning the more I pray
this way and sense and experience God's power flow through me in
prayer the more I want to continue to make my mouth available.
I
find myself praying along with Brother Jesus' presence and help all throughout
the day. Truly this is a major breakthrough for me spiritually as I had never
been much for prayer, as I found it difficult & boring to focus. But now this prayer life is one exciting
experience after another.
Surely
I am experiencing what the Apostle Paul meant when he said in Romans 10:17,
"Faith comes by hearing & hearing the Word of God." My faith has grown tenfold from the
truths you have imparted; I am 'hearing' within my spirit and the proof is
evident in powerful life-changing results! PRAISE GOD! Hallelujah!
I
like the phrase you retranslated concerning Jesus that says "...was
given preference to fully participate in the promised operation of the spirit..."then...
he distributed abundantly!"
WOW!
Another powerful statement! I like to think of it like this: Because Jesus, as
God's most loved and favored son, overcame sin and the grave, his heavenly
Father gave him a special gift. It is
like saying, "Here Son, I give you Keys to your new car!" This graduation gift is the car, but Jesus
is the operator. Jesus’ car is the
operation of the Spirit in all fullness and power.
Jesus has
tested and put that, "New Spirit Car," thru its paces; then in turn,
he hands the keys over to his younger brothers and sisters (us). After Jesus gets his new spiritual car, he
takes us for a spin, teaching us how to drive by hands-on demonstration of what
he has learned & experienced.
Brother I'm climbing' in and goin' for a wonderful and powerful ride
with my Brother Jesus helping' me along every mile & every turn! Wow! What
a ride!
Thanks
Craig, this teaching is invaluable to the Kingdom of God. As I ponder all your
pain and agony, it compels me to 'intercede' with Brother Jesus all the more
for you as I know powerful things await you! Blessings Brother!
Matt
I
got saved in Denver in December 1971 and spoke in tongues for the first time
December of 1973. My son was 11 months
old and napping. My husband Charlie spoke in tongues the day before and I was immature & jealous because I was the one who got
saved first. Charlie took our son Tim
and they went for a drive so I could be with the Lord.
I
lay across my bed on my back feet dangling for 2 hours or more. I had my arms up raised, was praying out
loud telling my Beloved God how much I loved Him. I needed him, threw in a,
“Hallelujah!” once in awhile, (like the Jimmy Swaggart tapes said to do). Then
back to, “I love You Lord,” over and over and repeated it until I stammered and
was flooded with the presence of the Lord.
This Presence was unlike I had ever experienced. My salvation was a
flood of His presence for hours, but this exceeded even that! All the while my napping toddler slept, which was unusually
long for him that day.
At
that time, I saw my Lord dressed in regal attire in His position on the
throne. It looked all kingly, and yet
He beckoned me to come and climb up on his lap. He let me know I was to come
and tell Him everything; and I do ever since. Since I was
raised by Mormon convert & a widow & had not known a father as a
child growing up, I wept and told God I needed Him to teach me the intimacy of
a Father/daughter relationship.
I
told my friend Jill about my experience with God and she let out a whoop of
"Yes! We are to know Him as our
Father! And go directly to Him.” Since
that time, I have always known God as my Father because of this experience.
However, with limited knowledge of the Bible, I tagged the name Jesus on God
the Father because of my doctrinal and church background.
Years
later, I realize the mistake I made. I
now come to God (Yahweh) the Father through Jesus, the perfected sinless
sacrifice. Jesus is my High Priest, and
the Lamb OF God that takes away the sins of the world. Now I see Jesus, sitting at the right hand
of the Father, in a position I will never attain, because he is sinless, THE
only begotten son of God and the last Adam, &
our only mediator/access to the Father.
This
is very difficult for me to fathom let alone express. I fear God and want to get it right. But I am to go to the same God Jesus always pointed his disciples
and brethren to, and that is the, “Father." I am excited for this newfound relationship, and as God leads, I
hope to share more experiences in the future.
Your
sister in Jesus’ name,
Anita
Dear
Craig,
Thank you for Part 5 of "What Is Speaking In Tongues." I have tried
to put together my story of the, "speaking in tongues," experience, which
you are welcome to use online if it is useful.
Going
to a Pentecostal church with my parents, speaking in tongues was something that
went on around me from an early age, so it was a perfectly normal thing that,
"grown-ups," did in church. There seemed to be a few unwritten rules
on the use of glossalaliá in our church. When someone stood up and spoke in a
tongue, another person interpreted right away. If there was no interpretation,
people looked suspiciously at the one who had spoken in tongues, and I used to
think that meant that the person's message had not come from God, it was just
something they had made up.
When I became a Christian at 19, also in a Pentecostal church, it was expected
that after you committed your life to Christ you were baptized in water, and
then you were baptized in the Holy Spirit. The Assemblies of God issued a
little booklet entitled, "10 reasons why a Christian should speak in
tongues." One of these reasons was that it was the initial evidence of
baptism in the Holy Spirit. So there was a lot of pressure to encourage new
Christians to speak in tongues. I was invited, along with some other new
Christians, to the house of an older couple in the church, and they prayed with
us.
With
my eyes shut tight, and every muscle tense, I was determined I would speak in
tongues that night, but nothing happened!
Another girl burst into a torrent of strange-sounding gibberish and I
thought, "She's just making that up", (and to this day, I think she
probably was).
For
me, it just was not going to happen when I was under any pressure, but happened
much later, and in a very natural way, while I was praying aloud with a
friend. I have only prophesied in
tongues twice, the first time in a house meeting and it took everyone by
surprise, myself included.
On
occasions, I have heard people "speak in tongues" and I have had a
bad feeling about it, as though it came from somewhere other than God. I don't speak in tongues very often myself
these days, but I know it is still there as I sometimes hear the sounds
bubbling away in my head and it gives me a wonderful, uplifting feeling! Is
there such a thing as "thinking in tongues"? I think there must be,
or people who are physically unable to speak would miss out on this lovely
gift.
Gwen
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