Lesson 3

God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).
Man is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).
He is therefore also a spirit, just as God is spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Man is a spirit; he has a soul (mind, will, emotions); and he lives in a body.

And God commands his people to love him, worship him, and serve him, not only with our body, but with our whole being - with our spirit, soul and body.

May your whole SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Thessalonians 5:23)

Love the Lord your God with all your HEART [where the spirit is] and with all your SOUL and with all your STRENGTH and with all your MIND.
(Luke 10:27; Deuteronomy 6:5)

God is SPIRIT, and His worshippers must worship in SPIRIT and in truth.
(John 4:24)

To help us to worship and serve God with our spirit, God has given us a special gift through the Holy Spirit - the gift of tongues.

The gift of tongues is a "gift of the Holy Spirit given by God to all believers whereby they are able to speak from their spirit in an unknown launguage to help them to worship and serve God."

Jesus has declared to His disciples that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them (Acts 1:8).
The power of the Holy Spirit is manifested through the gifts of the Spirit, including the gift of tongues, prophecy, word of knowledge, healing, etc.
All gifts of the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to bear witness to Jesus.

Thus when the Holy Spirit filled the 120 disciples of Jesus who waited in the upper room in Jerusalem after His ascension, they began to speak in tongues (Acts 2:4).
This gift of tongues was a manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives to help them to bear witness to Jesus.

The power of the gift of tongues manifests in our lives in many areas:

Every person is a spirit with a soul and lives in a body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
With his spirit, man communes with God (1 Corinthians 14:2; John 4:24; Romans 8:16).

And God has given every believer the gift of tongues to edify (strengthen, build up) the spirit of man.
As a believer prays in tongue, his spirit man is edified (built up, strengthen).

He who speaks in a tongue EDIFIES himself
(1 Corinthians 14:3)

But You, beloved, BUILDING yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
(Jude 20)

Naturally, man exercise, runs and swims to strengthen his physical body.
But God has designed our spirit man to be strengthened through the exercise of the gift of tongues.
It is our spirit that is built up, not our mind, when we pray in tongues.

For if I pray in a tongue, my SPIRIT prays, but my mind is fruitful.
(1 Corinthians 14:14)

When he prays in tongues, a believer's spirit becomes strengthened and is more sensitive to the move of the Holy Spirit.
When his spirit man is strengthened, a believer can more easily commune with God.
It is easier for him to worship God and to intercede.
He can hear God's voice more clearly, receiving God's wisdom and revelation.
He is more sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

It becomes easier for him to move into the other gifts of the Holy Spirit.
In other words, it is more easier for him to flow in the power of the Holy Spirit.
(This is because al the gifts of the Spirit are a manifestation of God's power).

The gift of tongues is thus the key to the other gifts of the Spirit.
The gift of tongues is the key to the flow of the power (anointing) of God in your life and ministry.
Paul's ministry was powerful because he declared that he prayed in tongues more than others.

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
(1 Corinthians 14:18)

God wants us to strengthen and develop our spirit man, for it is eternal.
It is more important than our body which is only a temporary structure.
It is more important than our mind, for it is through our spirit that God speaks to us.
It is God's desire for all believers to have their spirit man (inner being) strengthened by God's Spirit through the use of tongues.

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your INNER BEING.
(Ephesians 3:16)

when praying for ourselves or for others, our understanding is limited.
We do not know how to pray or what to pray for.

However, the Holy Spirit is not limited by our knowledge or understanding.
The Holy Spirit knows the perfect will of God (Romans 8:26-27).
The Holy Spirit knows the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-11).
And the Holy Spirit helps us to pray according to God's will when we pray in tongues.

When we pray in tongues, we are praying the mysteries of God (His hidden plans and purposes for your family, your work, your church, your country, etc).
We are praying in accordance with God's perfect will.
We are praying for things that our mind is incapable of knowing.
It is the Holy Spirit interceding through us when we pray in tongues.

For anyone who speaks in a TONGUE does not speak to men but TO GOD. Indeed, no one understands him; he utter MYSTERIES with his spirit.
(1 Corinthians 14:2)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what (how) we ought to PRAY, but the Spirit himself INTERCEDES for us with groans that words cannot express.
And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit INTERCEDES for the saints in accordance with God's will.
(Romans 8:26-27)

And when we pray in accordance with God's will, God promises us that we will receive what we ask for.
Thus we see that praying in tongues a powerful way of intercession that alwasy brings on the answer of God.
It is a weapon available to all believers, whether educated or uneducated, rich or poor, so that we can live a life of continuous victory and success.

This is the assurance we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him
(1 John 5:14-15)

A message in tongues, with interpretation, is equivalent to prophecy.
The gift of prophecy is "a message given by God through a believer to other believers in a known language for the purpose of their strengthening, encouragement and comfort" (1 Corinthians 12:10; 4:3).

When a believer gives a message from God to the congregation through the gift of tongues, it is equivalent to prophecy if it is interpreted.
Those who have a message in tongues for the people of God must pray for the gift of interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:13).
In this way, their message is understood, and the people gathered are strengthened, encouraged and comforted.

But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.
He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.
(1 Corinthians 14:3,5)

With the gift of tongues, we can worship God and praise Him in accordance with His perfect will.
It is the Holy Spirit helping us to praise God.

We can sing using our gift of tongues.
Our spirit sings and worships God.
We sing spiritual songs to the Lord.

It is a level of worship that is not hindered by our lack of understanding of the greatness and holiness of God.
It is a higher dimension of praise and worship.

For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
(Acts 10:46)

I will SING with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. If you are PRAISING GOD with your SPIRIT, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?
(1 Corinthians 14:15-16)

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and SPIRITUAL SONGS. Sing and make music in your heart [with your spirit] to the Lord.
(Ephesians 5:18-19)

The tongue is capable of great evil, and no man can atame the tongue (James 3:1-12).
When we speak in tongues, we are surrendering our tongue to God.
We are allowing the Holy Spirit control of our tongue.
This will cause us to grow to maturity (James 3:2).
We are yielding ourselves to God, walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh.

We are exercising faith in the word of God whenever we pray in tongues.
We are boldly moving into the realm of the Spirit whenever we pray in tongues, replying on the ability of God in us.
As we do this, we learn to overcome doubt, fear, shyness, and other bondages in our lives, and learn to trust in God.

In Isaiah's prophecy about speaking in tongues, God declared that speaking in tongues will bring rest and refreshing (Isaiah 28:11-12).
This prophecy was declared by Paul to have been fulfilled in the church (1 Corinthians 14:21).

For with stammering lips and another tongue,
     He will speak to this people.
To whom He said, "This is the REST with which you may cause the weary to REST."
And, "This is the REFRESHING",
    Yet you would not hear.
(Isaiah 28:11-12)

If you are weary, you can find rest and refreshing  through the gift of tongues.
You must be willing to believe God's word, act in faith, and pray in tongues continuously, if you want the rest and refreshing promised by God.
The promise of Jesus to give rest to the weary is thus fulfilled through this gift of the Spirit (Matthew 11:28-30).

In order to activate the gift of tongues in your life, knowing the following truths will set us free to flow in this precious gift.

The gift of tongues is a good gift.
And our Lord Jesus said that God our Father will give us good gifts when we ask of Him, including the gift of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 7:11).

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give GOOD GIFTS to those who ask Him.
(Matthew 7:11)

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give THE HOLY SPIRIT to those who ask Him.
(Luke 11:13)

God wants every believer to have this gift of tongues and live a victorious life.
All we have to do is to ask him.
And after asking, we are to believe that we have received (Mark 11:24).
We are to believe that the gift is already given right away into our spirit when we ask.

The gift of tongues God has given you is an unknown language.
No one understands you.
You do not understand the unknown language yourself.

For anyone who speaks in a tongues does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, NO ONE UNDERSTANDS him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.
(1 Corinthians 14:2)

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is UNFRUITFUL.
(1 Corinthians 14:14)

So do not try to compare your tongue with other people's
You do not understand their tongues; they do not understand yours.
Don't try to understand; your mind is unfruitful; just speak in tongues.

In fact, you feel foolish speaking strange words.
This is because your mind and body are not used to the new sounds coming from your inner man through your throat and mouth.

However, do not be fearful about what others will think of your tongue.
Nobody is looking at you and nobody can judge your tongue, because no one understand your tongue.
Everyone is speaking strange words anyway, and no one will bother you
Just close your eye, pray in tongues and enjoy God's gift to you.

So do not be shy about your tongue.
Your tongue is unique.
It is a gift from God.
Be thankful, and be bold to use it to glorify God is your life.

Like a baby just learning to speak, we may only be speaking two or three words in the new language from our spirit man.
Do not be discouraged.
And do not despise those few words (They may mean "Praise God" or "Glory to God", etc)
Don't give up; God's gift is precious and powerful.
As you faithfully speak those few words, God will add more to your new language.

Faith is needed at each step towards the receiving and the using of the gift of tongues.

God will not force you to move your tongue, lips or jaws.
The Holy Spirit is a gentleman; he will not open your mouth for you.
Your must speak in faith for the unknown tongue to come forth.

In the early church, the disciple spoke as they were enabled by the Holy Spirit.
Like these disciples, you must speak, and the Holy Spirit will help you.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to SPEAK in other tongues as the Spirit enable them.
(Acts 2:4)

He stepped out by faith, and a miracle took place.
In the same way, as we allow the sounds to be spoken from our mouths by faith, the miracle of an unknown tongue will flow from our lips.

The gift of tongues is a very powerful weapon of warfare in our fight against the kingdom of darkness (2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:10-18).
The devil knows it and he will discourage you from using this gift by speaking lies to your mind (not your spirit).
Reject these lies.

He will say: "Your words are rubbish words, because nobody understands them."
                 "Everyone is looking at the strange sounds you are making."
                 "You are only making up the sounds with your mouth."

You words are not rubbish words, even though you don't understand them.
They are a gift from God.

Nobody is looking at you when you first speak in tongues in public.
Nobody understands you and they will not bother you.
You are just being self-conscious and shy.
Just close your eyes and worship God with your gift.

Also, it is true that you are moving your lips, mouth, and tongue to speak forth the words of the new language, because this is faith in action.
It is a language given by the Holy Spirit, received and released by faith by you.

If you desire to receive and operate the gift of tongues, follow the following steps:

This is call the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
(Use the prayer in Lesson 2.)

Pray as follows:

Do not speak any more in your usual language.

By faith, move your tongue, lips, and jaws, and let the sounds forming in your mouth come forth.
Those are the words of the new language God has given you.

Do not be shy.
Speak loudly, speak boldly.
Close your eyes and speak.

Allow the Holy Spirit to give you a simple melody for your tongue, and sing in your new language.
Sing with your spirit unto the Lord.

You can pray in tongues by an act of your will in faith, anywhere, anytime.
Pray in tongues when you are doing other things, and build up your spirit man.

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