Speaking in Tongues

Speaking In Tongues

Adegoke Omotunde

IANL Books

[email protected]

Copyright

Speaking In Tongues published by IANL Books

First Edition

Copyright 2013 Adegoke Omotunde

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any

form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy,

recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without

permission in writing from the author or publisher.

CONTENTS

COPYRIGHT 2 CHAPTER 1 5 ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST 5 CHAPTER 2 9 WHAT IS SPEAKING IN TONGUES? 9 CHAPTER 3 17 ORDER IN THE CHURCH WHEN SPEAKING IN TONGUES 17 CHAPTER 4 20 THE PURPOSE OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES 20 CHAPTER 5 23 WHO CAN SPEAK IN TONGUES? 23 CHAPTER 6 27 IS EVERY BELIEVER MEANT TO SPEAK IN TONGUES 27 CHAPTER 7 30 OTHER EVIDENCE APART FROM SPEAKING IN TONGUES 30 SPIRITUAL GIFTS THAT CAN BE PRODUCED WITHOUT THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 31 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 35

All the scriptures referenced in this book are from the Holy

Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978,

1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.

5

Chapter 1

On The Day of Pentecost

Its impossible to write on the subject of speaking in tongues without making reference

to the baptism of the Holy Spirit (the baptism of

fire), an event that took place on the day of

Pentecost, the birthplace and source of all

authentic spiritual gifts given to man after

Christ ascended to heaven. In the book of Acts

2: 1- 4, the Holy Bible states, that on the day of

Pentecost a sudden sound like the blowing of a

violent wind came from heaven and filled the

whole house where the disciples were sitting.

The disciples saw what seemed to be tongues

of fire that separated and came to rest on each

6 SPEAKING IN TONGUES

of them. They were each filled with the Holy

Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the

Spirit enabled them. An important point to

observe is that they spoke in tongues as the

Holy Spirit enabled them.

The word enabled means that they spoke as

the Spirit empowered or allowed them to

speak. I have emphasised this point to highlight

the fact that nobody had a need to teach or

encourage them to speak in tongues; it was the

Holy Spirit that enabled them to speak in

whatever language they needed to proclaim

the wonders of God. Two other observations to

note in the book of Acts 2: 5 12; God-fearing

Jews from every nation under the heaven were

present to bear witness of this event. This

established two key facts, that those speaking

in tongues were Galileans and they were

speaking in the native tongues of the people

7

present on that day. Therefore, they were all

amazed and perplexed, the same way people

are amazed and perplexed or even irritated

when they see or hear Christians speaking in

tongues today. The same way some individuals

made fun of the disciples back then, some

people make fun of those that speak in tongues

today.

God does not need the permission or approval

of any authority on earth to perform his

wonders or pour out His Spirit. The baptism of

fire is a fulfillment of prophecy Joel 2: 28-29

and Acts 2:17-21. As a believing Christian, you

also dont need any ones approval to speak in

tongues; neither do you need anyone to teach

you how to speak in tongues. All you need is the

baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that

enables the gift of speaking in tongues. The


kingdom of God is not about mere words alone

but Power from on high.

9

Chapter 2

What Is Speaking In Tongues?

Speaking in tongue is speaking in another language besides your own native

tongue/language. The word tongue just

means language in this particular context.

Speaking in tongues can be divided into two

broad categories.

Human Tongues

Heavenly Tongues or the tongues of angels

(Angelic tongues) 1 Corinthians 14:1


Human tongues

This category of tongue speaking enabled by

the Holy Spirit, is the ability of a person to speak

an unlearnt, human language (Example: French,

Arabic, Swahili etc.) supernaturally. The Holy

Spirit alone enables this ability. No Human

intervention is required.

Angelic/ Heavenly/Spiritual tongues

This category of tongue speaking enabled by

the Holy Spirit, is the ability of a person to speak

an unknown language that may sound like

nonsense to the human ear and mind. It is

usually not understood by the person speaking

it, or those hearing it, unless a person with the

supernatural gift of interpreting the tongue is

present. I would also like to stress that neither

of these categories of tongues requires human

11

intervention. No one needs to teach you how to

speak in tongues or ask you to repeat after

them. The Holy Spirit gives full enablement. The

only thing you need is faith in God and prayers.

Why tongues?

The first category (human tongues) of speaking

in tongues is to proclaim the wonders of God

and preach the good news of the Kingdom of

God (the gospel) to those that otherwise would

not have heard the gospel in their own

language. This is Gods supernatural way of

reaching out to the nations and also edifying

the Church.

The second category (angelic tongues) is to

edify the individual member of the Church and

for prophecy if an interpreter is present. This

form of tongue speaking is used in private


prayers as well. Uttering mysteries (Secrets)

unto the Lord. This is you praying in the spirit.

Even though your mind may not understand

what you are saying, your spirit is

communicating with God. So don't feel uneasy

next time you speak in tongues during your

private prayers, it is perfectly fine, this is a gift

God as given you. However if you still feel a

need to also pray in understanding, go ahead,

and do so. This may just put you at ease if you

are not yet comfortable with praying in

tongues. Just remember that all things work

together for good for those that love the Lord.

Ask God for the gift of interpretation of your

tongues, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Are angelic tongues real?

Consider these Bible references and questions.

In Genesis 2:16, in what language did God

13

command man saying You are free to eat from

any tree in the garden. How did Adam

understand what God said? Therefore by

implication, it can only be the native language

of heaven. In what language did Adam speak

when God gave him a suitable partner Eve?

Genesis 2:23. It must have been the native

language he inherited from God. In what

language did Satan speak with Eve? I leave this

part of scripture for you to consider. In Genesis

11:1-9, the tower of Babel, what was the one

language the whole world spoke at the time

before God confused the language of men?

Feel free to send me your thoughts by email at

[email protected].

The point here is, there is a language or

languages that mankind has forgotten. God has

through His Spirit awoken the unconscious

man. Whatever language we lost from the


incident in the Garden of Eden from the first

Adam, we have regained through the second

Adam Jesus the Christ. However we need to

fully understand and learn how to grow in the

use and full vocabulary of this new spiritual

language speaking in tongues. Are all tongues

authentic? No. There are loads of perversions

out there. Especially, if you have been trained to

speak in tongues.

There is a third point I would like to make here

concerning tongues. This is from Daniel 5:26

28, the written tongue/language. In this part of

scripture from the Old Testament, God could

have written in a language King Belshazzar

would understand, but He didn't. He wrote in a

language no one could read except Daniel.

Daniel was the one who interpreted the writing.

Therefore in modern times, we also need those

with the gift of interpretation.


Three words, Mene Tekel Peres was translated

as:

Mene: God has numbered the days of your

reign and brought it to an end.

Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales

and found wanting.

Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to

the Medes and Persians.

So, next time when you hear someone utter

only three words in tongues, don't be so quick

to jump to a conclusion that the person is

uttering rubbish. Our modern mind is so quick

to judge all things through concepts already

familiar to us. We should be using the spirit of

discernment, a gift of the Holy Spirit.

17

Chapter 3

Order In The Church When Speaking In tongues

The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. This simply means that you have

control over yourself when the power of the

Holy Spirit comes upon you to speak in

tongues. On the day of Pentecost there is no

indication in scripture stating that the 120

disciples had control over their utterances,

thats why they were perceived as drunk.

However, they were filled with the Holy Spirit

(Acts 2:4).


In 1 Corinthians 14 apostle Paul was not

condemning speaking in tongues but

addressing the use of the gift of speaking in

tongues in the context of worship. The real

issue he was addressing was order, pertaining

to the mode of worship in the Church at

Corinth. Otherwise in Acts 2:39, he would not

have concluded by saying Therefore, my

brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do

not forbid speaking in tongues. The emphasis

on order is clear from Acts 2:26-28. He also

placed the same emphasis on prophecy in Acts

2:29-33.

Therefore, any modern teaching that tries to

forbid speaking in tongues is not consistent

with scripture nor is it Gods intent. Yes,

speaking in tongues may be a sign for

unbelievers according to apostle Paul; it is

unbelievers evangelised not believers. Just as

19

prophesy is for the believer. So I can safely say

that both gifts are needed and should be

encouraged in the Church. The Church should

teach her congregation the appropriate way to

use spiritual gifts.

My conclusion here is that order is important in

our worship to God when it comes to

expressing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. So many

individuals should not be prophesying at the

same time neither should many be speaking in

tongues without interpretation. This only

applies to public meetings and not your private

time in Gods presences. Though we can ask the

question, was there order on the day of

Pentecost? Dont be afraid if God has enabled

you through the Holy Spirit to speak in tongues.

It is your God given gift. Accept it and give all

glory to Him and Him alone.


Chapter 4

The Purpose of Speaking In Tongues

The purpose for speaking in tongues is in two-fold base on the two broad categories stated in

chapter two. The human tongues given

supernaturally without any learning involved

are given to preach the gospel to those who

otherwise would not have anyone preach to

them in their own native language. This is Gods

supernatural method of reaching the lost

regardless of race. This sort of supernatural

tongue speaking is not common today. This

may be down to the facts that we have

translators, interpreters and technology. The

Holy Bible has also been translated into so

21

many languages. Im sure if such a gift is

needed today, God will still give it where and

when required.

The second category Angelic/Spiritual tongues

is given to the individual believer to utter

mysteries unto the Lord. This is a gift to edify

and strengthen the individual believer. The

same gift edifies the Church if the gift of

interpretation is given. If an interpreter is not

present then the gift edifies the individual. We

have to remember that this is a spiritual

language, not created by man. Therefore it is

not strange that your brain and the brains of

others may resist such a gift due to lack of

understanding. Not understanding a language

does not make it any less of a language. The

fallen mind will never understand the things of

the Spirit.


Tongues are also used in spiritual prayers, to

utter things unto God that no one else can

understand, except your spirit man and God.

Think of this like an encrypted prayer.

Ultimately, all the spiritual gifts are given by

God to build up the Church of Jesus the Christ.

23

Chapter 5

Who Can Speak In Tongues?

Over the years I have heard this question asked many times at Christian group meetings. Who

can speak in tongues?

The answer to this question is simple. A born

again Christian that has received the baptism of

fire, this is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Dont

be deceive; there are fake tongues out there. To

truly speak in tongues according to the Holy

Bible, you must receive the baptism of the Holy

Spirit. There is no other authentic way.

Speaking in tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It

does not matter if you have not yet been

baptised in water. When apostle Peter visited

the household of Cornelius all they needed to


hear was the gospel and their faith rose. Faith

comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God.

Acts 10: 44 - 48. 44 While Peter was still

speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all

who heard the message. 45 The circumcised

believers who had come with Peter were

astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been

poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard

them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then

Peter said, 47 Surely no one can stand in the way

of their being baptised with water. They have

received the Holy Spirit just as we have. 48 So he

ordered that they be baptised in the name of Jesus

Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for

a few days. It is interesting to know that the

reason the circumcised believers that went with

Peter, knew that Gentiles of the household of

Cornelius had received the Holy Spirit was

because they heard them speaking in tongues.

This same pattern happened on the day of

25

Pentecost.

God Himself performs the baptism of the Holy

Spirit; this is what John the Baptist said about

the different types of baptism. Matthew 3:11 I

baptise you with water for repentance. But after

me comes one who is more powerful than I,

whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will

baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. The

baptism of water is unto repentance an

outward expression of accepting Jesus Christ as

your Lord and Saviour. The baptism of the Holy

Spirit is that of re-birth, re-generation, re-newal

and power from above. A child of God can and

should speak Gods language. Not just the

language or languages of a fallen world. This

includes your mode of thinking, believing and

faith. Your mind is ultimately renewed daily by

the power given to you through the Holy Spirit.

Scripture becomes your guiding tool to


understand the nature and commandments of

God and His purpose for your life. The Holy

Spirit will guide you after you receive the

baptism of the Holy Spirit, John 14:26, But the

Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will

send in my name, will teach you all things and will

remind you of everything I have said to you.

27

Chapter 6

Is Every Believer Meant to Speak In Tongues?

According to the Holy Bible not every believer that received the baptism of the Holy Spirit

were reported to have spoken in tongues.

When apostle Paul, then known as Saul had his

encounter on his way to Damascus, there are

no references that he spoke in tongues.

However, in 1 Corinthians 14:18 19, I thank

God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

But in the church I would rather speak five

intelligible words to instruct others than ten

thousand words in a tongue. It is clear that he

did speak in tongues. So Paul was not anti-


tongue speaking, he just preferred order and

understanding in Church worship.

Considering what happened on the day of

Pentecost all the disciples began to speak in

tongues as the Holy Spirit enabled them, so we

can conclude that all the disciples/apostles

spoke in tongues. Taking into account that

apostle Paul was not with the disciples of Jesus

on the day of Pentecost, he received his

baptism separately and also spoke in tongues.

Apostle Paul also mentioned uttering mysteries

unto God pertaining to speaking in tongues in

1 Corinthians 14: 2,14 and he also considered

praying in tongues as praying in the spirit.

Though not all tongues were understood or a

human language. Paul stated that not all speak

in tongues, not all prophecy.

I can say that not all believers in the days of

apostle Paul spoke in tongues. The reason, we

29

may never know. May be resistance to the gift

of speaking in tongues, fear of rejection by the

Church or members of the local congregation.

A lot of believers spoke in tongues as soon as

they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

God determines which or what gift you receive.

So every believer should pray for the gift of

speaking in tongues and prophecy. If it was

necessary to be imparted to the apostles at the

beginning (foundation) of the Church, then it

should be equally important for us today. Dont

let anyone talk you out of the gift of speaking in

tongues, but use the gift wisely.


Chapter 7

Other Evidence Apart From Speaking In Tongues

I have added this chapter to state that speaking in tongues is not the only evidence, that you

have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

However the experience of the day of

Pentecost became the benchmark in the days

of the apostles. The immediate prove of their

baptism in the Holy Spirit was the ability to

speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit enabled

them. No coaching, no long sermon or even

water baptism required.

There are many other spiritual gifts like healing,

miracles and so on, these gifts are not in

31

themselves proof of being baptised in the Holy

Spirit. The only other evidence that is

compelling is the fruit of the Spirit. No one can

produce the fruit of the Spirit without the Holy

Spirit.

Spiritual Gifts that can be produced without the

baptism of the Holy Spirit

The gift of healing, vision, prophecy and works

of wonder are all gifts that can be reproduced

without the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is

not to say that the same type of gifts are not

given by God, but these gifts on their own are

not proof that the Holy Spirit is in operation.

There are a few bible references from the Old

and New Testament to consider. In the book of

Exodus 4:4, God said to Moses to reach out to


the tail of the snake and it turned back into his

staff, this was the power of God at work.

In Exodus 7:10-12, Pharaohs sorcerers and

magicians also turned their staff into a snake by

their secret arts, though Aarons staff/snake

swallowed that of the sorcerers. The point here

is, that the act could be produced using a secret

art. So you cannot depend on signs and

wonders alone as proof of the baptism of the

Holy Spirit.

Sorcerers also see visions, in the book Acts 8:9,

Simon the sorcerer, amazed all the people of

Samaria, they saw him as someone great until

the apostles arrived to proclaim the power and

gospel of the Kingdom of God. Then they

demonstrated true power and wisdom from on

high. The same applies in Acts 13:5-7. Therefore

33

just demonstrating these gifts without the fruit

of the Spirit does not prove that God is a work.

My encouragement to you is to get baptised in

the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in

tongues. If you dont speak in tongues dont

worry, pray to God and He will show you the

most appropriate way forward. As long as you

bear the fruit of the Spirit, you are ok. Pray for

God to give you other spiritual gifts. I pray that

you have peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit all the

days of your life, in Jesus name amen.

35

About The Author

Rev. Adegoke Omotunde has

pastored as a volunteer for over 18

years in England. He currently

serves as the lead Pastor of New

Covenant Church, in the city of Milton Keynes

United Kingdom, and the Associate Pastor of

Edmonton Conference, under the spiritual

leadership of Rev. Dr. Paul Jinadu (General

Overseer). In the last 10 years he has served as the

national youth minister of New Covenant Church

(UK)

He is professionally trained as a systems analyst

(Software Engineer) and worked in various

investment banks across Europe, and other software

projects on the continent of Africa. He loves


reading, traveling, music, socialising and graphics

design.

The author is also an inspirational public speaker,

life coach and mentor of young people around the

world.

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Speaking in Tongues

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