Speaking In Tongues

[BLAZEr]

This is from the Catechism:

#2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit." (cf. Lumen Gentium 12) Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church. (cf. 1 Cor 12)

The following is from a brochure by Presentation Ministries. It has a Nihil Obstat and an Imprimatur. I know, I know, that's not always reliable . . .

SPEAKING IN TONGUES

   

 

 

God has given us the gift to speak in a language we do not know by human means. This is a gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:10) and therefore of great help to us. Paul said: "Thank God, I speak in tongues more than any of you" (1 Cor 14:18). Through the gift of tongues, the Lord builds us up (1 Cor 14:4), enables us to utter "mysteries in the Spirit" (1 Cor 14:2), and empowers us to thank and praise Him (1 Cor 14:16-17). The gift of tongues is a sign, especially for unbelievers (1 Cor 14:22).

TONGUES AND PRIDE

However, many turn up their noses at God's precious gift, as if we couldn't trust God to give us good gifts. I myself, in my pride, did not want the gift of tongues, but the Lord gently called me to repentance. A woman from our parish occasionally reminded me that I could speak in tongues. I disagreed with her, but she never gave me a chance to argue.

One time while praying the rosary, I felt so exhausted I prayed in tongues while the others answered with the second half of the prayers. I didn't know what I was saying, but I experienced an immediate burst of energy. God promised: "He who speaks in a tongue builds up himself" (1 Cor 14:4). Nevertheless, I didn't continue to pray in tongues but "prayed about it."

A woman from Hawaii gave me a present of a Hawaiian Bible. I thought she might be God's way of answering my prayer. Two words went through my mind. I mentioned these words to her without telling her where they came from. She told me these words meant "great wind" in Hawaiian. I knew "wind," "breath," and "Spirit" were the same word in the Bible. I was saying "great Spirit" in Hawaiian. This shocked me, and I spoke in tongues that evening in our prayer group. The language was interpreted, and I have been speaking in tongues ever since. God has broken through my stubbornness and pride. The most important aspect of the gift of tongues for many in our culture is that it challenges our pride.

YIELDING TO TONGUES

I had accepted God's gift of tongues but was still confused about the interpretation of tongues. The Lord led me to an article that explained there are different "kinds of tongues" (see 1 Cor 12:10 in the Greek). Paul taught: "If there is no one to interpret, there should be silence in the assembly, each one speaking only to himself and to God" (1 Cor 14:28). Tongues are either interpreted for the upbuilding of the Church or are spoken only to ourselves and to God. This second kind of tongues is often called a "prayer language." It does not need to be interpreted since we are not speaking to human beings but to God, Who needs no interpretation (1 Cor 14:2).

I believe that any Christian can receive this personal prayer form of tongues (see Mk 16:17), although some do not because of ignorance and misunderstanding. The Holy Spirit, unlike the evil spirit, does not seek to manipulate us. He respects our freedom. Therefore, we must yield to His promptings. He will not force us to speak in tongues, just as He will not force us to speak in our native language. But the Spirit will take the lead and prompt us. We must respond by obeying and choosing to open our mouths. We speak in tongues the same way we speak in our native language. We speak in obedience to God.

For years, I did not speak in tongues because I had a double standard. I tried to speak in English in obedience to God, but I expected God to force any other language out of my mouth. I thought that, because I did not know what I was speaking in another tongue, God would have to make me speak rather than tell me to speak. God made it clear to me that whether or not I knew what I was saying was not the issue; obedience was. This was an important lesson for me to learn. It not only helped me pray in tongues but showed me the dynamics of life in the Spirit. The Spirit-filled life is not a matter of taking initiative but of obeying. Nor is it passively sitting there but actively responding. In the life in the Spirit, we never take the first step, but we should always respond to the first step of the Spirit.

HOW TO PRAISE THE LORD IN TONGUES

After we have given our lives to Jesus as Lord and received the Holy Spirit, we begin to realize that the purpose of our existence is to praise the Lord (Eph 1:12). Most of our earthly life will pass away, but praising the Lord will last forever. Although praising Him is our heart's desire and our eternal destiny, we have difficulty living a life of praise.

1) Giving thanks is the beginning of praising the Lord. We enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts (Ps 100:4). Those who are not familiar with praising the Lord should begin by thanking Him.

2) We naturally move to praise from thanksgiving (Ps 100:4). We move from focusing on the works of God to the God of works. We come to realize He is worthy to be praised (Rv 5:12).

3) After thanking and praising the Lord for a few minutes, we run out of ways to express ourselves. Not that there isn't more to say in praise of God, but our consciousness, memory, and vocabulary are limited. When someone or something exceeds our ability to communicate, we usually try to extend our powers of communication by shouting or singing. We may even get into non-verbal forms of communication, such as clapping, dancing, and liturgical actions such as lifting our hands, genuflecting, bowing, etc.

4) But even if we have the best Biblical vocabulary and are free and talented enough to shout, sing, and dance; we cannot sustain praising God for more than a few minutes. We need the Spirit's gift of praising the Lord in another language, the gift of tongues (1 Cor 12:10). As with our native language, we form the words but the Lord provides the motivation. We pray in other tongues in obedience, simply because we believe the Lord is telling us to do so.

5) Although praying and singing in tongues is a quantum-leap forward in our praise-power, it is still limited. Finally, our praise in tongues turns to silence (Zeph 1:7; Rv 8:1). We are so aware of God's glory that we are rendered speechless. This type of profound silence after praise in tongues is the ultimate praise of God by a person on earth.

LOVE AND TONGUES

"A man who speaks in a tongue is talking not to men but to God. No one understands him, because he utters mysteries in the Spirit" (1 Cor 14:2). When we speak in tongues, we utter mysteries to God. We communicate at a level which is beyond our human capabilities. Our prayer life is revolutionized, and our relationship with the Lord is appreciably deepened. To understand this, we can look at the example of communication in marriage. On some occasions, a married couple is able to communicate on a much deeper level. This transforms their relationship and is fulfilling for each of the marriage partners. Likewise, praying in tongues moves our relationship with the Lord into a deeper dimension. As we grow in His love, we realize more and more the need for the gift of tongues.

PRAYER FOR TONGUES

Father, fill me with love for You and a desire to praise You. In Jesus' name, stir up the Holy Spirit in me to pray in another language. Remove all obstacles in the way of receiving this gift. May I pray in tongues daily for several minutes. Thank You. Amen.

You have asked and received. Now, thank and praise the Lord in your native language. Then obediently extend your expressions of love by praying in tongues.

Nihil obstat: Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, October 11, 1997,

Imprimatur: † Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 16, 1997.

The Nihil obstat and Imprimatur are a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free from doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil obstat and Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

[BlueRose]

if it is done in the silence of the heart ("prayer language")  only u and God truly know or need to know about it

Ok, ok, so Doubting Thomas and I should get together and have coffee.... I'm being a doubter...

Actually, I just don't understand this Speaking in Tongues thing AT ALL! It creeps me out! Though I'm not even sure what it is exaclty. How do you know you're doing it? WHy does God pick some people and not others??

IF anybody is patient enough to explain any of this to me, please do!! I would love to stop doubting it if I understood!

And how does the devil not understand?? Coolness...

[GodsGrace]

The Church teaches that the gift of tongues is still present in the Church, but like the scriptures she warns that it can be misused.  She also teaches that tongues do not imply that a person is holier or wiser or more prayerful or any other such good.  They are gift of the Holy Spirit and are given to whomever the Spirit chooses for a variety of reasons.

OK I HAVE TIED TO EXAPLIN THIS TO YOU, so I started this poll so that maybe you could get some answers. some closure, from others excluding our family/friends.

In my experience/knowledge of this, The Holy Spirit chooses who it wants. So like BLAZEr said no one is holier than others b/c it can speak in a tongue. Also I believe that it is something between you and God. and if it is a language only you and God understand how can there be translators? Also, everyone has different reactions, languages, and such. So while Katie and I laughed our heads off, or praised our heads off, it was b/c the ord has a HUGE sense of humor. Others praise, and others just stare at the cross. Others think, and others don't care. But everyone praises differently, and everyone experiences adoration/speaking in a tongue/ and the Holy Spirit move through them in different ways.

[notbilln]

Ok. Here goes like many others I believe in the gift,but i think its much more rare then what I've seen. I was invited by my friend to attend a youth group at a first assembly church. It was cool, someone gave a talk about something or another( hey it was 7 years ago gimme a break) Then they were going to do a closing prayer. Great, Wonderful. Then EVERYONE except me started to "speak in tounges" in unision and stopped at the Same time. Call me skeptical,but I don't everyone was blessed with the gift on that particular occasion. Now, just because 12 people in the room were faking it, that doesn't mean that it doesn't occur to normal people. I'm just saying there is an aspect of mass histeria, or the power of suggustion when everyone does something bizzare and you're not apart of it. I bable all the time in a language that Only I understand, but thats not usually when I'm trying to pray, its just my tounge getting tied.

[GodsGrace]

right notbilln, I totally understand the mass histeria thing. It's a sacred gift to have and if everyone in the room spoke in a tongue, starting and stopping at the same time is a little weird to me. I'm not saying they're faking it either but that's just hmm...I don't know....just weird, different there is NO word for what it is!

[CatholicAndFanatical]

if I understand speaking in tongues the way it was described at Pentecost, its was the apostles were able to speak in different tongues (languages) without having been taught that language. Like if I was able to just start rattling off Italian (which i wish i could do) that would be considered speaking in tongues according to the way scriptures plays it out at Pentecost.

But ive had an account when I was like 13 or so and pentecostal at the time, someone in the front started to speak in tongues, have no clue on what she said because the pastor didnt put the mic close or say what she was saying..now if that was the Holy Spirit talking through her, the pastor obviously didnt think it was important or we all would of heard it, huh.

CatholicAndFanatical

[GodsGrace]

well,.....as for the pastor not thinking it was important. It's not something the should be broadcast, or like......I don't know but if people see it, cherrish it. Don't like show it off like it's a prize.

[GodsGrace]

well,.....as for the pastor not thinking it was important. It's not something the should be broadcast, or like......I don't know but if people see it, cherrish it. Don't like show it off like it's a prize.

[GodsGrace]

well,.....as for the pastor not thinking it was important. It's not something the should be broadcast, or like......I don't know but if people see it, cherrish it. Don't like show it off like it's a prize.

[Paladin D]

well,.....as for the pastor not thinking it was important. It's not something the should be broadcast, or like......I don't know but if people see it, cherrish it. Don't like show it off like it's a prize.

TRIPLE POST!

JACKPOT!

*Bling bling bling!*

[IcePrincessKRS]

I have always understood speaking in tongues to be something real, but something that only a few people are gifted with. I was speaking with my friend about this a couple weeks ago, and she said that she had sopken to her priest about it and he told her that when someone speaks in tongues at least someone is supposed to be able to understand it, that it gives a message to someone, even if everyone else doesn't understand it. That being said, I don't think that people can speak in tonues at will, and I also don't believe that it is all that wide spread. (And thats not to say that those here who HAVE experienced it are faking, but I just think that sometimes maybe some people are.)

[Aloysius]

is it selfish to ask God for the gift of tongues to get me through a French test?

B) yeah, it prolly is. i wont even try it.

[GodsGrace]

yes!! lol no just kidding...lol that's hilarious. my boss thinks it is too (hehe gotta love being online at work!)

[Jake Huether]

if I understand speaking in tongues the way it was described at Pentecost, its was the apostles were able to speak in different tongues (languages) without having been taught that language. Like if I was able to just start rattling off Italian (which i wish i could do) that would be considered speaking in tongues according to the way scriptures plays it out at Pentecost.

  But ive had an account when I was like 13 or so and pentecostal at the time, someone in the front started to speak in tongues, have no clue on what she said because the pastor didnt put the mic close or say what she was saying..now if that was the Holy Spirit talking through her, the pastor obviously didnt think it was important or we all would of heard it, huh.

    CatholicAndFanatical

That's just the penticost "speaking in tongues". But Paul also talks about a different gift of tongues. It isn't about trying to convert someone who speaks a different language. It's about speaking to God.

Our language doesn't suffice to give God praise. When you wish SOOOO bad to be able to give him the Glory He's due, then at times God will GIFT you with this ability. It's called ANGELIC tongues.

I've never experienced it (I try sometimes, but I don't think my heart is completely open to it - I need prayer against pride, agains selfconsciousness).

However, it is interesting to note that the only people who don't think tongues exists are the ones that haven't been given the gift. Maybe if they were open to it being real, they would be able to get the gift.

"we believe in the sun, even when it isn't shining!"

[Qamidalash]

Ooo! Naughty GG, on the comp at work!

From what a friend of mine told me, her first experience with praying in tounges was praying something in her head--and it came out of her mouth in a language she didn't understand.

J/c; what does it sound like to you guys? When I've heard it, it's kind of a wispy sound...just curious. B)