The gift of speaking in tongues is very real, just like all other gifts of the Spirit, and brings edification not only to the individual, but others within the Body of Messiah. I find it to be a wonderful gift, especially during times of difficulty, as well as a powerful weapon within spiritual warfare.
Many of those who do not understand this gift, often bash, ridicule, or simply don’t believe in the gifts of the Spirit. Their mind tries to understand something that has to be reconciled with the heart, and revealed through the Spirit. Then there are others who have this gift, and then yet, condemn others who do not, saying it is a sign of their salvation. This is false, and again, another matter of the heart.
There is indeed a demonic version, that is also manifested in other religions, as satan enjoys to take what is holy and pure, and twist and distort it. This also is manifested within many churches and because of this many are ignorant to the true gift.
I hope all who are seeking, find this to be a blessing for their weary heart, as often times my heart was and can be so burdened, that my own earthly language could not express the depths of my soul. Being able to pray as the Spirit gives you utterance, is wonderful rest for a weary heart and essential during tumultuous times. May this glorify our God and Saviour Yeshua/Jesus.
MY TESTIMONY
There was a time when I was very young in my faith and I had went to a church service with some friends, while my husband, Tony was away at some training. During this service they had a special guest speaker. When this woman got up on the podium and began to speak, out of nowhere, she began to speak in a ‘tongue’ I had never heard before, and it was very strange, sending chills down my spine, and the hair on my arm stood up. My urge to run pulsed through my veins, but instead I froze in my chair, as I was up in the first few rows with my friends. The woman then left the podium, and started to walk over to people, touching them on their head and arm, and they started to fall out of their chairs, and roll around on the floor convulsing. They were twisting and contorting on the floor around me.
Then, she made her way over to one of my friends and he fell on the ground shaking, and my friends wife was encouraging it, I sat their horrified, and praying to God, protect me from this madness. The woman then came over to me and stared straight at me, and asked “is there something you need”, I instantly replied “nope, I am good”. She then looked perturbed, and like a hiss, said, “indeed, you are fine”. Looking back, I understood that she was aware of the protection that Abba had over me, and was not allowed to harm me.
So, I felt a peace around me, even though I was absolutely horrified from what I was seeing. This was my first experience of demonic tongues, and people being possessed by the serpent spirit kundalini. The reason she was touching people on the forehead or even other parts of the body, was to activate the third eye, for a kundalini awakening.
In Hinduism this process is called Shakti Pat or the “Shakti force”. It is a transference of demonic witchcraft, as well as demons into another. When a Hindu devotee is touched on the forehead, called Shakti Pat, by the Guru (spiritual master), they are generally thrust into convulsions, where they fall to the floor often in ecstatic, uncontrollable utterances and laughter.
This is why Yah led me to this passage later on, about not letting people lay hands on you suddenly.
1 Tim 5:22Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.(KJV)
This type of activity, is very prevalent in churches today, especially with the infiltration of the New Age, and acceptance of the practice of Yoga and other eastern practices and meditation.
Any type of spirit or experience, that causes you to loose control, violently shake, convulse, roll around, scream, fall backward, be unconscious, bark like a dog, be drunk, etc. These manifestations are demonic, and not from the Holy Spirit. Demonic tongues, can also very hostile when spoken, as they are curses being spoken by demons to their host, and others through them. This is what was going on with this woman.
Isa 29:9Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
10For יהוה has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets. And He has covered your heads, the seers.(ISR 98)
This is a video from a well done documentary by Andrew Strom, that I came across about 5 years ago. At that time, it not only was able to explain, but also confirm what I had initially experienced, and continue to see within various churches with these kind of manifestations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWeUNoR30_0
So, back to my story.
Needless to say, I was a bit put off by the speaking in tongues and on the way home, my two friends, kept trying to justify what had happened, and I was like, look, I may not know that much of the Bible, but I know in my spirit, that was not of God. I basically rebuked them, and did not speak to them again after that.
A few years later, I experienced the pure and holy gift of tongues, when a woman prayed over me during a most difficult time in my life. I was in another service, and Abba spoke to me as I was most distraught, to go speak to a woman who was a guest speaker at this service (funny how that worked out). I did as He told me to, and this woman knew the anguish I was in, and she interceded for me, and I had much peace, comfort, and rest for my soul. I knew without any hesitation, that this was of God, as it brought much edification to the depths of my very being.
A few years after that, I came to a point in my life and in my walk, where I wanted the gift of speaking in tongues. Even though I had been walking with the Lord for approximately 8 years, I had not been water baptized, nor knew that I should. If you have read my testimony, I was initially in the Air Force, and I was stationed overseas, and I was not ever introduced to water baptism. So, in the midst of me praying and asking about the gift of tongues, I received a study to be water baptized. Initially I actually had rejected the teaching, thinking that I could somehow bypass this, and receive the gift of tongues. It was more or less on my terms, and not God’s, and He was not having any of that. I was quickly humbled as I sought out the scriptures and being water baptized; Abba spoke to me, and said If I cannot be obedient in what He asks, then I will not receive the gift that I ask. So, upon that conviction, I fully submitted, and nothing was going to stop me from getting baptized. I was ready to go jump in a freezing lake if I had to. This was October of 2013.
The night before my water baptism I had a prophetic dream that was given to me by the Spirit, showing me that He was going to honor my request in receiving the baptism and the gift of tongues. In my dream I was walking up a hill that was covered in snow, I trudged my feet up, and down, in and out of deep snow. As I neared the top, I could see a large plateau covered lightly in snow, and it was dark around me as if night, and the snow illuminated around me. Then it began to snow, and it was not cold. I looked up, and a blue dove descended from the night sky. I lifted my hands up and the dove landed on my hand and I felt a surge of warmth and power flow down from the tips of my fingers, through my hand, and then all over my body. Then I woke up, and I believed in faith that what I was shown was going to happen.
The day of my water baptism, was the day that I received the baptism of fire, and received the gift of speaking in tongues. It happened right after service, and many women came over to pray over me before my water baptism. I have never wept like that in my life. I felt the loving arms of Yeshua around me, and I was in the presence of such holiness, and love and power, I could only weep. It reminds me now of when Isaiah was in such holiness that he had declared himself a “man of unclean lips” and his mouth was touched with a coal.(Isa 6:5-6)
I felt the fire come down on me, just like within the book of Acts, and I could feel warmth within my soul; not just within my body, but deep within my soul. My lips felt tingly, and I was filled with so much peace and joy. The dream I had the night before was fulfilled. It was a special time in my life and my walk, that I will never forget, and I know that there were many demonic forces around me that day, but it did not matter, my heart was yielded to my King and Savior Yeshua, and nothing was going to come against that, nothing.
GIFT OF TONGUES AND BAPTISM OF FIRE
There are 2 different types of speaking in tongues. The first is speaking in other (earthly) languages, and this happened when the 120 disciples spoke in Acts 2; however, in 1 Cor 12-14 this speaks of a different kind; which is for intercession of prayer/praying as well as singing in tongues for yourself and others, and brings refreshment to our soul, as well as fighting in spiritual warfare and the Holy Spirit will initiate it, and this is a heavenly language:
♦Rom 8:26And in the same way the Spirit does help in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray, but the Spirit Himself pleads our case for us with groanings unutterable.
♦1 Cor 14:2For he who is speaking in a tongue does not speak to men but to Elohim, for no one understands, but in the Spirit he speaks secrets. 3But he who is prophesying speaks upbuilding and encouragement and comfort to men. 4He who is speaking in a tongue builds up himself, but he who is prophesying builds up the assembly.
People can also sing and worship in this heavenly tongue, as I have many times and has also been a weapon in spiritual warfare as well.
♦1 Cor 14:14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15What then shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
♦2 Cor 10:3For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. 4The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.(BSB)
You do not need a translator when you are praying in the gift of tongues. Sometimes my mind will automatically translate things that the Spirit is speaking through my spirit. You also do not need a translator when the Spirit has you intercede over a person for prayer. You will typically be praying in both the native tongue and in the Spirit, and will bring great edification over the person needing prayer, as I had experienced.
Tongues should be interpreted when a person is speaking in front of other people in instance of prophesy, and if there is no interpreter then that person is told to quietly pray to themselves and God. This is the difference between praying and then speaking in tongues when an interpreter is required.
1 Cor 14:26How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 27If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
Praying in tongues enables you to pray for very long periods of time, and not be tired, and often times when we are unable to find the words to pray, the Spirit will then give me the utterance through the depths of my soul. This is why I had sought out the gift of tongues to begin with, as there were so many times that I wanted to go deeper in my prayers, but I could not express in an earthly tongue the depths of what I needed to pray for. The gift of tongues, enables me to do this, as well as pray over those that the Spirit can deeply minister to. It is not a gift to be used to condemn others, but rather to edify both the person and the Body of Christ.
From my experience and as I believe the Scriptures show, there are 3 types of baptisms:
1:) first is by Living Water(Spirit)-cleanses conscience and you are justified
2:) second is by physical water
3:) third is by fire
Hebrews 6:1Therefore, having left the word of the beginning of the Messiah, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of belief toward Elohim, 2 of the TEACHING OF IMMERSIONS(BAPTISMS), and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of everlasting judgment.(ISR 98)
The baptism of fire, will enable you to pray in tongues and if need be speak in another earthly language. I have spoken other earthly languages in my dreams, and I know very little words in other languages.
The gift of tongues is not a requirement for your salvation, nor is is a sign that you have receive the seal of the Holy Spirit. It is a gift, and not all will speak in tongues, yet all gifts should be sought after, as well as all baptisms.
The disciples at Pentecost received the baptism of Holy Spirit fire; which is why cloven tongues of fire were over their heads. This was also the pillar of FIRE coming down on the tabernacle of men.
When the tabernacle in the wilderness was built, the only way that YHWH’s Spirit could dwell among them was in the pillar of cloud/fire then went within the Tent:
♦Ex 13:21And יהוה (YHWH) went before them by day in a column of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a column of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22The column of cloud did not cease by day, nor the column of fire by night, before the people. (ISR 98)
♦Num 9:15And on the day that the Dwelling Place was raised up, the cloud covered the Dwelling Place, the Tent of the Witness. From evening until morning it was above the Dwelling Place like the appearance of fire. 16Thus it was continually: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.(ISR 98)
YHWH’s Spirit moved to dwell in the tabernacles of men when His Spirit was poured out. This is why we then see the fire coming down on the heads of those in the upper room, and why John the Baptist stated that Yeshua would baptize in fire.
♦Acts 2:1And when the Day of the Festival of Weeks had come, they were all with one mind in one place.
2And suddenly there came a sound from the heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3And there appeared to them divided tongues, AS OF FIRE, and settled on each one of them.
♦Matthew 3:11“I indeed immerse you in water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to bear. He shall immerse you in the Set-apart Spirit and FIRE.
Awesome testimonial! God bless you! I was baptized in water and then years later with the Holy Spirit as well with tongues! God is good! 💖🕊🙌🏽
Thank you, Jeralynn! Yes, it was a beautiful time and memory. Praise God that you are able to experience this wonderful gift as well, and that you were also obedient in your water baptism. Yes, God is good!
Blessings,
Kellie