©2009 Dr. Irene Faulkes
Generally it is left to the person who is a Ministry Gift of Christ to minister to believers so that they receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit. This baptism is always meant to be in accordance with Acts 2:4, where “They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave evidence”. The four ministry gifts are Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists and Pastor-Teachers (this latter being what is written in the Greek). We note this from Acts 10 where Philip, an evangelist, had seen multitudes, probably a couple of thousand in those days, accept Christ and be saved. He had the accompanying Gifts of Healings and Miracles in operation as he ministered.
He did not have the ministry to get them baptized with the Spirit. It took on that occasion, apostolic ministry for this to happen, because the Bible tells us how Peter and John were sent down there. It was their ministry that saw all those people baptized with the Holy Spirit. This was what they had received on the Day of Pentecost. In Samaria, obviously the ministry of Evangelist did not include that of ministering the baptism. It seems that those who minister in this way extensively are actually those in an apostolic position. Today, a Bible following evangelist certainly would have gifts of healings and miracles. He also could have added, other gifts such as faith and also miracles that result in multitudes being baptized with the Holy Spirit.
This experience that includes speaking in other tongues is the only baptism with the Holy Spirit in the whole Bible. There is no other. There is not any verse regarding a baptism with the Holy Spirit that does not include speaking in other tongues. It is to always occur in the manner they received on the Day of Pentecost. There is not a verse that warrants any cessation in this experience. The Scriptures show there is no cessation. However, experience shows there was. We do not follow experience. We follow the Word of Christ. Over the centuries, church people did not receive this experience.
This was not because the experiences of the church in the first generation or two and the apostles ceased because of belief that it should. Rather, it was because for all that time, there was great darkness in understanding and belief. Instead, there prevailed myths, superstition, gods, no Bible preaching and ideas of men.
Many times today, after belief in this Bible teaching came back, there still exists unbelief in many. This is despite the fact that millions have this experience from Christ. Unbelief in the Scriptures with regard to what Jesus said about the experience, will keep godly believers out of enjoying and receiving what Jesus taught. Often some have sought for years not having received. Sadly, if they refuse to believe, they are submitting to their carnal natures and “doing despite to the grace of God”.
With regard to receiving, it should be noted that a few will always receive when they are alone in prayer even at home. Others may receive suddenly as they are in a meeting where the people are worshipping or even when the preacher is preaching, as has happened sometimes in my experience.
Most people need the baptism with the Holy Spirit ministered to them. The following helps are set out for those who can and are called to minister the baptism.
It should be noted that the reception of the baptism in the Spirit does not prove any so called spirituality or non-worldliness. Neither is it the measuring stick for a Christian's maturity, service, graces or sanctification. It is purely a gift given freely and undeservedly.
As people are being led into the baptism in the Spirit, if they cry, it is best to stop them crying. Instead of yielding to the emotion that provokes crying, it is better to have them yield to the Holy Spirit which means speaking in other tongues. If they tend to fall on their backs, my experience has been that they find it difficult to speak freely in other tongues. In fact I personally have not seen one person lying on his back receiving a glorious baptism with much speaking in other tongues. It is a difficult position to be in for that. The desire according to Scripture is not to lie flat on one’s back or as it is called “be slain”. Instead the need is to speak in other tongues, that being the Bible way. There is no such thing as being “slain by the Spirit” in the Bible.
It is possible and desirable when ministering, eventually to have one hundred per cent success. God's anointing, grace and power through us can accomplish this as it is His will. God has promised to pour out His Spirit on “all flesh” meaning all people who believe, that meaning every person who becomes a believer in Christ. Indeed, when one preaches salvation and sees the sinners come forward to receive Christ, the immediate thing to do is to have them baptized with the Holy Spirit. They should receive within a minute. Most of them have never heard any negative or wrong teaching about the experience and therefore the preacher does not have to counter such a thing with corrective teaching.
I should mention that with all ministering, a person will commence not having reached maturity or having had any experience in this. He or she should wait on his ministry as Paul directs to see it grow in grace and depth over the years, as I myself have done. This will involve very much prayer in the Holy Ghost, in other tongues.
Sometimes evil spirits will be shown to be around the people receiving. Often it is due to the past or emotional upsets in the person or even from Satanic bondages because of previous involvement in perhaps witchcraft. It happens not because an evil spirit can show up instead of the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is because of the person’s past experiences perhaps in the occult or with idols.
It may be necessary to say quietly to the spirit, even without the person's knowing, “In the name of Jesus Christ, evil spirit, get out.” The spirit may have even departed before this command is given, as there is power in what the Holy Spirit is doing in that person's life, as they speak in other tongues. I have had both happening in ministry and particularly in the latter case when in one meeting there could be a few who have demons leave as they begin to speak in other tongues.
Occasionally a person will shriek, or even fall to the floor. This generally is because an evil spirit is departing. One can then encourage them to speak in tongues as they are yielding to the Holy Spirit. It is possible that the person through the power of the Holy Spirit can deliver himself. This will happen as he continues to speak long and deeply in other tongues.
Let there be complete confidence that it is impossible for this person to have received a wrong spirit while being baptized with the Spirit. It means those where demons are indicated, have already had them. Sometimes we actually may have to deliver a person from the evil spirits he had before coming to us, particularly when it becomes obvious. It is possible as in Mark 1:26 that the “unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.” In general experience one has to say that the person will fall to the ground, silently and quietly by the power of the evil spirits as they leave. The appearance is the same as one observes when a person is “slain”! Sometimes a person is delivered from those spirits when they speak freely in other tongues by the Spirit. In a sense it can be said that they “deliver themselves.” If a person fails to repent with sincerity, the demons will hang around until he does so. However, “greater is He who is in” that person that any demon.
It should be noted according to Matthew 12:19, that Satan was bound when Jesus entered into his “house” and bound him. We do not bind evil spirits but rather cast them out. Jesus alone had the power to bind Satan. He is already bound by Jesus Christ. See also Ephesians 4:8,9: Hebrews 2:14. Evil spirits are to be cast out in the name of Jesus Christ, as Paul did in Acts 16:18, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.”
In relation to speaking in other tongues/languages, the following factors can be noted:-
a. An unknown language often does not sound like a language at all. For example, Tamil is a fast, unemotional sounding tongue without stress words, to my English ears. This language and all others will sound peculiar to any one the first time they listen. Many natural languages of people from other nations even sound like “gibberish.” This can apply when hearing people speaking in other tongues. Believers who speak in other tongues always do so by the Spirit and never from demons.
b. The Holy Spirit takes the natural capacity of people through the creative power of God, to speak languages and formulates as words a new language supernaturally for the person. Sometimes it is a known and sometimes an unknown language to people on earth. Certainly it is not known to the one speaking. It is a heavenly language in the sense that it is given by the heavenly Holy Ghost, in a supernatural way. It is not heavenly meaning it is some thing foreign to the ability to speak languages of earth.
Barnes says (and I think it is correct) “We attribute to the angels the idea of perfection; and the idea here is, that even though a man had a far higher faculty of speaking languages than would be included in the endowment of speaking all the languages of human beings as people speak them”.
c. It is not possible to imitate anyone who is speaking in other tongues. Should someone say even one sentence in say, Russian, we could not repeat it. Neither can anyone imitate other tongues at length or repeat them. We should never have people try to imitate us or anyone speaking a tongue. I have seen the effects where people have done this. Probably some people will be baptized with the Spirit but they only receive a few words and always and forever include the imitated word or couple of words in their tongues speaking. They never become free in speaking with other tongues. It is a mistake to use such a method. It leaves the people in bondage and it is not the right thing to do. There is a right way.
d. It is impossible to make up any language, using language forms. This has been proven scientifically as being impossible to do. People cannot make up other tongues. For many years I have heard my language while praying, change from one to another innumerable times. I always know the Spirit of God is doing it. It would be impossible for me naturally thus to speak. It is beyond human ability.
e. Sometimes there can be someone seeking who has tried unsuccessfully on previous occasions. It is good to say to that one, “Forget you have ever tried before. Act as if this is the first time. Now please listen to what I have to say.” Then they should be taught from the beginning. There is nothing too hard for God, and nothing shall be impossible for you. I had the privilege if seeing a brother who had been in Pentecost for sixty-five years get baptised in the Spirit as I ministered to him. He was eighty years old.
f. On occasions it has suited the candidate if one halts him in his tracks and say, “Look at me. Speak like this,” as one demonstrates. It is surprising how people miss the necessity of simply having to speak! Nothing is impossible with God. I always add that “You will not speak what I am speaking.” They are to just get the idea to be willing to speak.
g. Speaking in tongues by the Spirit has no connection with paganism. It is not easy to be baptized with the Spirit for people with heathen or occultic backgrounds. This is often stated in the West and it is wrong. Those people were involved in such things in the area of the soul. The spirit within them, the human spirit, was dead in sin. It could not be involved in demonic activities. In any case, one’s spirit is that part of the human that is to have contact with God, our Saviour, the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers are renewed in their spirits and it is within the spirit the Holy Spirit resides. He does not reside in the soul.
h. We know it is not an achievement to be gloated over. It does not foster pride. Rather, it helps to make Christ and His Cross so precious and real that with Paul in Galatians 6:14, we say all the more, “But God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
The Holy Spirit yearns over every one. God desires to bless, because He has ordained blessings for His children. He says in the book of James, “Draw near to me and I will draw near to you.” The first step often needs to be initiated by us. The fact that our minds cannot understand the supernatural speaking in new tongues should not phase us out.
Some say the devil cannot understand, but if the person is using a language of earth, he must be able to understand. Whether he does or does not is immaterial. This cannot hinder our praying as it is God who hears and answers.
HELPS FOR PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT
Formulae Suitable To Offer A Person Who is To Be Baptised With The Spirit
No. 1
Jesus the Son of God is being baptised in the River Jordan. As He comes up out of the water the heavens cleave. Jesus looks and sees the Spirit of God descending like a dove to alight on Him.
The voice of God speaks from heaven, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”
This is an experience for Jesus of power and glory and the presence of God the Father. God the Holy Spirit comes upon Him who is God the Son. He, as the Son of Man was being baptised in water. The word “baptised” is derived from the Greek word, “bapto” meaning “to dip, plunge or immerse”.
Then comes the time of testing as found in Matthew chapter 4. He has had an experience of power and glory and after this, prior to His ministry, He is driven by the Spirit into the wilderness.
There He faces the challenging tones of the devil who comes as light, but the reality is darkness. If Jesus heeds it, all is lost, but of course, He being the Holy One of God and also being led by the Spirit, listens to the word of God in His heart and withstands Satan.
Three times Satan comes and three times in his approach says to Him, “IF you are the Son of God....” Then he offers a temptation to disobey God the Father and instead honour he himself, the devil. Jesus firmly replies, “It is written.” He countermands the attack with a confession of what God says, and thus Satan is repelled.
This appears to be a blue print in a way of the temptation that comes in a lesser degree to every believer who is baptised in the Spirit. This is not in the sense that Satan comes in. How can he enter the child of God? Rather, it is from the carnal nature of the believer, that is at enmity with God, Romans 8:7, that opposition will come. The believer will receive a supernatural touch of God in the power of the Spirit. He already has been supernaturally born of God, born of the spirit, renewed in his spirit by the Holy Ghost, Titus 3:6. Now he receives something different. This touch for him include the supernatural speaking in tongues/languages.
Then at some time he may have such a thoughts as, “IF you are really of God in this...” and our carnal, natural mind tends to oppose the Spirit of God, Galatians 5:17. It is always “IF!” IF the praying in tongues is really God; IF it is right; IF it is not just me; IF I am really speaking in a language from the Spirit; IF it is not just gibberish; IF I am actually baptised in the Spirit; what IF it is of the devil - and so on.
The answer to these carnal and ungodly thoughts in the unrenewed mind is to do as Jesus did. It is to say, “It is written... the promise of Acts 2:4 is for me, according to what Peter preached. So this is right.” Or, “Jesus promised me the baptism in the Spirit. I asked. I received. This speaking in tongues is of God.” Or, “Jesus said I would not receive a snake, that is, anything of Satan.” Or, “I believe the Lord in this.”
Of course, when ministering, it is not necessary to mention such things if they do not apply to the seeker.
Sometimes even supposed and obvious wonderful Christian friends and saints who voice doubts. He will have them suggest it might be from the devil himself. Speaking in tongues for believers can never be from the devil. Other actions and doctrines in churches can be. However, speaking in tongues for believers is the operation of the Holy Spirit.
It can never be from Satan. Speaking in other tongues for the believer can never be of Satan. Jesus said this in Luke 11:11-13, “”If your child asks for a fish who will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if a child asks for an egg, who will give a scorpion?
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
When believers have prayed to God in the Name of Jesus for the Holy Spirit in accord with the Scriptural outpouring, and not one of mere human thoughts, what they receive is the Holy Spirit who flows in the speaking with other tongues.
On the authority of the word of God this is to be rejected and repudiated. If we believe completely the Word of God and allowed faith and the Spirit to fill our beings there would be none of these temptations.
Spiritual warfare is not involved in the infilling of the Holy Ghost. Rather, it is action of Satan to promote carnality, sin and worldliness and to voice doubts against the true work of the Spirit of God. It comes from those given over to such unbelief and hardness of heart that they have opened the door to him. The devil mainly attacks the church with wrong doctrines (doctrines of devils) which are heresy and also through persecution, as well as through ongoing grave sin.
Jesus was wounded in the house of His friends, Zechariah 13;6. As the servant is not greater than his Lord, similar treatment can be given us.
Regarding praying in tongues, the following thoughts should help and bless:-
1. Although praying in tongues is supernatural, it does happen in a natural way. The vocal chords, the tongue and lips, move naturally as in speech. They move supernaturally as we are given the language by the Spirit. He produces the words.
2. An attitude of faith is necessary. Any doubts must be ignored. One accepts what God has done in this area of the Spirit, as indeed being God. Then one steps in for more. If our praying in tongues to date has been sparse, the secret is to accept that from God. We are thankful, and pray in those tongues. Then we expect God to give more. “To him who has shall be given.”
3. All negatives feelings and thoughts of doubts, disappointment or frustration must be swept aside.
4. If a believer in Christ asks for the baptism in the Spirit and receives a supernatural experience, it is always of God. Jesus said, “What father among you if his son ask for a fish, will instead give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”
5. Others who receive may have an explosion of joy, or ecstasy, a vision, a dramatic touch, an over-riding sense of God, their feelings powerfully touched. You may not. You are a different person. Your background, genes, circumstances, education and surroundings are different. The vital key is to pray persistently in tongues. It is not changing feelings or dramatic experiences. They inevitably follow as time passes, if you continue to pray often in the Spirit.
6. The “just shall live by faith,” not feelings. Faith it is that enables prayer in the Spirit (other tongues) whether feelings are present or not. It does not depend on feelings. Faith enables us to surrender to the Spirit and to continue praying in tongues. In Acts 2:4 THEY did the praying. Also, the apostle Paul said, “I WILL pray in the Spirit.” He did the praying in other tongues as his WILL was exercised.
7. We are so used to moving, thinking and speaking using our minds and our emotions, that sometimes we find it hard to jump out of this area. We need to enter the area new to us, that of the Spirit. We should pray from our spirits as the Spirit gives utterance. This is done without speaking from our minds and emotions as is usual.
8. Praying in the Spirit bypasses the mind. It comes from the Holy Spirit who is deep within our born-again spirits. Can you agree with Paul, and say, “I WILL pray in the Spirit (other tongues)?”
It Is God who has given this gift and grace of the baptism in the Spirit. He is the One who desired and originated praying in tongues for His children.
He knows what a blessing and benefit it is even though one does not know what one is saying. But God knows.
Often we do not know what to say if we wish to pray for a lengthy period. Drawing on the Spirit within, and in faith beginning to speak in other tongues can be the commencement of a long time of prayer.
The Holy Spirit's mind will place words in our mouths in conformity to the will of God and not our own wills. “Be being (continually) filled with Spirit.”
PRAYING IN TONGUES…ITS POWER AND BLESSINGS
What a wonderful miracle takes place in a person when he is born again by receiving Jesus as His Saviour. He is made a new creation and has the Spirit of Christ within. Then on receiving the baptism in the Spirit, there begins to flow from within a river of the Holy Spirit, John 7:38,39.
We imbibe of that stream as we are being filled and continue to pray in other tongues. All believers can know the blessing of this kind of praying. 1 Corinthians 14:4 tells of the blessing. Paul in verse 18 of that chapter says, “I give thanks that I speak in tongues more than you all.”
Speech is a very important part of our lives. Therefore to mention “speaking in tongues” is to give spiritual importance to that kind of speech in prayer. Speaking in tongues is a glorious, God-given manner of prayer.
When praying in this language of the Spirit, one's mind is not producing the words, as one's spirit is doing the praying. Hence “no one” understands what is being said. It is not necessary to imagine or picture anybody or anything.
If the language cannot be understood how is it beneficial to pray in other tongues? The following list indicates some of the power and blessings to be derived:
1. The Spirit will give us revelations of Jesus and truth to our spirits, John 14:7; 15:16. Praying in the Spirit (in other tongues) is to speak mysteries, 1 Corinthians 14:2.
2. When praying in other tongues one is speaking to God. What better occupation can we have? 1 Corinthians 14:3, 28.
3. It refreshes one's whole being and is a spiritual rest. Isaiah 28:11,12.
4. Even if feeling is not in evidence, we just use our faith and the will and begin to pray in other tongues. We do this just as we would begin to speak in our own language, or as we would begin to sing, or read the Bible.
5. It edifies the person praying, 1 Corinthians 14:4. However, in the assembly, if a gift such as prophecy is used, it edifies the church.
6. One's spirit prays, 1 Corinthians 14:13, and not directly one's mind or soul. They can become involved. Interpretation can pour from one's mouth. The emotions can be stirred by God. Praying in other tongues by-passes the mind and intellect that are naturally dark, and by-passes the Id and Ego of Freud's psychology. One's mind is not thinking what to say.
7. If helps bring to spiritual maturity, and perfection, Galatians 3:3,14; 2 Corinthians 3:18.
8. We are changed from glory to glory, 2 Corinthians 3:18.
9. More and more, fruits are produced Galatians 5:18-22.
10. It can and should bring us into the operation of the gifts of the Spirit and usefulness in the area of the Gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:3-9.
11. God teaches our spirits mysteries of Himself and eternal verities, 1 Corinthians 14:2.
12. Praying in tongues is what gives a person and an assembly an anointing to worship God in a manner where the externals of religious worship become less important. This pleases God as Jesus showed in John 4:24.
13. It is necessary for intercessory prayer. “We know not how to pray as we ought,” Romans 8:26, 27. In three translations “groanings” in the King James Version is shown as being - “that earnestness which cannot be described by words from our minds, but the Holy Spirit's mind can...” “With unspeakable yearnings, God in a particular place and God in all places can speak.”
14. Praying this way enables us to be being filled with the Spirit (true meaning in the Greek), Ephesians 5:28. We are in the realm of the Holy Ghost. It also helps one's spirit to dominate one's soul and body.
15. We build ourselves up in our most holy faith, Jude 20. We are to be always filled with the Spirit, Eph.5:18.
16. It drives out weaknesses, complexes, areas of darkness, hurts, memories in the soul and delivers from all kinds of Satanic and past bondages. Acts 10:46,47; 15:8,9 - old King James Version, says “the cleansing of the Holy Ghost.” It is therapeutic. It can heal the emotions. Titus 3:5,6 shows this - “He saved us through water of the rebirth (it cannot be natural water of baptism) and that renewal which the Holy Spirit gives. Through Jesus Christ our Saviour he poured out the Spirit richly upon us.” The pouring out of the Spirit in scores of instances in Scripture means glossalalia speaking in tongues.
17. We need to be “led by the Spirit,” Romans 8:14. Praying this way makes this easier to happen.
18. The person who prays often in other tongues finds power to win other souls for Christ as he tells out the gospel. He wins souls, if he also directs his faith to that end.
19. Praying in tongues should be the entrance into a life in the Spirit as recorded in Romans chapter 8. Therefore:-
a. It brings anointings. It takes a person from one anointing to another. It opens doors in the Spirit realm into new areas for oneself and others, including assemblies and countries. It is the anointing that does all this. New anointings always do new things.
b. It prepares one to minister out from the Holy of Holies into the outer court, to God's precious people.
c. It allows the river of the Holy Ghost to flow to others, John 7:38,39.
d. It brings revivals as people move into that anointing, Joel 2:28,29. God has promised to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.
e. It brings an anointing of worship on congregations. Often it needs just one or two persons with this anointing to affect the whole assembly, provided the leaders are willing.
f. The same applies for gifts of the Spirit in congregations, as well as the anointing on an assembly to win souls. This praying is the preliminary only, of course.
20. It brings deliverance from bondages in people. It brings the touch of God, the glory of God as evidenced in Stephen, Acts 6:5; 7:55.
21. It glorifies God, Acts 2:11, and brings a repetition of the book of the Acts in our lives.
These are the main values of speaking in tongues in prayer.
Those who pray often in other tongues find they pray a whole language. Over the years, they will discover the Spirit has given them language after language on different occasions. This is far more than a few familiar words in each language. In fact, it can be noticed that often the new language is totally unlike one's own natural language, both in the use of vowels and consonants and also in pitch.
There is no scriptural foundation for saying that speaking in tongues is not for this church age. Such things as “laughter,” which in itself is human and not supernatural, cannot supplant other tongues.
We continually need to pray in other tongues, regardless of other experiences we may enjoy in His presence. The most wonderful fellowship we can ever have in this world is with the Lord Himself as His Presence fills and envelops us. We are to deny the natural, carnal “self” and not pander to it or exalt it through self-esteem. Let us be emptied of self and filled with God.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECEIVING
We set out below an example of teaching that we have often used in the past. It works, under the anointing. We must emphasize, “You are coming to Jesus, not to me. Come to Jesus, to receive, not to pray. Come to Jesus and just receive from Him. You are to receive, as Paul said to do.
"Please don't pray just now. Look at me, please. It is important that you hear this. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is a gift. What do you do with a gift? (Hand a Bible or some object to someone in the crowd). Yes, it is to be received, just as this person took this Bible. You must RECEIVE the baptism and receive it from Jesus. It is received not with your hands but with your spirit.
"This very second, drink in the Spirit who is already in you. (Ask of one or two, 'The Holy Spirit is in you, is that true?”). Yes, because you are born of the Spirit. He is in you as a well of salvation. Isaiah chapter 12, verses 2 and 3 tell us this and that we can draw water out of the wells of salvation. We draw water from this well of the Holy Spirit within us, by drinking. Not as we drink water, but in a spiritual way.
"Jesus said, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink, and out from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” As you are drinking right now, the rivers of the Holy Spirit are beginning to flow, from within you. Keep on drinking.
“The rivers of the Holy Ghost are flowing from within you as you drink. You cannot see this, feel it or hear it. But in accordance with the words of Jesus, they are flowing.
“Jesus said in Mark 11:24, ‘whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you HAVE received it, and it WILL BE yours,' RSV. Soon we are going to ask Jesus in prayer, and our attitude must be, ‘I have it', before there is any manifestation of it.
“Jesus gives the gift of the baptism. The sign included in it is that we speak with other tongues. According to Acts 2:4 the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and THEY began to speak with other tongues. It was not the Holy Spirit who spoke. YOU must speak. 'Faith without works is dead,' James 2 verse 26. Your ‘works' in this is the action YOU must take.
“You BEGIN to speak with other tongues. You, as it were, begin to make the action of speaking. No one can speak two languages at the one time. To speak in tongues, we must not be saying any words in our own known languages. You say nothing from your mind, not even ‘Hallelujah,' or ‘Jesus'. They are words from YOUR mind. The miracle in this is that the words come from the mind of the Holy Spirit.
“You are to operate in faith. You act. You prepare yourself to use your voice box, to use your lips and your tongue. I think you should start with your voice box. That very second, in answer to faith the Holy Spirit will perform a miracle. We do not know how He does this miracle. It is His secret.
“Our responsibility is to do our part. His is the infilling and miracle. Ours it is to drink and to speak. We by faith begin. That second, He puts His words in your voice box, on your lips and on your tongue. YOU must SPEAK them, begin to SPEAK them and CONTINUE SPEAKING them, aloud.
“If I whisper in other tongues (demonstrate by speaking a few words in other tongues in a whisper) no one could hear. I was whispering and not really speaking properly. According to the second chapter of Acts the one hundred and twenty spoke so loudly that they were heard by a great crowd.
“Now I will SPEAK in other tongues (demonstrate by speaking at a conversation level of tone, a few more words in other tongues). That is how you must speak. Do you believe you will? Amen. And do not stop speaking.
“Let us all bow our heads in prayer. I will lead in a prayer of request, which I trust you will all follow. (Have the people follow you as you pray).
“Then let us not say another word in our own language, not even ‘Hallelujah' or ‘Jesus'. Let us act in all faith and begin to speak in new tongues.” (Really, it is not necessary to pray like this except that it may make people feel more comfortable by doing so).”
NOW TO PRAY (Have them follow you in this prayer): “Lord Jesus, thank you that your Holy Spirit is in me. I ask to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. I believe I have received. I drink of the Holy Spirit and there is a river of the Holy Ghost beginning to flow out from within me. I will begin to speak in new tongues.” I deliberately leave out the saying of “Hallelujah” as it is a custom in many places for that instructing having been given to such believers, year in and year out. My experience shows it is a hindrance as the person is loathe to quit saying “Hallelujah” (from his mind) and step out into speaking from his spirit as the Holy Spirit moves within him.
As the leader begins speaking in other tongues, many of the people, according to the clarity of instruction and the anointing that is present, will begin speaking also. I have often seen up to fifty even up to a hundred, beginning to speak in other tongues right then, as they were being baptised in the Holy Spirit.
For those who are not yet speaking. While someone else is standing behind the pulpit speaking in other tongues, the leader should lay hands on each person who has not yet been baptised in the Spirit. Then stay with each until he or she has received. Sometimes it will then be necessary to take certain steps to help each one further.
Occasionally someone will say, “I cannot.” Depending on the leading of the Spirit and the circumstances, one can reply in different ways. It could be, “Let faith fill our hearts. It is evident also that the apostle Paul would exercise his will to begin speaking in tongues. If you exercise your will in faith, and perhaps say aloud, 'I will speak in other tongues' and if you surrender thus to the Holy Spirit, you will.”
On occasions, it pays to get the person definitely to pray in his own language. “I will speak in other tongues in Jesus' Name.” This seems to release them from diffidence and unbelief. As you encourage them they will begin speaking. If they stop, then is the time to say, “Keep speaking,” or “Do not stop”.
In many cases one needs to encourage them with words of faith such as “You are already baptised in the Spirit, I can hear you speaking in tongues. Keep on speaking. Do not stop.”
Sometimes it is evident that the Holy Spirit is so working within them that the words He would say are in their throats or perhaps they have begun to speak albeit hesitatingly. Then we help them by saying, “Move your lips. Speak clearly.”
If they have been speaking softly for a while in other tongues, then it becomes helpful to say to them so that they hear clearly, “Speak louder,” or “Don't whisper. Speak up.” Then they are doing the works of faith for themselves.
I have found over the years that if I merely speak in tongues beside them it generally does not result in their receiving. They need to be ministered to by clear instruction in a language they can understand. Even Paul recognised this. In 1 Corinthians 14:19 he says, “yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others.” Then, and only then, when they hear someone else praying in other tongues they are encouraged to speak.
WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT
God has promised to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. As this happens, we can enter into anointed praise and a deeper worship in the Spirit, even singing together worship in other tongues. Then we together are experiencing being lifted up in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, which is our place already given to us as in Ephesians 2:6 “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. This is a Spiritual thing we experience and other than being earthly.
Worship is directed solely to God. Therefore, when all are worshipping in other tongues, it does not matter if no one can understand with the mind. Unbelievers in the midst also will not understand, and it will fulfil the word in Isaiah 28 that they will not believe despite strange tongues. It leads to judgment.
Thus tongues in worship by believers do not lead sinners to repentance. To repent and believe the gospel of Christ they must hear it preached in their own tongue. If unbelievers are present when all the church is worshipping in other tongues, the leader should ensure that spiritual things and the way of salvation are preached.
In like manner, “Hallelujahs” whether shouted by believers or both believers and unbelievers will not bring salvation. The gospel must be preached clearly in words they understand.
There is something in this that cannot be explained to those who have never experienced it. Once experienced, no one can ever be satisfied to worship the Lord in the old, cold, formal, religious and carnal way. We are not encouraging emotionalism. Rather it is the anointing of the Holy Spirit imparted in worship so that we worship in the Spirit and in Truth.
There are things the Lord does in the infilling of the Spirit that are perhaps uniquely given to individuals and to different assemblies. As an old Scottish lady said, “It is better felt than telt.”
Many Pastors and churches teach from Psalm 22:3 that “God dwells in the midst of the praises of His people.” However, the correct translation is as in the NRSV, “He is enthroned on the praises of Israel”. Another one is “You sit as the Holy One. The praises of Israel are your throne.” In those days, God dwelt between the cherubim in the Tabernacle. He did not dwell in their praises. Today, God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) does not dwell in our praises.
He dwells in the body of Christ through the Holy Spirit, as His Temple. This is clearly stated in 2 Corinthians 6:16, “For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people’.” Also, Ephesians 2:21, “In him, Christ Jesus, the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord” and in 1 Peter 2:4, “let yourselves be built into a spiritual house” which is “God’s own people”. He dwells not in our praises but within us. He deserves our praises and we honour Him with the sacrifice of our lips in praises to our God.
We do not praise the Lord so that “He is here” or in order to be blessed by Him. The former is error, as Jesus said, “I am with you always”. The latter also is wrong because it is then works of religion, even though perhaps honourable. It is good to praise the Lord. As works to receive from God it takes us outside of grace and the free gifts of unmerited favour. All God’s gifts to us are such that we neither buy nor deserve.
Another thing is that there can be a misconception regarding the glory of the Lord. It seems to be that the glory must descend, or that the glory is in one part of the building or that we get into the glory. Glory is the excellence of Him who is proclaimed. In the Old Testament, the Shekinah Glory was the created Glory and Presence of God. Moses could not look at His glory as it passed by. No man can see God. This Shekinah glory came down to the door of the Tabernacle of Moses. It was manifested in Solomon’s Temple. It was not apparent in David’s Tabernacle. He experienced something better there, even though he would offer sacrifices in the Temple erected in Gideon. It is not apparent today in our churches. His glory is not created for us today.
We have something better. We have the invisible Presence and Power of Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the Person and Presence of the Holy Spirit Who has come to be our Counsellor. It is through Him that the Father’s work through His Son occurs in His Temple, the Body of Christ.
The last time in the Bible we read about a manifested glory that could be seen was in Acts 2:3 where “And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues as of fire appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them”. To me it seems that the Lord did this to close off His manifestation under the Old Covenant. His manifestations under the New Covenant are as recorded in 1 Corinthians 12:7, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” The previous verses mention the gifts, administrations and operations of the Spirit. This is what we have today. The Bible is to be our guide.
This is the Eternal Glory that operates through His eternal Spirit and that came to earth in the Person of the Son, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. James 2:1 says “Jesus, the Glory”. In this manner, “His glory covers the earth” today. We should recognize “God is here and that to bless us”. He is present, as Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there will I be in the midst”.
He is there but we need to operate as if He is by faith. This faith, because we have the Word of God and are filled with the Holy Spirit, knowing what it is to pray in other tongues, will see the manifestation of the Gifts of the Spirit. We will know the touch of the Spirit in our inner beings. This is the glory we have today. It is the power of God operative through the Holy Ghost. We should not go back to Old Testament experiences. We are in the gospel age of grace and the Spirit.
A few years back I started wondering about the music of the early church after the apostles had gone to glory in heaven. A search of the internet revealed one historian’s statements about it. He said that for the first hundred years, the churches did not have musical instruments. They sang Psalms and spiritual songs, probably some having been composed as well as singing the creeds out of the New Testament. He also said that in every meeting, the people prayed together our aloud in other tongues. Also, they worshipped together out loud in other tongues, this of course being worship in the Spirit. How far today we have drifted from the ways of the Lord.
Another thing I discovered on searching a Greek/English dictionary was how far from the truth we all have been in our interpretation of Acts 1:8. It says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”. For years we Pentecostals and Charismatics tended to think this power was the ability to do all kinds of signs, wonders, healings and miracles. However, I think we all missed the point.
The dictionary meaning is, “dynamos – potential, power in reserve, power to do miracles and “the miracle itself”. According to what Paul says about speaking in tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:16-23, we have to admit that “dynamos” is really speaking in other tongues. The power of the church and the individual is speaking in other tongues. This makes it incumbent on all of us, particularly those called to be a ministry gift of Christ, to spend much time in prayer in other tongues. One Pastor told me he did not have the time and later on fell prey to the false laughing that came into the churches. It did not bring the gifts of the Spirit. I know there are other factors involved in ministry.
May I say that looking back on our lives, it has to be said that all the very many hours we prayed in other tongues has had the results of power in ministry. We have seen the Book of Acts in operation. We have seen many multitudes baptized with the Spirit, worshipping in other tongues, some brought into operating the gifts of the Spirit, many saved, many churches receive certain revival and many people receiving the preaching of the Word of God in power. Also, there have been very many outstanding healings, like a dead babe in a womb born alive, cancers, heart diseases, blindness, deafness, people at death’s door healed and even the raising of the dead twice. Doubtless, ministers see miracles without much speaking in tongues but I venture to say that never will they see multitudes receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit, speaking in other tongues. It is possible to see every one ministered to, receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit, at one time, within five minutes at most and thus have a 100% result. Of course, one should listen to the people and not count them as having received without knowing by such a means.
There is a hymn sung in many churches that would encourage us, “O worship the King, all glorious above.” Is it enough to merely sing such hymns and count it worship? Or is there something more the Lord would have us experience?
Those of us who have known worship in the Holy Ghost for almost a life time, would shout it out on the roof tops, “Jesus Christ is King. He is risen. He lives in our hearts. He has filled us with the Holy Ghost. We know, yes we know, the beautiful anointing and marvel of worshipping Him in the Holy Ghost.”
When the Jews complained because His followers were crying out to Jesus, “Blessed be the king that comes in the name of the Lord,” He said that if they became silent, the stones would cry out, Luke 19:40. Will you not raise your voice in praise and in worship in the Spirit to the Lord of glory?
If you are baptised in the Holy Spirit, why not start praying before the Lord in other tongues? Begin to worship Him as you sing in other tongues. Heaven will fill your being. You will be lifted up into heavenly places and His precious anointing will flow all over you.
