Bible Question: I rededicated my life back to Jesus on 7/07. Put, I do not speak in tongues yet. And when I pray my words are limited . So, praying in tongues is benefitual for a christain. |
Bible Answer: The first group of people the Holy Spirit fell on at Pentecost in Acts 2 on the Jews gathered at Jerusalem who were disciples of Jesus and they were speaking in other languages to other Jews the great deeds of God. In the end of the chapter a great many of these Jew from other countries believed after Peter the apostle preached to them and they were baptized and they also recieved the Holy Spirit. That is the fist group to be included in the church. Then the second group of people the Holy Spirit fell on was in Acts 10:34-48 Peter goes to Cornelius a Gentile and he and all of his household heard the gospel and even before they got baptized in the Holy Spirit fell on them, they spoke in tongues and then they got baptized. The third group of people who got brought in were the Samaritans in Acts 8:4-18 who received the Holy Spirit after believing in the gospel and being baptized. The fourth group of people that got brought in whom the Holy Spirit fell on where those who had the baptism of John and once Paul had them baptized the Holy Spirit fell on them and they spoke in tonuges. So there was a reason people were having the Holy Spirit fall on them in this way and in some instances speaking in tongues. God was brining the four major groups into the church. After these groups; the Jews to whom the promises belonged, the Samaritans who worshipped the right God the wrong way, all the pagans the Gentiles, and those who had received the repentance and baptism of John were brought into the church, you don't find the Holy Spirit falling on people in the Bible making them speak in tongues quite like you do in Acts. In Acts people had tongues of fire fall on them and they spoke in real languages as evidence that the Holy Spirit had included a group. In I Corinthians it says in 12:4-7 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Speaking in tongues is not the only evidence, nor does it have to be the first evidence that the Holy Spirit is working. What if God did not give you the gift of tongues? What if He gave you a different gift? You can tary till the cows come home, but you can't decide for God which gift He will give to you. Your words may be limited for a reason, you may have been a different gift! Read Romans 12:1-8 and you will see that once you present your body as a living sacrifice it becomes possible through the renewing of your mind to prove what the will of God is... You can know with certainty what your gift realy is over time by doing this. Read on through verses 3-8 about the gifts being exersised. It takes time to discover what your gift is don't rush God and decide what it should be. God Bless, Tamara |