Other Teachings

Praying in the Spirit - Part 2

The Gift of Tongues

• 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Two Ways “Speaking in Tongues” May be Manifested

1. Prayer Language
God and me
Builds my faith
No interpretation necessary

2. Gift of Tongues
God, you and me
Builds our faith
Interpretation needed

“When a baptized-in-the-Holy-Spirit Christian is inspired to speak in tongues aloud in the presence of others, with interpretation usually following, this is the gift of tongues. The gift of tongues is delivered or given to the listeners, and they are edified by the gift of interpretation which follows. It is preferable that tongues and interpretation should not be used in groups of unbelievers or ever uninstructed believers, without an explanation of what they are – either before or after the manifestations.”
– The Holy Spirit and You, Dennis & Rita Bennett, p. 86


• 1 Corinthians 14:27-28


Two Ways that the Gift of Tongues is Used in the Gathered Church

1. Through the Gift of Tongues, God may be speaking:
a. To Unbelievers
i. 1 Corinthians 14:22-25
ii. How?
1. In a language KNOWN to the unbeliever with God speaking directly to Him
2. In an unknown language accompanied by interpretation, holding a powerful message and impact on the unbeliever
iii. Either way is a sign that God is real, alive and concerned about the person.

b. To Believers to bring a message of encouragement and a reminder of His presence.

2. The Gift of Tongues may also be public prayer to God.
a. 1 Corinthians 14:12-16
b. The gift of tongues, combined with interpretation may take one of several forms:
i. Prayer
ii. Thanksgiving
iii. Praise & Worship, including singing in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:15)


The Gift of INTERPRETATION of Tongues

• 1 Corinthians 12:10

“The interpretation of tongues is bringing the meaning of what has been said through the gift of tongues at a public meeting. A person feels moved to speak or sing in tongues, and either he or another is given by the Holy Spirit the meaning of what has been said. He or she cannot understand the tongue. It is not a translation but an interpretation, giving the general mean of what was said.” The Holy Spirit and You, Dennis & Rita Bennett, p. 91

• 1 Corinthians 14:13

• 1 Corinthians 14:26-28

Praying in the Spirit - Introduction

Tongues Introduction
1. The first experience of the Christian life is SALVATION
– INFLOW of the Holy Spirit.
2. The second experience of the Christian life is RECEIVING or MAKING WELCOME the Holy Spirit, so that Jesus can cause Him to pour out this new life from our spirits, to baptize our souls and bodies, and then the world around, with His refreshing and renewing power. – The OUTFLOW of the Holy Spirit.

Speaking in Tongues
Because the baptism of the Holy Spirit is an OUTFLOW, it makes sense that it would involve a special kind of SPEAKING.

Your voice is the main outlet of your whole being, through which you express yourself to God and to the world around you.

WORDS are powerful.

Salvation is the result of speaking the truth about Jesus – Romans 10:10

We have ABUSED the power to speak – James 3:6

Our SPEECH needs to be tamed and purified before it can be used properly to speak to the Lord and for the Lord. – Zephaniah 3:9

NEW LANGUAGE is a part of the baptism of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:4 10:44-48 11:13-16 19:1-7

Other places where speaking in tongues is mentioned, implied or discussed include:
Isaiah 28:11-12, Mark 16:17, Romans 8:26-27, 1 Cor. 12:10, 13:1, 14:1-39, Jude 20

WHAT is this?
• Speaking in tongues is prayer with or in the Spirit. (Eph. 6:18)
o It is our spirit speaking to God, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
o It takes place when a Christian believer speaks to God, but instead of speaking in a language that he knows with his intellect he just speaks, in childlike faith, and trusts God to provide the form of the words.
• The regenerated human spirit now is joined to the Holy Spirit is praying directly
to the Father, in Christ, without having to accept the limitations of the intellect.
(1 Cor. 14:14-15)
• As the new life in the Spirit is expressed, or exercised, the spiritual life is built up or edified. (1 Cor. 14:4, Jude 20)

Two KINDS of Tongues
1. The Gift of Tongues - Words that come from God to a group of people, accompanied by the gift of INTERPRETATION of Tongues.

2. Prayer Language – Speaking to God in a language given by the Holy Spirit.


Prayer Language
1 Corinthians 14:14-15

1 Corinthians 14:5

1 Corinthians 14:18

Ephesians 6:18

A simple, childlike act of faith.

All you need is the indwelling Holy Spirit (are you a Christian?), and the willingness to trust Him to guide your voice as you speak.

Praying in tongues creates a path for the Holy Spirit to move out from your spirit and baptize (overwhelm) your…

• SOUL (psychological nature – intellect, will and emotions)
• BODY (physical nature)

This enables God to have greater influence over your whole being.

You are literally helping yourself grow spiritually. (1 Cor. 14:4)

Praying in tongues allows the Holy Spirit to gain a much stronger hold and leadership over your life as your surrender your speech to Him.

Effective Communication
Romans 8:26

Praying in the Spirit enables you to communicate with God more effectively, because it is God Himself who is giving you the words.

He is expanding our vocabulary!


WHY should I pray in a language I don’t understand?

1 Corinthians 14:2

1. Praying in the Spirit begins to set you FREE in the Spirit.
2. Praying in the Spirit BUILDS you up as a spiritual person.
3. Praying in the Spirit gives you the ability to pray more EFFECTIVELY to get God’s will done in the world around you.

Do I have to get EMOTIONAL to pray in tongues?

No!
What part of you does EMOTIONS belong to?
What part of you cooperates with the Holy Spirit?
Therefore – emotions have nothing to do with it!

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit - Introduction

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

• 2 Corinthians 5:17

• Humans are a three-fold being: (1 Thessalonians 5:23) Body Soul Spirit

• When we are saved, the Holy Spirit comes to live within (inflow).

• In order to grow, we need the Holy Spirit to flow outward.

• The Baptism of the Holy Spirit:
- God the Father – John 1:33
- God the Son – Acts 1:5
- John the Baptist – Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16
- Peter – Acts 11:16

• What “Baptism” means…

baptizo {bap-tid'-zo}
- to overcome or overwhelm

A person is baptized when completely
overwhelmed or identified with something or someone else.

See 1 Corinthians 10:2

YOU
SPIRIT SOUL BODY
“made in image of God”
The spirit was designed to relate to God and to rule over soul and body
Intellect
Emotions
Will
Physical home for soul and spirit
Broken off from relationship with God by SIN
One of three aspects of soul try to take over due to lack of “spirit”ual leadership

Unrestrained body seeks pleasure and satisfaction.

Spiritual renewal requires spiritual rebirth from above
John 3:3
When soul is out of control, we seek counseling, 12-step recovery, higher ‘moral’ standards or ‘will-power’ to restore order.
When body is out of control, we make rules – lots of them –to restore order.

Spirit comes alive to God when we come to faith in Christ.
When you receive Christ into your life by faith – your spirit and God’s spirit are united.
1 Corinthians 6:17
Which enables your spirit to fulfill its original design and purpose.
• Why ‘another’ baptism? – See Ephesians 4:5.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit isn’t a ‘second baptism’ but the second part of what God began when you were saved.

See Acts 1:5

Part One: Upon salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to live IN YOU. (INFLOW)

Part Two: When we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit begins to flow out from your spirit to ‘overwhelm’ soul and body and eventually to impact those around you.

See John 4:14
See John 7:37-39

Inflow of the Holy Spirit happens at point of salvation.
Outflow of the Holy Spirit happens at point of baptism of the Holy Spirit.

“The second half of baptism is when the Holy Spirit, living in your spirit, flows out to baptize, soak, drench, overwhelm your soul and your body, and bring them to new life, freedom, joy and peace in and through the Lord Jesus. Then He can flow out into the world from you to bring love, peace, joy and healing to other people.” – Dennis Bennett How to Pray for the Release of the Spirit, p. 5

• Read Ephesians 2:6

• SUMMARY:

1. The first experience of the Christian life is SALVATION – the inflow of the Holy Spirit.
2. The second experience of the Christian life is RECEIVING or MAKING WELCOME the Holy Spirit, so that Jesus can cause Him to pour out this new life from our spirits, to baptize our souls and bodies, and then the world around, with His refreshing and renewing power.

Barriers to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

BARRIER
Not a Christian
– Romans 3:22-24

SOLUTION:
Be born again
– John 3:1-8

BARRIER
Demonization
– Matthew 8:16

SOLUTION:
Call upon the name of Jesus
– Mark 16:17

BARRIER
Involvement in false religions or cult groups
– Deuteronomy 18:10-11

SOLUTION:
Renounce them and embrace the truth of Christ
– John 14:6


BODY

BARRIER
Sins of the flesh
– Romans 7:5-6
– John 6:63

SOLUTION
Clothe yourself with Jesus
– Romans 13:13-14


SOUL

Emotion
Unforgiveness: Forgive as your Father forgives
– Mark 11:25

Anxiety & Worry: Turn it over
- Philippians 4:6-8

Fear: Receive His love
- 1 John 4:8

Grief: Be comforted
- 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Mind/Intellect
Worldly thinking – False world-view based upon culture: Be Transformed
- Romans 12:1-2

Will
Self-Centered Living: Die to Self
- Luke 9:23-25

Baptism of the Holy Spirit - Part 1

Jesus is the Baptizer

John 15:26

• The common denominator of baptism in the Holy Spirit in the New Testament was the new ability to speak in tongues.

Acts 2:44

Acts 10:44-48

Acts 11:13-16

Acts 19:1-7

• But isn’t my change in character (fruit of the Spirit) enough?

No! Think with me, what was it that drew the people to Peter at Pentecost? It couldn't have been the change in character of the Apostles, they simply wasn't time to observe such changes. It was the power of the Holy Spirit being manifested through the gift of tongues. – Acts 2:6-12

What convinced Simon the Sorcerer? – Acts 8:14-18

What was the evidence that the Gentile Cornelius (and family) was fully accepted by God? – Acts 10:46

• Speaking in tongues is important.

Mark 16:17

1 Corinthians 14:5

• Review the definition:
“Speaking in tongues is prayer with or in the Spirit. It is our spirit speaking to God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It takes place when a Christian believer speaks to God, but instead of speaking in a language he knows with his intellect he just speaks, in childlike faith, and trusts God to provide the form of the words. The regenerated human spirit which is joined to the Holy Spirit is praying directly to the Father, in Christ, without having to accept the limitations of the intellect. As the new life in the Spirit is expressed, the spiritual life is built up or edified.” – The Holy Spirit and You, p. 56 Dennis & Rita Bennett

• God does not compel, He inspires.

Speaking in tongues is your spirit speaking, inspired by the Holy Spirit and your spirit is under your control. Your consent is always needed before you manifest any gift of the Spirit.

• Praying for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit:

ASK Jesus to baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
“Heavenly Father, I thank You that I am under the protection of the precious blood of Jesus which has cleansed me from all sin. Dear Lord Jesus, please baptize me in the Holy Spirit and let me praise God in a new language beyond the limitations of my intellect. Thank You, Lord; I believe that You’re doing this right now! In Jesus’ Name, I pray…”

BELIEVE you receive the moment you ask.

“Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full.” John 16:24

CONFESS with your lips.

Confess in the new language that the Lord is ready to give you.

Open your mouth and show that you believe by beginning to speak.

Don’t speak English (or any other language that you know).

Trust God to give you the words.

This isn’t about ability, it is about setting aside ability.

Use your voice. But instead of saying what your mind wants to say, trust the Holy Spirit to guide your voice.

• But isn’t it just me talking?

Exactly. God doesn’t speak in tongues. People speak in tongues, as the Spirit gives the words.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:11 NKJV

“Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob… I [am] the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” Psalms 81:1, 10 NKJV

• What happens now?

Due to self-consciousness or inhibition, you may not yet have begun to speak in tongues. That’s okay – you didn’t flunk and you aren’t a failure. Simply keep at it until you make the first sound. As you surrender, He will provide.

You may have begun to speak, but only made a few halting sounds. Awesome! You’ve broken the sound barrier! Keep at it – offering those sounds to God. Love Jesus with those sounds and He will expand your new vocabulary.

You may have begun to speak in an overwhelming and wonderful new language. Terrific! Don’t get ‘holier than thou’ – this isn’t about you – it’s all about Him! Just keep at it growing in Christ.