Prophesey and speaking in tounges

[Cs6153]

I never quite understood the use of prophesy and speaking in tounges in religions such as Pentacostalism. I am Catholic and know someone who is part of the Assemblies of God. I went to a service and a prayer meeting. I felt very uncomfortable by what was going on. The pastors wife is a prophetess, and a healer. They encourage speaking in tounges as well. I guess these questons are for Pentacostals or anybody that knows anything about this subject.

1. Can Prohets prophesy about anything ? Can their prophesys be extremly general such as saying that they prophesy that the crooked paths are going to be made straight or telling someone that they are going to have dreams in the future and to come in and talk to prophet to interpret?
2. When the pastor prays he speaks in a laungage that sounds like Hebrew and you can easliy repeat what he says. I thought when a person speaks in tounges it sounds like a unknown foriegn laungage that you cannot understand. Is this true? or is he just praying in Hebrew?
3. For healing when someone gets sick the pastors wife prays for them and when they get better she writes a testamony and puts it on the wall. Is this normal practice?

I am just perplexed and need a little insight

 

[FaithofAbraham]

I never quite understood the use of prophesy and speaking in tounges in religions such as Pentacostalism. I am Catholic and know someone who is part of the Assemblies of God. I went to a service and a prayer meeting. I felt very uncomfortable by what was going on. The pastors wife is a prophetess, and a healer. They encourage speaking in tounges as well. I guess these questons are for Pentacostals or anybody that knows anything about this subject.

1. Can Prohets prophesy about anything ? Can their prophesys be extremly general such as saying that they prophesy that the crooked paths are going to be made straight or telling someone that they are going to have dreams in the future and to come in and talk to prophet to interpret?
2. When the pastor prays he speaks in a laungage that sounds like Hebrew and you can easliy repeat what he says. I thought when a person speaks in tounges it sounds like a unknown foriegn laungage that you cannot understand. Is this true? or is he just praying in Hebrew?
3. For healing when someone gets sick the pastors wife prays for them and when they get better she writes a testamony and puts it on the wall. Is this normal practice?

I am just perplexed and need a little insight

My mother spoke in Hebrew for about half an hour when she was asleep, my dad heard it, at the time he was pretty much agnostic. She only remembered four of the words when she woke up, they were a message about something in the Bible.

About twenty years ago I dreamed I was in a prison with many strangers wandering around and looking lost. I tried to find a way out and when I did it turned out to be a cave I was in leading out to a ledge of a very high mountain, too steep to climb down. All around below was a dry empty desert.

I climbed up and knew there was a better place at the top of the mountain but there were guards there who I felt were angels stopping me so I went back down.

I sat down and started crying because I thought I was in hell, my tears washed away some dirt at my feet and there was a stone with many strange words engraved on it. As soon as I finished reading it I woke up and only remembered four of the words. Over the years I found that they translate into several languages with different meanings but all related to the same topic from the Bible.

So you can take all that for what it’s worth.

 

[Syele]

I never quite understood the use of prophesy and speaking in tounges in religions such as Pentacostalism. I am Catholic and know someone who is part of the Assemblies of God. I went to a service and a prayer meeting. I felt very uncomfortable by what was going on. The pastors wife is a prophetess, and a healer. They encourage speaking in tounges as well. I guess these questons are for Pentacostals or anybody that knows anything about this subject.

God gives many gifts to His people, but some people get overexcited and try to MAKE the gifts be there, even if they are not. I have seen people truly be healed, and have real prophecies come true, but I have also seen others that were not of God with people pushing one another down and trying to only make themselves look good. Gifts from God can’t be MADE to happen, they happen when God wills them to. Always pray for discernment.

1. Can Prohets prophesy about anything ? Can their prophesys be extremly general such as saying that they prophesy that the crooked paths are going to be made straight or telling someone that they are going to have dreams in the future and to come in and talk to prophet to interpret?

There are no rules about what prophecies can be about, except they cannot contradict scripture, and a true prophet will never prophecy wrongly. If someone prophesied that something will happen tomorrow and it doesn’t NO prophecy that person makes should ever be considered. If it was really vague (and lots of them are) it’s not really that verifiable other than praying for discernment and being careful not to fall into the trap of believing everything you hear…

1. When the pastor prays he speaks in a laungage that sounds like Hebrew and you can easliy repeat what he says. I thought when a person speaks in tounges it sounds like a unknown foriegn laungage that you cannot understand. Is this true? or is he just praying in Hebrew?

There are two types of speaking in tongues you may hear.

1. This most common is a “Prayer language” It is believed that it is to be only between God and the person praying. they pray it when they don’t know what to pray, believing the Holy Spirit gives the words. It is similar to meditation. This is probably what you heard the pastor doing. it is often repetitive.
2. This type is generally something where the person doing it will stand up and speak to the entire congregation in a tongue they have never learned, If this is ever done Scripture says an interpreter needs to be there to tell everyone what was said.

1. For healing when someone gets sick the pastors wife prays for them and when they get better she writes a testamony and puts it on the wall. Is this normal practice?

Many churches do this as a way to thank God for His many blessings. Usually it would include **any **answered prayer requests though. I’d find it odd if it was only the pastors wifes prayers for the sick being posted.

I am just perplexed and need a little insight

Hope that was helpful.

 

[strngrnrth]

AOG has a tenet that everyone must speak in tongues to be saved. They try to speak in tongues because of that belief. Other Pentecostals don’t believe you have to, just that it’s good, and they often speak in a prayer language in order to pray better.
Speaking in tongues is real. I have done it and learned later that what I said is a message about God in Hebrew, a very scriptural one. But not everyone does it.
Prophecy is also a gift not everyone has. God doesn’t use false prophets because He wants listeners to be sure whom to listen to. But people have faked prophecy. Both gifts can be real or false.
You don’t have to be a pastor or the spouse of one to prophesy or speak in tongues.
I never saw anyone put the testimonies of healing on the wall. They can be shared in many ways. Pentecostals strongly believe all testimonies should be shared with as many people as reasonable depending on how private the miracle was. This is part of glorifying God and giving Him thanks and evangelizing.

 

[motoeric]

Has anyone done any testing on speaking in tongues? Have you recorded what you or others were saying and brought it to a linguist?

This is fascinating stuff!

Has anyone witnessed Catholic healings where people exhibited testable positive changes?

It would be a shame for true gifts of the spirit to be wrapped in the same cloak as charlatans like Benny Hinn.

Eric

 

[strngrnrth]

Has anyone done any testing on speaking in tongues? Have you recorded what you or others were saying and brought it to a linguist?

This is fascinating stuff!

Has anyone witnessed Catholic healings where people exhibited testable positive changes?

It would be a shame for true gifts of the spirit to be wrapped in the same cloak as charlatans like Benny Hinn.

Eric

I am an armchair linguist, and have spoken in tongues I didn’t know. In my first tongues experience, described above, I remembered the words I had said and looked them up in a reference book having a hunch they were Hebrew, and they meant something like “The love of God” in that language. I have caught a phrase or two from other people’s prayer languages. One was something like “That which was lost” in a definite Romance language, posibly Portuguese, Romanian or a dialect of French or Spanish, maybe Catalan? I recognized the roots and the grammar was Spanish-like although some of the other words didn’t seem to be Spanish as I know it.
Many healings have been witnessed by large numbers of people. As for taping, well, the problem is that God often chooses to heal the poor and isolated, those who need it most, and that is exactly who is least likely to have recording equipment.

 

[Deacon110]

I never quite understood the use of prophesy and speaking in tounges in religions such as Pentacostalism. I am Catholic and know someone who is part of the Assemblies of God. I went to a service and a prayer meeting. I felt very uncomfortable by what was going on. The pastors wife is a prophetess, and a healer. They encourage speaking in tounges as well. I guess these questons are for Pentacostals or anybody that knows anything about this subject.

1. Can Prohets prophesy about anything ? Can their prophesys be extremly general such as saying that they prophesy that the crooked paths are going to be made straight or telling someone that they are going to have dreams in the future and to come in and talk to prophet to interpret?

The key is to look at the original word which of course we always seem to do here. The word used for tongues was “language” plain and simple. So when the disciples were speaking in tongues they were speaking in the native languages of those from foreign countries who were in attendance for Pentecost.

I would be carfeful about someone identifying themselves as a prophetess and being able to interpret dreams. This borders on divinity and sorcery which is absolutely forbidden in the Bible.

1. When the pastor prays he speaks in a laungage that sounds like Hebrew and you can easliy repeat what he says. I thought when a person speaks in tounges it sounds like a unknown foriegn laungage that you cannot understand. Is this true? or is he just praying in Hebrew?

Again tongues in the Bible means language so it probably was Hebrew. It’s not something that sounds like mumbling and everyone goes "ohhhhh he’s talking GOD’s language. Now there is a theory that speaking in tongues could also be the language that everyone spoke prior to the tower of babel incident. If you recall the Bible says they all spoke the same language and GOD separated them. I’m assuming this resulted in Italian, German, etc. But the question remains, what was that initial language and is that a form of speaking in tongues.

1. For healing when someone gets sick the pastors wife prays for them and when they get better she writes a testamony and puts it on the wall. Is this normal practice?

Yes. But as you know we never underestimate the power of prayer. We have a young woman at our church who had terminal throat cancer and was given less than a year to live. We prayed for her in a large group of Elders huddle style when they initially received the news, and then also encouraged everyone to please pray for her on their own.

After her operation was complete she had an incredible experience in the recovery room. Jesus actually came to her and spoke with her. She claims they eventually arrived at the gates of Heaven and HE told her she had to go back because she had more work to do. As HE was moving away from her she cried “please Jesus come back” over and over again. When she came out of her anesthesia she heard 2 recovery room nurses say “this woman is crying out for Jesus”. So obviously something special was going on. Oh and she is in complete remission cancer-free.

Anyone who doesn’t believe in Jesus, a’hem, he’s alive and quite well

I am just perplexed and need a little insight

I’m not too comfortable with this either and have often been perplexed as you say.

PEACE

 

[strngrnrth]

Prophesying isn’t forbidden in the Bible at all. On the contrary, “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy” is in the OT and NT both. Joseph and Daniel could interpret dreams, too.

 

[Reuben_J]

Prophecy and tongues are some of the charismatic gifts mentioned in 1Cor 12. They are gifts of the Holy Spirit given to individuals for the building of the church - the body of Christ. Their usage therefore should bear the fruit of edifying the body. If healing does happen it must be for the glory of God and so that there will be increased in faith as a result of God’s intervention.

The gifts when exercised prudently with good discernment should be positve things to the church. The danger is of course they can be abused and the individuals concerned fall into the temptation of pride and basking in is/her own glory. That’s bad and would has negative impact on the body.

Any mature Christians can have the gift of healing. Most probaly the pastor’s wife has it that she is seen readily to administer this gift.

 

[paarsurrey]

Hi

The PromisedMessiah 1835-1908 also received revelations from GodAllahYHWH in many languages, and quite some of them languages he himself did not know.

There is no harm in seeing dreams and visions and in interpreting thems. There are many dreams and visions mentioned in Quran and Bible seen by the ProphetsMessengers which were later fullfilled.

These are however not to be used for gaining any money or exploiting people for fame or making them superstitious, that would be counterproductive and harmful.

Thanks

 

[AoG_Pastor]

AOG has a tenet that everyone must speak in tongues to be saved. They try to speak in tongues because of that belief. Other Pentecostals don’t believe you have to, just that it’s good, and they often speak in a prayer language in order to pray better.

Hi everyone. I have been an Assemblies of God Pastor for more than 18 years. I was brought to this site by a link. Once here, I started reading this thread, and when I saw this - I knew I had to take the time to respond.

I have heard this said of the A/G before. And I want everyone to know that this is 100% NOT correct.

Our doctrines in no way shape or form say that Speaking in Tongues plays any part in your salvation.

We do believe in the current gifts and workings of the Holy Spirit in believer’s lives. We do believe that Speaking in Tongues is “the initial physical evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.”

We do not believe it is a part of your salvation, (Eph. 2:8-10) is one of many good examples - notice no where does it mention speaking in tongues.

In closing - remember the Word of the Lord written through the Apostle Paul (I am not quoting the exact words - just the concept from the Bible):

All the gifts of the Holy Spirit are important - I dare say vital - to the Church (captial “C”), prophesey, healings, tongues, etc.

BUT - without LOVE - they will never have the full effect the God means them to have in this world. It is no accident that God’s “love chapter” - 1 Cor 13 - is sandwiched like an Orero cookie between 1 Cor 12 and 1 Cor 14. Read these three chapters together and notice the content and how LOVE must be at the center of all we do.

May all the grace and blessings of our Lord, Jesus Christ, be with you all.

Pastor Bill

 

[Righteousone]

Has anyone done any testing on speaking in tongues? Have you recorded what you or others were saying and brought it to a linguist?

This is fascinating stuff!

Has anyone witnessed Catholic healings where people exhibited testable positive changes?

It would be a shame for true gifts of the spirit to be wrapped in the same cloak as charlatans like Benny Hinn.

Eric

I have witnessed a Catholic healing when a woman who was a Protestant came to this priest who was a healer. She’d been in a wheelchair for years with MS. Her sister was Catholic and brought her to this man. She got up and walked for the first time in years. I couldn’t believe it. She is now a devout Catholic.
There are many healings from Catholic priests and saints as well. There are even healings by praying to a holy relic once who were a part of a saint.
A woman traveled all the way to Poland to see the statue of the Blessed Mother and she had terminal cancer. She too was sceptical but was cured.

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

I Cor 14:28

 

[strngrnrth]

Hi everyone. I have been an Assemblies of God Pastor for more than 18 years. I was brought to this site by a link. Once here, I started reading this thread, and when I saw this - I knew I had to take the time to respond.

I have heard this said of the A/G before. And I want everyone to know that this is 100% NOT correct.

Our doctrines in no way shape or form say that Speaking in Tongues plays any part in your salvation.

Pastor Bill

I have heard from a former AOG who is close to me that in his congregation the leaders said it did. Additionally, I have seen a website that claimed some authority to define the denomination that also said so. I don’t remember the URL; it was a while ago. But if that isn’t what our denomination says then the leadership needs to get that info across to local pastors more forcefully. These things happen.

 

[tundramom]

AOG has a tenet that everyone must speak in tongues to be saved. They try to speak in tongues because of that belief.

Just to be fair, SOME A/G congregations teach that but it is not a tenet. I came from the A/G church and it was never taught that one had to speak in tongues to be saved.

in Christ
Steph

 

[heisenburg]

One needs to be careful when generalizing…

Simply because one AoG group claims it is required, does not mean all strains of AoG claim it as required for salvation.

Likewise, there are some evangelicals that claim if you don’t believe in PreTrib Rapture, pre-millennialism, you can’t be a Christian. Other Evangelicals point at these people and laugh…

I may disagree with how some view ‘speaking in tongues’. But it is legit…

there are however two types…

Example (1): A man goes to France to share the good news, though he has never learned or understood French, somehow, he miraculously begins to speak in French and shares the gospel that way. Whether or not he made prophecies is a mute point, the purpose in this case is for people to speak to those that otherwise would not have understood them.(Much how the apostle in Acts were able to speak to surrounding cultures miraculously in their native tongues…)

This is used to spread the Gospel…

Example (2)
3 way team…
One speaks in ‘tongues’ as many AoG teach…
One understands…
One Interprets…

Notice though that it is not a ONE man team…
Again though, the purpose s to spread the Gospel… You don’t loose control as some have taught it. Part of being able to witness is being in complete control of your senses. Furthermore, it is not meant for the choir… but for those that need to hear it. (which is why i find it funny that you only hear about this INSIDE congregational walls.)

The CC has no problem with speaking in Tongues, nor Prophecy. It just needs to be done in proper biblical context… The version Hijacked by SOME charismatics, (Not All) is NOT in context…

It’s not a freak show…
It’s not about making someone quiver on the floor…
And it is most certainly NOT about one man show speaking, interpreting and teaching based.
It’s about spreading the Gospel in an UNDERSTANDABLE and sensible way, albeit miraculous.

In Christ

 

[Syele]

I think the misunderstanding here is that AoG believes speaking in Tongues is the outward sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, not of Salvation. Talking about “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” and talking about “Salvation” are talking about two different things.

http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/Position_Papers/pp_4185_spirit-filled_life.cfm:

From its founding, The General Council of the Assemblies of God has recognized the baptism in the Holy Spirit as an experience distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth. It has also recognized that the initial physical evidence of the baptism in the Spirit is speaking in tongues.5 The church’s Statement of Fundamental Truths contains the following statements:
Fundamental Truth 7: All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,8; 1 Corinthians 12:1—31). This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 8:12—17; 10:44—46; 11:14—16; 15:7—9). With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as an overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37—39; Acts 4:8), a deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Hebrews 12:28), an intensified consecration to Him and a dedication to His work (Acts 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His Word, and for the lost (Mark 16:20).
Fundamental Truth 8: The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4). The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:4—10,28), but different in purpose and use.
The Assemblies of God has consistently taught the importance of the Baptism and the Spirit-filled life for both the individual believer and the entire Church.

 

[Cs6153]

I am beginning to understand more.

 

[ss7659]

I would like to add something else about talking in tongues from a Catholic perspective. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a “language” we humans understand. I was taught by the Catholic Church as a convert that talking in tongues while praying could be interpreted as the language of angels. In other words only God and the angels can understand what you are saying. No man would understand. The Catholic mysticism here is that you are guided by the Holy Spirit in your verbal prayers to God. But here is the catch, you, the speaker, also wouldn’t understand what you are saying! I am told by Catholic Charismatic people that what happens is when the Holy Spirit descends on you these “words” are “written” or “spoken” in your heart and you repeat them. Often times they are just a few syllables that are just repeated again and again while in prayer. It’s kind of hard to witness because, since we can’t understand it, it seems like babble but it can also be very beautiful. If you want to know more about the gifts of the Holy Spirit there are groups out there like Sword of the Spirit that are Ecumenical but Charismatic Catholic groups are also approved by the Vatican.
I would be concerned about anyone who calles THEMSELVES “Prophetess”. Sounds like pride to me…

 

[Cs6153]

I wonder if a prophet in the Protestant denominations can be considered the same as mystic in the Catholicism?

Mystics seem though to experience more than just prophecy. Some have the Sigmata, or hear angels sing. others have seen apparations of Mother Mary, Angels or Jesus Himself.