Speak in Tongue

[homewardbound]

Really? What proof if any does one have to cite on your comment “not just some random babbling” ?
I want to hear this stuff taped and deciphered by an expert that can prove this is not random babbling before I accept that comment.

I am not saying that I am ruling it out as impossible. I am saying that I don’t think anyone can make the claim you just did. So far I have not seen it.
I am willing to read any citations you can provide for proof that it is not random babbling.

All I said was that speaking in tongues means to be speaking a known language. Its not standing up suddenly and speaking a bunch of gibberish that isn’t a language. It can’t be a bunch of made up words someone suddenly decided to start doing because they’re expected to.

I say this because I know several people I went to high school with who went to a Presbytrian(sp) church and they were all expected to speak in tongues this certain day. So they were all joking around in class the next day saying how they just stood up there and said a bunch of garble to make everyone happy. They were not speaking a language and they were not given any gift. They were only doing it because it was expected. Some denominations seem to do this because they seem to think one must speak in tongues in order to be saved(Yes I’ve had people tell me this). Doing things like that is not speaking in tongues, mainly because its not a language and also because the gift of tongues doesn’t come whenever we want it to. Thats what I meant by saying “not just a bunch of random babbling”

 

[papafite]

I don’t know. I have often heard it spoken of and I attended several meetings where speaking in tongues took place.
With God all things are possible. That being said, I am skeptical.
Why would there be a message we could not understand. What would be the point of that.
The Apostles after receiving the Spirit was granted great courage and the ability to speak in tongues, and all that heard understood. (now that I can get behind)
I don’t know, I have heard this many times and I have yet to understand or even have a hint if this/these are true messages or people getting over excited and babbling.

Confused…
Papa:shrug:

 

[water]

The speaker that day said “you might not get it straight away tonight, but keep praying and practising…” which I don’t know how to…

What did he tell you on how to practice?
This is something that I have problem understanding. When we pray, if the Holy Spirit grants us a gift, we will have it. I don’t understand why we have to practice and I have heard this and saw people practice before.

 

[InLight247]

What did he tell you on how to practice?
This is something that I have problem understanding. When we pray, if the Holy Spirit grants us a gift, we will have it. I don’t understand why we have to practice and I have heard this and saw people practice before.

When a person first received the new tongue, a new gift from the Holy Spirit, he is not familiar with it yet. To practice the new tongue is just like to practice any newly learned foreign language. For one who is learning Spanish, frequent practice will make it fluent. It is the same way for tongue. For any God given talent, the more we use it, the more we have it, if we leave the talent alone, the talent may eventually become non-existent.

 

[water]

When a person first received the new tongue, a new gift from the Holy Spirit, he is not familiar with it yet. To practice the new tongue is just like to practice any newly learned foreign language. For one who is learning Spanish, frequent practice will make it fluent. It is the same way for tongue. For any God given talent, the more we use it, the more we have it, if we leave the talent alone, the talent may eventually become non-existent.

Thanks InLight, I could understand your explanation. I had previously forgotten to mention that some people even practice when they believe they haven’t got the gifts. I have also read some book written by a priest who said that we all have this gift but we just need to practice it.

I also talked to non-Catholic Christians who said that they practiced until they got it.

 

[InLight247]

Thanks InLight, I could understand your explanation. I had previously forgotten to mention that some people even practice when they believe they haven’t got the gifts. I have also read some book written by a priest who said that we all have this gift but we just need to practice it.

I also talked to non-Catholic Christians who said that they practiced until they got it.

This is something new to me. As far as I know, people usually get the gift of tongue through laying of hands, the impartation.

But since all Christians have the indwelling Spirit inside of us, and the Bible said “Ask you will receive”, maybe if one earnestly ask and practice, the gift could be manifested. I am just thinking out loud here.

 

[water]

maybe if one earnestly ask and practice, the gift could be manifested. I am just thinking out loud here.

Some practiced by saying “Jesus” over many many times; others said “a, b, c, d …” many times. This doesn’t sound right. Few others said some “tongue” words many times.

The above method of repeating words was carried out at one parish in my diocese; I have not gone back to this group for a year. Things might be changed by now.

 

[InLight247]

Some practiced by saying “Jesus” over many many times; others said “a, b, c, d …” many times. This doesn’t sound right. Few others said some “tongue” words many times.

That doesn’t sound right to me.

 

[bpbasilphx]

One Pentecostal minister chided his congregation: “Balaams *** spoke in a language she had never used before, and was the same *** when she finished as when she started.”

 

[Godlovestrength]

Just as a curiosity, while I know or have heard of several individuals or groups who claim to speak in tongues, I don’t believe that I have heard of any individual or group, in modern times, who claim to be able to INTERPRET the tongues. Now, according to the Bible and St. Paul, if there were those who spoke in tongues, there would also be those to interpret.

So, where are the interpreters?

It could be any person, and it wil be the person who the Holy Spirit gives that gift of interpretation to. Too many catholics seem to hooha such gifts and to also (as some do) put it down or to call it not worthy or not our thing. Well do we have the right to put down one of GOD"S gifts, of corse we do not. We should not even think that we are catholic or even christian if we do.

Now tell the turth do any you have the right to neglect one of God’s gifts?
Do you even think that it is not CATHOLIC to speak in toungs?
Do you refuse to accept it as being a good gift?

Well then my question to you would be …Is there any gift from God that He gives freely not part of God’s LOVE?
Then who of us has the right to even think that we have the right to reject the person who has the gift GOD has given them, because we don’t think that it has a true place in the church.
Your and my bible tell us that because one gift may not be a thumb or other does not mean that it does not have it’s place.

Please, I don’t say this to all but hope that you will realise that I am not putting you down but I will stand up for My God and (ALL of His gifts) who is pure LOVE.

Godbless

 

[bpbasilphx]

<<However, I am interested in the Healing Masses that Charismatics have in the Catholic Church.>>

How can you possibly get more healing or more spiritual than the Body and Blood of Christ?

EVERY Eucharistic Sacrifice is a spiritual, charismatic, healing event.

 

[Godlovestrength]

<<However, I am interested in the Healing Masses that Charismatics have in the Catholic Church.>>

How can you possibly get more healing or more spiritual than the Body and Blood of Christ?

EVERY Eucharistic Sacrifice is a spiritual, charismatic, healing event.

You are right in a way, however there are many ways of a person being healed and it depends on how the Lord allows this to happen, but it is always through the Holy Spirit.
If there wwere no rasonfor physical healing through faith in prayer then Jesus would not have taught the Apostles to heal this way and they would not have wasted their time in doing so.

We must keep our minds and heartsw open to the many many spiritual gifts for they all have their functin in this world, and all for the building up of the body of Christ. Please don’t hooha the gifts they all are gifts from God on high.
Just read 1 Corinth 12.

God bless

 

[BigRedpg51]

PART 1 of 2.

vince2paul, I will explain to you my personal experience and maybe it will help you to understand what “speaking in tongues” is really about.

I had been a member of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal for about 6 months when I went to my first LSS (Life in the Spirit Seminar). I had been advised by a very experienced and gifted lady (who had manifested ALL of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, mentioned in the Bible, and more still… that are not mentioned). She said that when she was brought to her first LSS by her aunt in the Philippines, that she just asked Jesus to fill her with Himself. She was not concerned about receiving “this gift” or “that gift”, as so many people were. She just wanted Jesus to fill her with Himself, knowing that where Jesus is…all of His gifts are there also. She gave me that same advice.

So, when I attended my first LSS I did just that: I asked Jesus to fill me with Himself. I really didn’t care whether He gave me some spiritual gifts, no spiritual gifts, or all of them…I just wanted Him.

About 1 week later, after the Baptism of the Holy Spirit session of the LSS, I was invited to a prayer meeting at someone’s home. At the end we were asked to pray over different people for various illnesses. All of a sudden, I could see clearly the ‘insides’ of the person whom we were praying over…almost as if I had X-Ray vision. I could see clearly what his problem was, but I did not yet know how to interpret what I saw…so we just shared what we all saw or experienced with the prayer leader and let her seek God’s interpretation. I was later told that this new-found “vision” that I had experienced was called Word of Knowledge…one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

As the next few years passed, God eventually started manifesting the Gift of Wisdom, the Gift of Faith, the Gift of Healing, the Gift of Discernment of Hearts, and the Gift of Prophesy through me…but still no Gift of Tongues.

Then, about 4 1/2 years after that first Baptism in the Holy Spirit Mass, I was at one of our regular prayer meeting-sponsored Healing Masses. After Holy Communion the priest called for a period of silence in order to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us. Then, one-by-one, different people started praying in Tongues…and I felt like I should join them too. It started with “I love you Jesus!”, “Hallelujah, Jesus!”, “Jesus, You are my all!”…and the like. But, suddenly it changed to something I did not recognize…a sort of unknown babbling. All I could think about was that I just wanted to keep praising Our Lord, so I did not pay too much attention to it. When it was all over, in a few minutes, I realized that I had received the Gift of Tongues…FINALLY! 4 1/2 years it took, but God gave it in His own time.

Now, two days later I was on my way to work…normally a 1/2 hr. drive along Route 80 in NJ when I just felt like spending my trip praising God. So, I started to praise Him with this Gift of Tongues…and you know what happened? My ‘tongue’ changed languages 9 times in about 20 minutes! WOW! Was I on a high!!!

Well, I decided that I really liked what was going on, but I didn’t understand one blessed word of what I was praying in my praise. So, I started praising God in English for a few minutes. But, it sounded like I was talking into a long tunnel…or an empty tin can. Finally, frustrated with this experience, I went back to praising Him in Tongues for the remaining minutes of my trip.

That evening I asked my spiritual guide what had happened … why I felt like I was simply talking into a tin can when I started praising God in English for those few minutes. She asked me, “What were you saying when you praised Him in English?” And so I told her…“I love You Lord!” “I praise You Lord!” “I worship and adore You Lord!” “You are my all, Lord!”…and the like.

 

[BigRedpg51]

PART 2 of 2

Then she explained to me that when praying in Tongues, there is no “I”. It is our spirit speaking directly to the Holy Spirit. But, as I could see, there definitely was an “I” in my English prayers. She explained that the “I” is ego…pride…us getting in the way. But, when we pray in Tongues there is no “I”…no ego…nothing but direct communion between our spirit and God’s Holy Spirit. It’s pure, and we don’t get in the way.

I’ve kept that teaching in my mind ever since…and it’s helped to change my English prayers as well. I try to be very cognizant of the use of “I” in my prayers, and only work it in if it’s absolutely necessary.

Very shortly after this experience I was at another prayer meeting when the time for prophesy arrived. I was given the prophesy…so I was about to start to prophesy in English (as usual, for me)…when all of a sudden I started prophesying in Tongues…STRONGLY, as if a dam had burst! I felt it coming, and I just didn’t want to hold it back…but to just let it lead me where it wanted to. After a few minutes of this…a pause…then the English interpretation followed. I really had nothing to do with any of it except to let it all flow out. I think that I broke down crying afterward – the experience had been so powerful! That night God had decided to manifest the Gift of Prophesying in Tongues through me.

On various other occasions, whenever the prophesy was given to me or someone else, sometimes it was in English - and sometimes it was in Tongues…but, if in Tongues, there was always and English interpretation – either by me or someone else in the group. If there was not, then we could not accept the prophesy as “genuine”, from God. Sometimes the devil would try to get in and force a prophesy (a false one), but after I was taught what to look for…how to tell the difference between the ‘voice of God’ and the ‘voice of the devil’…I would soon discern where it’s source was from and try to stop it before it got very far.

As the years rolled by, I was taught how to use the Gift of Tongues when praying over someone…that it was a very powerful gift that God would use to help you get to the true cause of the problem at hand. Many times, using the Gift of Tongues while praying over someone, a “physical illness” would reveal it’s “spiritual root”, and then we would redirect our prayers to that root, instead.

Someone, in an earlier posting, mentioned that you should determine whether what you were hearing was truly Tongues (from God) or just people babbling in an excited manner (commonly known as “wildfire”). Once again…it’s just a matter of discernment. Does it leave you with a feeling of peace…joy…healing…quiet…or does it leave you feeling angry…confused…ill…anxious? Did it take a while to manifest itself…or did it come quickly, in an excited spastic manner? This discernment will help you to determine, in short order, if what you are hearing is truly the Gift of Tongues.

Regarding the “interpretation” requirement: this only pertains to Prophesy Tongues…not to prayer Tongues. Some people, who have the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues can even interpret prayer Tongues, but it is not necessary. It’s only necessary with Prophesy Tongues.

One final sharing…

The “Gifts of the Holy Spirit” belong to those people who receive them…not to those who manifest them. Think of it this way: When you give someone a gift, THEY have the gift, don’t they? It’s the same with the Holy Spirit’s gifts. The person who benefits from that gift (the sick or confused person who is being prayed for) “has the gift”. God alone is “the Giver”, and the persons who are used in the process are merely poor instruments that Our Lord has chosen to use as vehicles through which to give His gift. That is why it is incorrect to say that “I have the gift of Tongues” or “I have the Gift of Prophesy” or “I have the Gift of Healing” – but, in truth it is proper to say “God manifests the Gift of Prophesy through me.” Actually, it is best not to speak about what Gifts of the Holy Spirit God manifests through you to anyone. This may lead to “spiritual pride”…and that can be deadly to our souls’ relationship with God. If God chooses to manifest a gift through you, me, or anyone else – He always does it for a purpose, for a particular person, and in a particular way. It ALWAYS must be Him doing it – NEVER ourselves.

I hope that this has given you a better understanding of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and especially of the beauty and power of this Gift of Tongues.

God bless and keep you!
John

 

[InLight247]

John, thanks for your good and sincere sharing. How beautiful that God has manifested so many gifts through you.

Personally I have limited experience of those things you described. But I know gift of word of knowledge and gift of prophesy are real and authentic. I have two very good friends both have experienced such gifts while serving in different charismatic healing sessions.

Our God is a living God. His miraculous power is unlimited.

 

[chevalier]

Usually you don’t just start to speak in tongue.
Usually you receive the tongue after someone (who is Holy Spirit anointed, and who speaks in tongue himself) laid hands on you and prayed over you,

Do you mean a priest or do you mean any person confirmed, or do you mean someone who received, “baptism in the Holy Spirit?”

It’s very unsettling for me, tongues which are not real languages (sometimes I can’t exclude they could be actual exotic and/or dead languages, but recognisable ones have never happened around me), and also the laying of hands by laymen on laymen.

Also, some charismatics tell people to open their mouths and give out some sound, often baby talk. I feel tortured when this happens, although I don’t want to say it has no merit or it’s wrong or anything. I just feel like I’m being tortured, it’s so unsettling.

 

[chevalier]

Now tell the turth do any you have the right to neglect one of God’s gifts?
Do you even think that it is not CATHOLIC to speak in toungs?
Do you refuse to accept it as being a good gift?

Well then my question to you would be …Is there any gift from God that He gives freely not part of God’s LOVE?
Then who of us has the right to even think that we have the right to reject the person who has the gift GOD has given them, because we don’t think that it has a true place in the church.
Your and my bible tell us that because one gift may not be a thumb or other does not mean that it does not have it’s place.

God > Church. Simple. The Church has no right to moderate God. Much less (well, zero is equal to zero, but the transgression is more outrageous) do individual members have the right to disdain people for actual gifts. Come on, rejecting what’s given by God is very, very bad.

Still, the problem is, is it really a gift from God? Who am I to question and who am I to judge it? At the same time, I can’t violate myself to the point of pretending I’m 100% in agreement that it’s real and actual gift of tongues where I just feel weird and I don’t know what’s going on.

 

[InLight247]

As far as I know, usually the activity of laying hand happens at the end of a charismatic session or seminar. The session often starts with singing and praising, bring everyone into God’s presence with fair amount of worship. The priest or whoever leads (could be lay person) first gives talk about Holy Spirit, his gifts, and God’s love, followed by prayers of surrender, asking for forgiveness and inviting the spirit come to one’s life.

The laying hands could be done by the priest and spirit filled lay people simultaneously.
If it is a large gathering, all who serves may stand in a row, and all to be served stand in a row and they lay hands at the same time. I know this by listening to some tapes.

Some tongue sounds like simple syllables. Each tongue could be different. The Holy Spirit gives freely according to his will. The one who receives does not pick what to get.

Years ago a priest laid hand on me and I received my tongue. Whenever I pray in tongue, I know I am praising God. If you don’t want the gift, God will not give it to you. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He never forces any gift on us if we don’t want it.

 

[BigRedpg51]

Often times, especially at Catholic Charismatic prayer meetings and Life in the Spirit Seminars, people will try to ‘force’ the Gift of Tongues out of you if they sense that you are holding back.

They may suggest that you just start babbling (bad suggestion, by the way)…or they may suggest that you just say “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia…” over and over again (better suggestion) in order to get your active participation in the bringing on of the gift.

Why people place so much emphasis on whether you receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit or not – I don’t know. It’s not like you won’t go to Heaven if you don’t manifest them. I personally feel that people get too wrapped up in the gifts, and tend to neglect “the Giver” in the process sometimes.

And, as it all-too-often happens, those who are promoting “the gifts of the Holy Spirit” the most…are the ones with ego problems.

I say, “Let God be God. He’s much better at it than we are, and He has a lot more experience in that area.” All we have to do is be open to His gifts…no matter what they are, no matter when, or in what circumstance…and then let Him decide ‘if’ or ‘when’ He chooses to give them. We CAN NOT FORCE A PERSON to receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. It has to be God doing it…first, last, and always.

 

[Pani_Rose]

I mean, is there any word(s) that one has to say repeatedly? or it happens spontaneously?

I just find it quite illogical for one to be able to speak spontaneously.

When we pray with someone for a prayer language, I ask them, if they want to pray, to pray ABBA. Praying to God our Father, through his Son Jesus Christ, in the power of his Holy Spirit, I know they hear our prayers and answer with the Holy Spirit praying through us.